The Paris intifada-Why are Muslim youth rioting in the banlieues of Paris?

Jerusalem Post ^ | 11-9-05

[SJackson]

In the immediate aftermath of the September 11 attacks, the US media became preoccupied with a key question: "Why do they hate us so much?" A fair-minded people, the Americans believed there must be a good, rational explanation why 19 educated, economically comfortable young men would ram planes into buildings, killing themselves along with thousands of innocents.

Among the many reasons proffered, one that appeared frequently - and drew concern in Jerusalem - was that it was all due to US support for Israel. If the US would only toe a more pro-Arab, pro-Palestinian line, this argument ran, then the Arab and Muslim masses wouldn't hate it so.

The events in Paris over the last 12 days have confirmed the vacuity of this argument.

Since the mid-1960s, France has consistently been among the most pro-Arab countries in western Europe.

Indeed, one can make a compelling argument that one reason French President Jacques Chirac was so opposed to the US war in Iraq was that he believed this would give France special status among the world's Muslims.

France, unlike the US, cannot be accused of a pro-Israeli slant. Nevertheless, its Muslim youth are rioting in the banlieues of Paris. Though it is too early to dissect this ongoing French revolution, one thing that can already be said is that these rioters hate France - otherwise they wouldn't be destroying its property and setting fire to its towns and suburbs.

And this hatred of France has nothing to do with Israel.

Why is this important to state? Because for too long much of the West, with France at the vanguard, has tried to paper over its real conflict with radical Islam with the argument that if only a solution to the Israeli-Arab conflict could be found, then all would be well with the world and Islamic enmity would disappear.

Not so. The Muslim youth in France are not rioting as a sign of solidarity with their Palestinian or Iraqi brothers. They are rioting in large part because they feel discriminated against, alienated, and cut out of that great French "liberte, egalite, fraternite" pie.

The French would be wise to pay attention to the fact that these flames of alienation are being fanned and leveraged for their own use by Islamic radicals who - as the homegrown London bombers proved in July - are thriving on the streets of Europe.

Parallels can be found with our reality. At one time the Arab-Israeli conflict looked predominantly like a territorial one. Indeed, this thinking underpinned UN Security Council Resolution 242, which created the territories-for-peace rubric.

What was ignored was the religious and ideological component of the conflict. It is not coincidental that the recent Palestinian paroxysm of violence here goes by the name of al-Aksa Intifada - and not, for instance, the Gaza intifada, or the West Bank intifada.

Naming the violence after the mosque on the Temple Mount, and not one or other of the disputed territories, underlines that religious component, a component that - with the help of Iran, Hizbullah, Hamas and Islamic Jihad - has made the conflict much more violent, volatile and intractable. Land-for-peace, for the radical Islamic groups, has always been obsolete.

France - yes, ironically, France - has now awakened to find itself facing a similar dilemma.

The instinctive reaction in France to the rioting has been twofold: a pledge to restore security and to address the "causes" of the rioting: the deprivation, discrimination, alienation and rootlessness of the rampaging, largely Muslim, youth. One cannot argue with either of these two points.

But French policy makers would be unwise to overlook the religious, ideological dimensions of the battle, and the way Islamic radicals preaching from the mosques and spewing out hatred via the Internet are able to prey on this disaffection and import a toxic ideology into France and the heart of Europe.

True, the current riots in France may be about rootlessness and alienation of minority youth, but they are not only about rootlessness and alienation. Radical Islam is part of the mix as well, and the French will ignore that at their own peril.

[TheBattman]

Because the ROP® teaches violence to get their way....???

[.cnI redruM]

Because the French lack the guts to defend themselves. If the French people shot their 'youths' more often, they wouldn't be stupid enough to try vandalizing people's rides.

[MaryFromMichigan]

The bottom line is, "Radical Islam is part of the mix as well, and the French will ignore that at their own peril."

[Aquinasfan]

The events in Paris over the last 12 days have confirmed the vacuity of this argument.

To rational people anyway.

[astounded]

It's not "radical" islam. It's "islam", and it is not "part of the mix". It is the "mix". These "riots" do not have "root causes" like "poverty" or "non-assimilation" or any other social engineering drivel. They are planned, coordinated, and fomented out of the "mosques" under cover of "religion".

It should be clear to anyone who is not insane that islam is not a religion in the sense of Christianity. These "riots" demonstrate clearly that islam is a power-driven political cult that demands all submit to its tenets or be killed.

There is no middle ground with islam, no gray, only black or white. France falling to islam may seem not too great a problem from a non-French perspective, but the ultimate mortal outcome of France falling to islam will be French nuclear weapons in islamist hands. This cannot be permitted.

[SJackson]

If you'd like to be on this middle east/political ping list, please FR mail me.

..........................................

[Dustbunny]

The Paris intifada-Why are Muslim youth rioting in the banlieues of Paris?

Because they can !

They are handed everything which leaves much free time on their hands that needs to be occupied.

[nwrep]

Actually, it looks like the riots are ending. Despite the sneers here, it sounds like the curfew worked.

[Tolik]

I am not thanking you enough for all the posts you bring to our attention. Today's bunch is better than ever.

Thanks and BTTT

[Convert from ECUSA]

"The Paris intifada-Why are Muslim youth rioting in the banlieues of Paris?"

(sarcasm on) Because of the unjust and oppressive French occupation of "holy muslim" territory in Francistan. Therefore, the only "just solution" is for Jimmuh, Jessie, Kofi, Al, and Mr. Heinz-Kerry to work out a "roadmap for peace" whereby the "historic and holy islamic land" south of Tours be returned to their "rightful owners", and all non-muslims "evacuated" to non "holy islamic lands." In compensation for the "injustices and sufferings" of the "holy and righteous and oppressed", all of the West Bank of Paristan will become the capital of the Allahufubar Republic of Francistan. Later, the "just, and merciful, and compassionate" allah (may he always be fubared) will demand the "righting of historic injustices" by the return of the rest of what used to be France to the "always just, compassionate, and merciful religion of peace." Jimmuh, Mr. Heinz-Kerry, Al, and Kofi will be expected to work out those details as well." (sarcasm off)

Allahu fubar, y'all!

[russesjunjee]

Either the curfew worked, or they are settling down because the French are negotiating and conceding to these scum.

Its just part of the traditional Islamic temper tantrum routine...you pitch a big fit, burn some stuff, get some concessions, and then do it all again a couple of months later to get more concessions.

All they have to do is keep repeating this pattern of violence, and they will own France within the next three years.

Frenchy should have shot to kill on the first night. It was his only chance.

[SeeSalt]

"There is no middle ground with islam, no gray, only black or white. France falling to islam may seem not too great a problem from a non-French perspective, but the ultimate mortal outcome of France falling to islam will be French nuclear weapons in islamist hands. This cannot be permitted"

Right in the bull"s eye! That is La Republique Islamique de France.

[wayoverontheright]

Great article, and valid point that Palestinian-Israeli conflict is now exposed as having nothing to do with Arab enmity.

I take issue with this comment:

They are rioting in large part because they feel discriminated against, alienated, and cut out of that great French "liberte, egalite, fraternite" pie.

This could describe the condition of Muslims all over the world.

Why France, and why now?

This is not a spontaneous uprising. There was a fatwa. Islam is more united than we think.

Someone has clearly instigated and orchestrated what we now see in France.

All of Islam, to include Algeria, has been riveted on the war in Iraq, and obviously, they don't like what they see. Iraq has been acknowledged by our enemy as the central front of their war. France, vis-a-vis the Iraq war, was a principal ally to the jihad.

There is no way Islam would be attacking France if the jihad felt they could win in Iraq. The uprising in France is an attempt to change the subject, and an acknowledgement that Iraq is lost and France is no longer needed.

Unlike the US, the French have clearly demonstrated to the jihadis that they will be unwilling to stand and die to defend themselves. This makes them a soft target, and now France represents the attempt to obscure what will be defeat on their major front.

The uprisings in France are at once a tacit admission of defeat in Iraq, and an attempt to re-engage the enemy on more fertile soil, IMHO.

[punchamullah]

Why are the headbanger youth rioting? Why does a dog lick his balls?

[joesnuffy]

Why do predators prey?
Why do viruses infect?
Why do snakes bite?
Why do Mulims steal,vandalize,rape,murder,torture,and plunder those they conquer?


ITS WHAT THEY DO!

[RayChuang88]

From the article:

The Muslim youth in France are not rioting as a sign of solidarity with their Palestinian or Iraqi brothers. They are rioting in large part because they feel discriminated against, alienated, and cut out of that great French "liberte, egalite, fraternite" pie.

That is THE major reason why the riots started. The French so severely segregated the Muslim immigrants that the immigrants have very little chance for economic advancement, and it didn't take much for an all-out ethnic riot to break out. You'd think the French would have learned from the race riots that plagued the USA during the 1960's....

[Gritty]

BTTT

[Steve_Seattle]

"That is THE major reason why the riots started. The French so severely segregated the Muslim immigrants that the immigrants have very little chance for economic advancement, and it didn't take much for an all-out ethnic riot to break out."

I don't think you understand the mentality of Islam. Muslims will feel oppressed and humiliated and discriminated against as long as they aren't on top and running the show. If Muslims were serious about economic equality and lack of discrimination and civil rights, they would not allow rampant discrimination against non-Muslims in their own countries. But they DO. And this discrimination against non-Muslims is sanctioned by the Koran.

So I think you are gravely mistaken if you think these riots are simply about ordinary economic or ethnic discrimination. They are about the fact that France is not Islamic, and these rioters will not be happy until it is. It is foolish to believe that the problem will go away by trying to integrate these people into mainstream French society; that is not what they say they want. They say they want control of their own territory, to be free of the authority of the French government.