BREAKING Attacks in Paris took place at seven locations: security source
Seven.
Obama comments:
“This is an attack not just on Paris. It’s an attack not just on the people of France. But this is an attack on all of humanity and the universal values we share…”.
Unfortunately, that is not quite right. As Andy notes, these atrocities may well turn out to be just the latest reminder that “all of humanity” does not share the “universal values” the President seems to assume.
Wishing thinking is not a serious policy option.
Writing in The Spectator, Douglas Murray, assuming that these killings are the work of jihadists (it should be noted there is only that one witness account so far of the shooters shouting “Allahu Akhbar,” but . . . ), notes:
[The] problem [in Europe] is only growing. We don’t know who is here in our continent, and among those who are here there are too many who are active enemies of our societies and our way of life. They hate us when we are involved in the Middle East and they hate us when we are not. They hate us when we stay in our countries and when we leave them. They attack us when we are in Paris and when we are on holiday in North Africa. We need to wake up to the fact that the problem is not us — it is them.
There will be a lot of analysis in the coming hours and days, but governments must formulate a response. The only proper response is to have the same response at home as we do abroad. Our societies face serious and determined enemies. So far we have pretended we can tackle these people only by engaging them on foreign battlefields. And by having a half-hearted talk about ‘radicalisation’ here at home. That is quite wrong. There are barbarians are inside the gates. To defeat them we need to confront them over here, not just over there.
The French president François Hollande says a state of emergency will be declared across France, adding that several dozen people have been killed in terrorist attacks around Paris. In a statement just delivered, the president of the republic said that its borders would be closed and military units were being deployed in Paris to prevent further attacks.
Hollande concluded his address as follows:
Vive la République, Vive la France
Yes.