Chirac is doing ... something.

So Chirac is going to arrest, prosecute, and punish those responsible for the unrest in France, or so he claims. First he has to arrest them (good luck), then prosecute them (which will require toughness - does he have it in him?) and then punish them. (maybe now would be the time to re-introduce the guilotine).

Let's see .. one official says "What we notice is that the bands of youths are, little by little, getting more organized, arranging attacks through cell phone text messages and learning how to make gasoline bombs."

France ... you have a real problem and you're going to have to get tough, pull out the stops, and fight. It's time to fight or die. France is your country and if you don't fight for it, who will?

What choice will France make?

I am not optimistic. "We are lovers, not fighters!" will be their epitaph.