I would not call them cowards, or ineffective fighters.
They know how to have commandos sweep the streets with automatic weapons.....in African countries.
But they prefer not to on their home soil. That would shatter their illusions.
Who is the 'They' you are referring to? The French FOREIGN Legion may have the testicular fortitude to see this thing through; but not the Frogs.
The Frogs are the ones who paid Millions to Arafat to keep his terrorism out of Paris, who threatened to block any meaningful sanctions against Saddam, who cut and run (leaving us in the lurch) for both Korea and Vietnam. These same 'Allies' sold Saddam Exocet missles, made hundreds of Millions on the Oil for Food Scandal, and then provided SAddam's miliatry with intelligence during our military actions. These are the same people who used US military (placed under UN control by Clinton) as bait during the Haiti exercises.
Funny, I can bear France's discomfort with great fortitutde.
But they prefer not to on their home soil. That would shatter their illusions."
That's a fitting reminder of the people killed at an anti-French protest in the Ivory Coast.
Good point.