France is in turmoil. The French have come face-to-face with the reality of the terrorist threat that is in their midst, just as it is in the midst of every country in the world.
Since the 11th of March, when a young French man killed several members of the French military, including Muslims, and then killed at close range four Jewish people, including three children, one a little girl reportedly held at arm's length while he shot her in the head, and until he was surrounded by national police and brought to bay, but finally killed, in what may have been a suicide but more likely the shot of a French military swat-type team member who was being shot at by the assassin - France has followed, wept, commented, become angry, wondered what to do, and asked the question why over and over again.
It all sounds so familiar to Americans, who have lived with these emotions and thoughts since 9.11, or to the British or Spanish who have suffered similar attacks. But, France had been spared until the 11th of March 2012.
The young assassin was "normal" according to his neighbors, he was well-liked, he was integrated into his community. But, he was on the US watch list of potentially dangerous people, ever since he had gone to Afghanistan and trained at a jihad center. He was apparently co-opted in France (we will never really know why since he is dead) and sent to the training center to become a terrorist, re-enter France and cause as much damage and dislocation as possible.
He was under surveillance by the French national police, but they did not think he was dangerous, only someone who had fallen under the influence of extreme terrorist groups and therefore needed to be watched.
He told police, while under siege, that his motive was to avenge Palestinian deaths and to punish France for outlawing Islamic veils. It seems a terrible reason to kill innocent youngsters, but he did.
The French Jewish and Moslim communities have come together to condemn the killings, to say that they are united in their disgust concerning what happened, to explain that Moslims are not like the young assassin, but rather peace-loving and useful members of the French nation.
The French people, who are in practice very dedicated to their country's goals of liberty, equality and fraternity, have joined hands to try to heal this newest national wound. There was a joint Jewish-Muslim-Christian vigil yesterday in Toulouse, where the killings took place.
The French government has pursued the road of deciding to try to prevent young French from being swept up by the terrorist movement, either in schools or mosques, or in prisons where the government believes that recruiting is a serious activity for jihadists who are looking for targets to brainwash.
As Americans know, there are no easy answers, no easy cures. The world has become a scarier place since 9.11 and it will remain so for a long time, one fears. The wave of jihadist terrorism has curtailed and sometines killed traditional personal freedoms. It has made liberty-loving peoples ready to accept surveillance and government control that would have been unthinkable before the Trade Centers went crashing down.
But, as long as we who are under attack remain united, as long as we refuse to bow before the goal of being curtailed in our daily lives, as long as we continue to seek global brotherhood - the terrorists will not win. That is our strength. It is the strength that France and the French have shown this week, in the most trying circumstances. Our thoughts and prayers and support should be with them as they join the community of the hunted but unbowed.
Why 11?
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