One might think that Louisianans would be less inclined than other Americans to indulge in the France-bashing that so amuses hooligans like Emmett Tyrrell. Sadly, though, that’s not the case, as shown by the statements of elected boors and an op-ed in Wednesday’s Baton Rouge Advocate, titled “No Heavy Lifting for the French,” which ends as follows:
All terrorists are allies. But not all governments, even democracies, are allies in the fight against terrorism.
I take issue not so much with the rote Francophobia that precedes this bit, but with the stupidity of “All terrorists are allies.” Congratulations to the Bush administration for selling this concept so well, but it makes no sense. For the umpteenth time, terrorism is a tactic, one used by all parties who refuse to distinguish civilians from combatants. Palestinian terrorists practice it, and so does the Israeli government; I suppose the genius quoted above would solve the whole Palestine/Israel conflict by informing Al Aqsa and the IDF of their manifest alliance?