[DanDan]

I am very far from being naïve.

And I am lucky enough to hear things from both sides.
If you really believe that France (and what is France? the government? the people?) would be ready to allow and close their eyes on a plane taking off from Paris to commit a terrorist act, then I don't know who is naive.

Come on, diplomacy is diplomacy. But do you really think that french intelligence would be ready to help AQ?

[CaptSkip]

"Come on, diplomacy is diplomacy. But do you really think that french intelligence would be ready to help AQ?"

If the French people/gov/spooks could get a guarantee that France would never take a terrorist hit, they would roll over post-haste...it's in their nature. If the French can hide it, and believe the world will never find out, they'll even break their Holy UN resolutions and deal with the "Butcher of Bagdad" for mere profit, selling anything and everything on the weapons market.

France has a "hugh" Islamic population, and increasing. They're scared and don't give a S*** about what happens to the US, as long as it is bad.

[MizSterious]

"If you really believe that France (and what is France? the government? the people?) would be ready to allow and close their eyes on a plane taking off from Paris to commit a terrorist act, then I don't know who is naive."

Yeah, right, and they'd never cozy up to the Nazis and close their eyes to what they were doing, either, would they....

(sheesh)

[M Kehoe]

But do you really think that french intelligence would be ready to help AQ?

No, and I'm hoping that what made the news is either redacted or disinformation to keep al Qeada off balance.

Having said that, F#*@ the French.

5.56mm

[JamminJAY]

But do you really think that french intelligence would be ready to help AQ?

have they surrendered to them yet?

Jammer

[SuziQ]

But do you really think that french intelligence would be ready to help AQ

French 'intelligence' may not want to help AQ, but some maroon let the story out, and tipped the hand of the potential hijackers. Maybe the US didn't explicitly ask the folks with whom they were dealing in France NOT to make it public, but anyone with any sense at all would understand that you don't let a suspect know you're on the trail! SOMEONE in France made the info public. It would be interesting to find out just WHO DID!

[gdc61]

oh, how convenient to forget the French polls that showed a majority of the french wanted iraq to win the war.

[ought-six]

"But do you really think that french intelligence would be ready to help AQ?"

Some elements with French Intelligence not only helped, but worked alongside, the Algerian insurrectionists against France in the 1950s and early 1960s. I don't trust the French at all. They've proved themselves, over and over again, to be untrustworthy quislings with a HUGE inferiority complex.

[MHGinTN]

You asked (naively) "But do you really think that french intelligence would be ready to help AQ?" Uh, did you miss the months leading up to the present occupation of Iraq? The damn frogs DID assist the terrorists, they DID seek to undermine efforts to force Iraq to disarm! Naive? Naw, you're an agitprop for the froglegs.

[Publius6961]

But do you really think that french intelligence would be ready to help AQ?

Yes.
Just like those new French missiles in Iran.