François Hollande’s historic Versailles speech – in which he hammered
home that France was “at war” and promised to “eradicate terrorism” –
was the most martial performance he has ever given. It marked the
completion of an intriguing transformation that has taken place over
several years: of the socialist who was once derided as a soft,
conflict-avoidant, blancmange-like “marshmallow” into a self-styled “chief of war”.
Hollande’s blistering war-talk, security clampdown, and vow to destroy Islamic State across the world marks a sharp turnaround for the French left and will inevitably be compared to George W Bush’s political rhetoric after America’s September 11 attacks. But the Bush comparison does not stand up entirely – the French context of homegrown terrorism makes matters far more complex and nuanced. “We’re not in a war of civilisation because these killers don’t represent one,” said Hollande. “We’re at war against jihadi terrorism.”
Hollande’s blistering war-talk, security clampdown, and vow to destroy Islamic State across the world marks a sharp turnaround for the French left and will inevitably be compared to George W Bush’s political rhetoric after America’s September 11 attacks. But the Bush comparison does not stand up entirely – the French context of homegrown terrorism makes matters far more complex and nuanced. “We’re not in a war of civilisation because these killers don’t represent one,” said Hollande. “We’re at war against jihadi terrorism.”
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