The French Special Gendarmerie are far from the surrender monkeys that people might think. They are well trained, hard line SF guys. I watched them wipe out the little SOB who murdered the Jewish children in Toulouse. He was in his apartment and they put 300 rounds into the place, and probably 30 into him as he tried to climb out the bathroom window.
It was wonderful hearing that on the TV live. I was in Paris watching it, shouting Gittum!
They know there will be no death penalty if it gets to the courts. Make your own conclusions.
I love a good surrender monkey joke. Truth be told, though, the French soldier has historically been one of the toughest. Time and time, again, they have been done in by poor leadership and fickle politicians and public.