The problem was the French Revolution. They guillotined anyone with education, initiative, business experience, leadership experience or wisdom.
They have yet to recover from blowing their own brains out.
Something we should keep in mind for our next revolution...
Although it should be noted France's problem has always been political. When the politicians step out of the way the French armed forces (both covert and overt) are truly capable. For instance, when GreenPeace was acting the fool and making a big deal of French nuclear tests, the French simply sent frogmen to scuttle the GreenPeace ship. Also the French have been doing quite a bit in parts of West Africa, as well as in Afghanistan. In the war against terror, no European country (unless one considers the Russians as such) even comes close to the powers and extent that the French system has against Jihadists. They make Guantanamo into a veritable Holiday Inn. The powers judges have against Islamic radicals are almost draconian, and nothing that would ever be allowed (say) in Britain. And talking about Britain - in terms of being cheese eating surrender monkeys, they have taken the leadership in that. When pirates took over a French boat the French special forces simply stormed in and killed them. When Iranians in a zodiac took over British sailors nothing happened, even though a naval ship was nearby. Stories coming out stated one of the sailors was crying for his iPod. Now the Brits have slashed their military budget, scuttled the Harrier, limited the numbers of Typhoons coming out, the Poseidon nuclear deterrence is constantly hanging by the skin of its teeth, and they will have to share an aircraft carrier with France (and are talking of doing something similar with submarines).
It is just that French political leadership has been a bit wishy-washy, but the armed forces are not.
That was also the case when the Communist (Khamir Rouge) took over Cambodia. Anyone with any sense would object to Communism. What does that say about our Democrats?