Are French Cops Facing the Beginnings of a Muslim Insurrection?
Jim Kouri, CPP
November 05, 2005
The politically correct news media once again are not telling the real story behind the violence and devastation that's occurring in France. Preferring the term "riot" and pointing to the old liberal explanations for violence -- poverty, alienation from society, discrimination, et al -- the media refuse to tell the world the truth: France is in the early stages of a spreading insurrection.
Denounce Christianity all they wish, to the Muslims, the French are at best moderate Christians, at worst Crusaders. It doesn't take a large-scale incident to ignite violence and destruction, merely opportunity and desire.
Last night for instance, rioters set fire to at least 150 vehicles in an eighth night of unrest in the suburbs of Paris. The police response to the violence has been tepid, with feckless politicians refusing to allow them to employ the necessary tactics in order to combat the mobs. Instead, the French politicians are busy blaming one another for the civil unrest in their midst.
The attacks have spread to provincial towns, including Dijon, 150 miles southeast of Paris, and suburbs of Marseille and it appears the French can expect other communities to join in the fray.
Violence continues in spite of the deployment of over 1,300 riot police on the streets of Paris, but they are using minimal force in their meager attempts to quell the hysteria and violence. The French are, for the most part, pinning their hopes on the misplaced expectation that the end of Ramadan would calm rioters, many of them Muslims of north African origin.
The people involved in this quasi-civil war are mostly second and third-generation immigrant youths who say they were cheated by France's official promises of liberty, equality and fraternity. However, France, if anything, enjoys a reputation as a liberal society with social programs even American leftists envy. The major reasons for the anger by these Muslims are twofold: as a whole, France's economy is a shambles, with neo-socialism and high, double-digit unemployment pitting groups of citizens and immigrants against one another; and Muslims in Europe do not appear to assimilate into the mainstream of European society as does occur in the United States.
With few exceptions, Muslims in America feel more of an affinity for the US than many other immigrant groups. The horrible terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 were perpetrated by foreign terrorists. Conversely, the terrorist attacks occurring in Western Europe are being perpetrated by domestic terrorists -- Muslims who are legal immigrants or even citizens of the countries they are attacking. The London underground attacks in July are an example of that template. This is a dynamic which needs further study in both America and Europe.
The fact that Prince Charles, during his United States visit, was reportedly planning to speak to President Bush and the American people about the need for more tolerance of Muslims and their religion is laughable when one examines the mess the British and French have made in their relationships with Muslims in their own nations.
The French police officials said there were fewer confrontations than previous nights, but a spate of fire-bombings and arson attacks lit up the suburbs. Two textile warehouses were set on fire.
According to European newspapers, Dominique de Villepin, the French Prime Minister, met local officials on Thursday to brief them about an "action plan for the suburbs" he hopes will address the long-term issues of alienated and deprived immigrant communities.
"The priority is restoring public order because this violence is unacceptable. But I also want to start a dialogue," he said.
But local officials didn't want to hear that. They complained that action was needed quickly to stop the situation from spiraling out of control. Many of local politicos told de Villepin that now wasn't the time for another long-term plan. They wished physical action not diplomatic words to put-down what used to be called an insurrection.
The violence first broke out in Paris after two Muslim teenagers were accidentally electrocuted in an electricity substation where they had crawled to escape police. Officers claim they were not chasing the boys, but local youths reacted with anger. The exact circumstances of why the youths tried to evade the police is still unknown.
The biggest show of force has been directed at Nicolas Sarkozy, the Interior Minister, who is being accused of "inflaming passions" with his outspoken attacks on the "scum" behind the violence. Liberal politicians in the US prefer talk, talk, talk. Why should liberals in Europe be any different?
Denounce Christianity all they wish, to the Muslims, the French are at best moderate Christians, at worst Crusaders. It doesn't take a large-scale incident to ignite violence and destruction, merely opportunity and desire.
Last night for instance, rioters set fire to at least 150 vehicles in an eighth night of unrest in the suburbs of Paris. The police response to the violence has been tepid, with feckless politicians refusing to allow them to employ the necessary tactics in order to combat the mobs. Instead, the French politicians are busy blaming one another for the civil unrest in their midst.
The attacks have spread to provincial towns, including Dijon, 150 miles southeast of Paris, and suburbs of Marseille and it appears the French can expect other communities to join in the fray.
Violence continues in spite of the deployment of over 1,300 riot police on the streets of Paris, but they are using minimal force in their meager attempts to quell the hysteria and violence. The French are, for the most part, pinning their hopes on the misplaced expectation that the end of Ramadan would calm rioters, many of them Muslims of north African origin.
The people involved in this quasi-civil war are mostly second and third-generation immigrant youths who say they were cheated by France's official promises of liberty, equality and fraternity. However, France, if anything, enjoys a reputation as a liberal society with social programs even American leftists envy. The major reasons for the anger by these Muslims are twofold: as a whole, France's economy is a shambles, with neo-socialism and high, double-digit unemployment pitting groups of citizens and immigrants against one another; and Muslims in Europe do not appear to assimilate into the mainstream of European society as does occur in the United States.
With few exceptions, Muslims in America feel more of an affinity for the US than many other immigrant groups. The horrible terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 were perpetrated by foreign terrorists. Conversely, the terrorist attacks occurring in Western Europe are being perpetrated by domestic terrorists -- Muslims who are legal immigrants or even citizens of the countries they are attacking. The London underground attacks in July are an example of that template. This is a dynamic which needs further study in both America and Europe.
The fact that Prince Charles, during his United States visit, was reportedly planning to speak to President Bush and the American people about the need for more tolerance of Muslims and their religion is laughable when one examines the mess the British and French have made in their relationships with Muslims in their own nations.
The French police officials said there were fewer confrontations than previous nights, but a spate of fire-bombings and arson attacks lit up the suburbs. Two textile warehouses were set on fire.
According to European newspapers, Dominique de Villepin, the French Prime Minister, met local officials on Thursday to brief them about an "action plan for the suburbs" he hopes will address the long-term issues of alienated and deprived immigrant communities.
"The priority is restoring public order because this violence is unacceptable. But I also want to start a dialogue," he said.
But local officials didn't want to hear that. They complained that action was needed quickly to stop the situation from spiraling out of control. Many of local politicos told de Villepin that now wasn't the time for another long-term plan. They wished physical action not diplomatic words to put-down what used to be called an insurrection.
The violence first broke out in Paris after two Muslim teenagers were accidentally electrocuted in an electricity substation where they had crawled to escape police. Officers claim they were not chasing the boys, but local youths reacted with anger. The exact circumstances of why the youths tried to evade the police is still unknown.
The biggest show of force has been directed at Nicolas Sarkozy, the Interior Minister, who is being accused of "inflaming passions" with his outspoken attacks on the "scum" behind the violence. Liberal politicians in the US prefer talk, talk, talk. Why should liberals in Europe be any different?
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