There has been much talk about the rioting in France for 8 straight days now. Wretchard has a map of the problem areas. Glenn has a comment citing the LA riots as a parallel. I think there are some parallels to the LA riots as mentioned elsewhere. Dalrymple's essay from 3 years ago (http://www.city-journal.org/html/12_4_the_barbarians.html) predicted this very problem. The Muslim/immigrant population is kept out of mainstream life in France. Unemployment is very high and there are no prospects. High welfare subsidies + disconnection from mainstream society = fertile breeding ground for anger and resentment. There is a strong class system in Europe and certainly in France. Being born into the right family in Europe opens doors that would otherwise remain shut. (The same is true to a degree here but the upward mobility available in the US is unlike anywhere else in the world) White middle class kids often cannot find a job let alone a good one. When I was in France, the
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Showing posts from October 30, 2005
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Zell Miller has a fascinating article about the CIA v. the Bush Administration. I think he makes some cogent points and it appears that the CIA sees itself as a peer to the Executive branch with it's own interests that must be served before anyone elses. Not to be hyperbolic but that's how the ISI ended up where it is today. I am not saying we're there or even headed there but it is certainly an object lesson to keep in mind. Porter Goss has made a many enemies by cleaning out the stalwarts. His supporters say he's cleaning out the dead wood and those who have become so engrossed in their areas of expertise they sympathize with them more than us. His critics say he's getting rid of highly professional and experienced people who have the wrong politics. The truth is probably somewhere in the middle. Those that have not been kicked out are getting nervous and (in my estimation) have begun to leak damaging information in hopes of sinking not just Goss but Bush