Paris Mourns But Vows to Pursue ISIS

My notes as I watched French TV Friday evening. By 10:15 p.m. the X and XI arrondisements of Paris were in lockdown. Restaurants had taken Kakachnikov fire. As we later were told, at 9:25 p.m., men in a rented black car opened fire on Le Petit Cambodge and the nearby bar Le Carillon. Fifteen dead. Used 7.62-calibre cartridges were found on the street. And just before 10 p.m., a neighboor reported that a man got out of a second car, a black Seat, and fired a large-calibre gun at the terrace of La Belle Equipe bistro, in the XI arrondissement. Later, a gendarme said 19 people died in that attack. ~~~~~ Then, we learned about hostages - how many was not clear - in a theatre called Le Bataclan, where a Californian rock group was performing. And, we heard that near Le Stade de France, the site of a France-Germany football match, explosions went off at 9:20 and 9:30 p.m. - and a third at 9:53. Three were reported dead, with 5 others in critical condition. French President François Hollande was attending, as is often the case in Europe when national teams play. A presidential security officer whispered in Hollande's ear -- the image was eerily like 9/11 -- he was evacuated and taken to the Interior Ministry. ~~~~~ At 11 p.m., French AFP media reported 30 dead. At 11:30 p.m., 2 or 3 heavily armed men fired on security forces outside the Bataclan theatre. No injuries were reported, but a later announcement said a French security officer had been killed. The death toll stood at 40. At 11:35 p.m., the media said there had been 6 separate attacks. Injuries were set at 60. At 11:40 p.m., President Hollande and Prime Minister Valls had already been meeting with Interior Minister Cazeneuve for an hour. Parisians were told to stay home and await news and further advice. ~~~~~ At 11:55 p.m., President Hollande spoke to France : Paris was sealed, all of the Ile de France would be searched, all French borders were closed, a state of emergency was declared on all French territory, and 3,000 military were called to Paris to help. Later, the Ministers approved the decree for the State of Emergency. ~~~~~ At 00:30 a.m., security forces made an assault on the Bataclan theatre. Some people were evacuated. At 00:50 a.m., TV announced that at least 2 terrorists were dead. The assault was over, but there was no news about the people inside. "Carnage" was reported. Later, we learned the terrorists in the theatre had exploded their suicide bombs. At 01:12 a.m., a gendarme told AFP there were 100 dead in the theatre. We later learned it was 89, shot randomly and at close range. By 01:20 a.m., President Hollande, Prime Minister Valls, Interior Minister Cazeneuve and Justice Minister Taubira were at Le Bataclan theatre. At 01:48 a.m., we learned that two terrorists had killed themselves with suicide bombs earlier at the Stade de France. ~~~~~ We now know that authorities are scouring Europe for at least two suspects “directly involved” in the attacks. Investigators are trying to determine whether the two are among the seven people arrested in the last 48 hours in Belgium. Another, the brother of a dead terrorist who rented one of the black cars, is the subject of an international warrant. French police took six people -- relatives of one of the terrorists who was a French citizen -- into custody for questioning Sunday. At least 132 people are dead and 529 injured, 90 very critically. The investigation now stretches from the Greek islsnds and Turkey to poorer Paris suburbs and Belgium. ~~~~~ Dear readers, we know that the terrorists were in contact with ISIS in Syria, and that a major Ankara attack was averted Friday. ISIS is at war with Europe and the West. What will we do? Obama said he would help hunt them down and "bring them to justice." The trouble with that is they aren't criminals. They are islamic jihadist TERRORISTS. Putting a few of them in prison is meaningless. ISIS must be eradicated. France is ready, as are Western and Arab allies. Russia might even be persuaded. But, they all ask for US leadership. Who can convince Obama to lead?