The Paris bombing of 2009

The Age ^ | Feb 9th 2004 | Timothy Garton Ash.

[Eurotwit]

The lessons of 2002 to 2004 must never be forgotten, warns Timothy Garton Ash.

At last, we have the inquiry we need: a full, independent inquiry into the Paris bombing of 2009. As we all know, in that appalling attack a large area between the Boulevard du Montparnasse and the River Seine was devastated by a small nuclear bomb, detonated by suicide bombers linked to the Algerian-based Islamic Armed Group (GIA). Some 60,000 people were killed. The supremely cultured heart of one of the most beautiful cities in the world was reduced to smouldering ruins. None of us will ever forget the photograph of Rodin's statue of Balzac, looming as if in tortured grief above the half-dismembered but still recognisable corpses of a young couple on the Boulevard Raspail.

The inquiry of the Annan Commission must be rigorous, impartial and international. It must have the full co-operation of all the intelligence services involved, especially since their own earlier failure to co-operate with each other seems to have been one reason the attack was not prevented. President Hillary Clinton of the US and President Nicolas Sarkozy of France were right to say, in their joint statement, that history will not forgive us if we leave any stone unturned.

Of course we must await the findings of the Annan Commission, but now is the time to suggest some places it should look. The former UN secretary-general and his colleagues should not confine themselves to recent developments. On closer examination, we will surely find that the roots of the catastrophe of 2009 are to be found in mistakes made in the years 2002 to 2004.

For a start, it already seems clear the Belhadj sisters, who detonated the bomb in the Jardin du Luxembourg, were initially radicalised by their expulsion from school for wearing the Muslim headscarf, under the law introduced by the Chirac administration in 2004. There were, to be sure, good as well as dubious reasons for the ban on the headscarf. The dubious reasons had to do with the political opportunism so characteristic of the late president Chirac, who rightly calculated that by introducing this law he could pick up votes both on the secular left and on the anti-Muslim right. The good reasons had to do with the emancipation of women, and with the attempt by teachers to defend a spirit of free inquiry and instruction which was under creeping attack from Islamist pressure groups in France.

Far from hyping the intelligence evidence, as they had in 2003, political leaders in all Western capitals tended to discount it. Nonetheless, with benefit of hindsight, the headscarf ban can be seen as a fateful mistake. The expulsion of headscarf-wearers from schools proved to be a recruiting sergeant for radical Islamist groups in the suburbs of Paris. In a recorded message sent to the media, the Belhadj sisters compared their action to that of Wafa Idris, the first Palestinian woman suicide bomber. This was objectively absurd, but it is what the sisters had been brought to believe, during intensive indoctrination sessions in apartments in the so-called "city of four thousand" - a miserable high-rise development in the Parisian suburb of La Courneuve, where the unemployment rate was around 30 per cent. In these mindwashing meetings, they were told again and again that "the atheist Jews" of the Quartier Latin were responsible for their misery.

However, the tragedy of August 17, 2009, cannot simply be laid at the door of France's political elite and their failure to cope adequately with an extraordinarily difficult problem that was challenging every society in Europe. The other half of the story has to do with failures in intelligence and the political use of intelligence.

The Annan Commission will investigate exactly how the "city of four thousand" obtained a small, portable weapon of mass destruction. However it appears from press reports that highly relevant pieces of the intelligence jigsaw were already in the hands of three agencies: a Pentagon-led special group tracking the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, Britain's MI6, and France's own foreign intelligence service. The trouble was, they didn't put the pieces together; nor did the politicians act on what they were told. Why? Again we must go back to the years 2002 to 2004 for the answers.

The British and US intelligence agencies had always distrusted their French counterparts - "they leak like a sieve", said one senior British spook - but this distrust was exacerbated by the polemics over Iraq. According to a leaked note of an internal meeting, the neo-conservative head of the Pentagon's "Office of Special Plans" reportedly observed that the Pentagon would share WMD intelligence with "those cheese-eating surrender monkeys" only "over my dead body". The British and the Americans still worked closely together, but the credibility of British intelligence had been impaired by what was seen as its unreliable peddling of claims about Saddam Hussein's WMDs.

The White House had not forgotten the bruising experience of 2003, when president George Bush roundly asserted in his State of the Union address that "the British Government has learned that Saddam Hussein recently sought significant quantities of uranium from Africa". US sources later concluded this high-grade intelligence was based on forged documents. As a result, while MI6 did obtain, in early 2009, one crucial tip-off about a nuclear device being prepared by a Middle Eastern group that was, it subsequently emerged, working with the Islamist cell in La Courneuve, this intelligence was neither believed in Washington nor shared with Paris.

Yet the fault lay only partly with the intelligence services. As Britain's recently elected Conservative Prime Minister half-acknowledged in September 2009, all leading Western governments had been scarred by the reports of the Butler inquiry in Britain and the Silberman commission in Washington. As we know, their findings, though couched in cautious, diplomatic terms, led most people to conclude that president Bush and prime minister Tony Blair had made mountains out of intelligence molehills relating to Saddam's alleged WMD program, as it existed - or did not exist - in the run-up to the 2003 Iraq war.

Secretary of State Colin Powell's presentation of intelligence evidence to the UN Security Council, complete with aerial slides, had become a byword for what every political leader wished to avoid. "I won't do a Powell," they told their officials. As a result, far from hyping the intelligence evidence, as they had in 2003, political leaders in all Western capitals tended to discount it. And so, amid the constant stream of alarming but unreliable reports coming up through the intelligence chain, the warning that could have saved more than 60,000 lives was not acted upon.

Predictably enough, the familiar, balding figure of Sir Tony Blair, former British PM, rose from his regular place just to the side of the first gangway in the House of Commons to say, in effect, "I told you so". Well, he would say that, wouldn't he? The task of the Annan Commission is now to determine, rigorously and impartially, how far he was right.

[longtermmemmory]

bump

[Prime Choice]

In the end, I'm sure the Leftists will find a way to blame Bush for "turning those poor members of the Religion of Peace(tm) violent."

[Ken522]

President Hillary Clinton

MAXIMUM BARF!

[Mr. Jeeves]

Good article - almost certain to become a reality within ten years. More likely that an American city will be targeted, though.

[DoctorMichael]

Bump

[al baby]

Paris Hilton Bombed 2003

[steplock]

THe "new" monica? Looks like she's ready.

[dinok]

Its Rome all over again...and we let in the Goths.

[Euro-American Scum]

Bump for future reference.

[Palladin]

It couldn't happen to a nicer town.

[observer5]

Very good poitns about intelligence. These bozos in the press and prpaganda outfits lnow cery well that intelligence is always only intelligence and harldy ever hard evidence. By making all these "independant" inquiries the intelligence communities in US and Britain, will be further intimidated to ever make any clear warnings about threats.

The exact opposite of what is need will be the result.

[Publius6961]

Can't wear a scarf? Nuke a city.

Sure. Makes sense to me, totally. What kind of a fruitcake would, even as fiction, rationalize such a disgusting fall into irrational primitive savagery? What a disgusting piece of delusional self-righteousness and PC run amok.

[KangarooJacqui]

This article gave me the shudders, for more reasons than one. These have more or less been outlined by previous posters, though, so I won't do it again.

Interesting to see the better of my hometown's 2 daily papers printing such thoughtful articles. Maybe they haven't slid as far downhill as I thought, when I left Melbourne (where the Age is published)...

"President Hillary Clinton"

- on the other hand, maybe they're just the same bunch of leftist loonies they always were.

[PureSolace]

August 17, 2009, eh?

[newzhawk]

btt

[Eurotwit]

I agree. I've got mixed feelings about the editorial, but the points about intelligence are interesting. Not totally sure about the agenda of the author though.

[texasflower]

I plan to hold onto this article. It will be interesting to see how the next few years play out and how the reality compares to this.

I really respect writers who are able to do a piece like this. It looks to me like he has a clear idea of what is going on, and what the future may look like as a result.

He makes some scary predictions about the way we will view our own intelligence from now on. Especially when the time comes that we have a democrat for president. (Not if I can help it!)

This was a good post.

[SAMWolf]

I hope someone gets it on tape. I'd pay to see Paris nuked.

[steplock]

BEFORE you "poo-poo" the possibility of this story - as were prediction of the 9-11-01 attack and many others .... Read & Heed!

Posted Jan 20, 2003 - 12:42 PM

Annihilation of the United States
Monday, January 20 @ 10:42:19

The following is a translation of the article that endorses "annihilation of the United States" with nuclear and biological weapons:

Nuclear Warfare is the Solution for Destroying America

In the name of Allah the most merciful.

Thus, you are not mistaken in reading this text. This is the only way to kill the greatest possible number of Americans. The Americans have never experienced a threat like this one. During World War II, America used this [nuclear] weapon twice in three days following the successful Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Today, the United States uses the most powerful and advanced weapons of destruction against peaceful citizens of Iraq and Afghanistan, and it proudly supports the war that Russia is waging against Chechniya, not out of affection for Russia, but rather from its hatred of Moslems.

America has bombed Iraq with weaponry that will pollute the soil and underground water with radiation for thousands of years. It also enhances its bombs with spent uranium to cause even greater harm to the people and the environment. This, so that no one should think that after they leave the island of [the Prophet] Mohammed [the Arabian Peninsula], which they have transformed into a restricted area, just to return to the same place [because of the pollution perpetrated by them]. It seems, in fact, that the wild beasts in the White House have forgotten or have tried to forget one very important thing, which is, in all pride - the Al-Qaeda organization. This organization, which strikes fear in the hearts of the infidel West, turns youth into people who have nothing in this world but their devotion to Allah and to His Prophet Mohammed, and who are the tormentors of the sons of whores [i.e. - the West], and who are shining examples of estrangement from the sins of this world . . . and of selling their souls to Allah .

. . Therefore, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. Even though the Americans have bombs possessing enormous power, Al-Qaeda is even more powerful than they, and it has in its possession bombs which are called "dirty bombs", and bombs with deadly viruses, which will spread fatal diseases throughout American cities . . . The coming days will prove that Kaedat el-Jihad [the Al-Qaeda organization] is capable of turning America into a sea of deadly radiation, and this will prove to the world that the end is at hand . . . Yes, we will destroy America and its allies, because they have used their power for evil against the weak. And now, the end approaches at the hand of the enlightened [Islamic] youth astride their horses [fighting the war against the infidels]; they will dismount either as victors or vanquished [i.e. - fall in holy war for Allah] . . .

Abu Shihab El-Kandahari
26 December 2002"

The picture published along with the article illustrates the intentions of the author of the article endorsing annihilation of the United States:

This article comes from Focus on Freedom
http://www.gohotsprings.com/focus/

The URL for this story is:
http://www.gohotsprings.com/focus/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=201

[hoot2]

"Can't wear a scarf? Nuke a city."

you need to make this rhyme...."so it'll fit..."

[ValenB4]

No you wouldn't.

[gg188]

Is the point of the piece that if Chirac had caved to islams on the headscarf issue in 2004 then Paris would not have been nuked in 2009?

That is the thinking of the French, the appeasers, the Neville Chamberlains, the Democrat Party and the left in general. If we would just appease the enemy, he will be nice then. If we'd appeased him in 2004, then the enemy wouldn't have nuked us in 2009.

[Revolting cat!]

Paris Hilton nukie? Why wait until 2009? There is a video of it circling the Internet now!

[The Wizard]

but we have President Bush, so this will not happen

[wolficatZ]

[Khan Noonian Singh]

Where is John Titor? He's never around when you need him.

[Pan_Yans Wife]

ping

[LibertyAndJusticeForAll]

It is rumored that none of Paris' large Muslim population was harmed, despite the fact that many live and work in the area.

[nuconvert]

Hmmm........

[Ciexyz]

It's Rome all over again...and we let in the Goths.

Another discriminating Freeper tuned in to the History Channel's "Barbarian Week" (as I did myself).

[SAMWolf]

Not more than $19.95.

[Professional Engineer]

Nice graphic.

[SAMWolf]

I've found it comes in handy lately. :-)

[SAMWolf]

I wouldn't lose any sleep over it if it happened.

[Ignatz]

the half-dismembered but still recognisable corpses of a young couple

Wha-? Half-dismembered?
What they also didn't tell us, was the the female was "semi-pregnant".

[SAMWolf]

One of the best scenes in "Armageddon"

[SAMWolf]

Can you imagine a nuclear explotion in NYC

Yes I can and that would PO me. I don't give a rat's a$$ what happens to france, I do care what happens to my Country and it's real Allies.

[SAMWolf]

As a matter of fact I was born in Germany, my mom is German and my dad's Polish. I just have no use for the french. Bailing it's sorry butt out twice in one century is enough. I'm disapponted in the Socialist country Germany has turned into and proud of what Poland has accomplished.

IMHO, Eastern Europe right now would make better Allies and friends than some of the Western European countries. If france was hit by a terrorist attack, I wouldn't care. They haven't done squat to help in the War on Terror, they want to go it alone, fine, don't come complaining to the US then.

I didn't say I wanted it to happen, just said I didin't care if it did. Seems to me about 11,000 died in france during last years' heat wave, that's how well they take care of themselves. If they don't care, why should i?

"Paris — France's first official investigation into why thousands of elderly people died during a brutal summer heat wave partly blamed hospitals, which let doctors leave during August vacation, according to a report released Monday.

The report also said that health authorities were too slow to realize how serious the situation was in emergency rooms.

The government had said that 11,435 people died in the heat wave that pounded France in early August, when temperatures soared up to 104.

Many victims were elderly, dying alone at home or in overwhelmed hospitals and nursing homes. France's death toll was far higher than anywhere else in Europe."

[oilfieldtrash]

I dont know if you have been to college but your comments indicate someone who is on the intellectual level of a 10th grader.

The western world is in this together, and this could have been NYC instead of Paris, easily.

[oilfieldtrash]

I think this is a very interesting article but I dont agree.

I saw a French lady on the TV the other night and they showed a public school in France where only a few girls were not veiled. She said that these girls in searching for an identity are proclaiming that their muslim identity is more important to them then their French identity and that iw why they wear a veil. This viewpoint is not acceptable with the majority of people in France and I agree with her.

In addition, often girls are forced to wear the veil in school and this will free them of it.

This incident may very well happen, and if you read the bible codes it is supposed to happen in 2006 with out the legislation surrounding the ban on the islamic veil in French schools.

In Norway somali girls at age 6 are being forced to wear veils to school and neither they, nor the Norwegians like it.

[SAMWolf]

The western world is in this together

IMHO, some of the "western world", in particular france, doesn't act like we're in this together.

I do have a HS diploma so I at least have a 12th grade education.

[dinok]

History is the record of human behavior.
History does not repeat itself; people behave similarly because we are all driven by the same emotions and needs.
You study history, you can see the patterns. And maybe learn that hitting one's head on the wall hurts.