French 'joie de vivre' made it the target, says French ambassador to Thailand

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EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW
French 'joie de vivre' made it the target, says ambassador
WASAMON AUDJARINT
THE NATION



BANGKOK: -- FRANCE BECAME the target of terrorists because it symbolised what the Islamic State (IS) hates the most, "joie de vivre" (the pleasure of living), said Gilles Garachon, the French ambassador to Thailand.

"We had to fight for centuries to have equal treatment by laws... and they [just] don't want this to continue," he said during an interview with Suthichai Yoon, adviser to the board of the Nation Multimedia Group.

French people have always enjoyed exercising their right to "joie de vivre", he said.

France's participation in anti-terrorist coalition attacks against IS could probably be another reason why Paris was targeted, Garachon said.

"But it's because we have to react [since] they have tried to seduce young people in France to join them. They want to make the next generation comply with their ideology."

The terrorist group spread its propaganda through media broadcasting, targeting French juveniles who are still in a state of confusion as they develop their personalities and decide what values to embrace, the ambassador said.

With more than 1,000 young Frenchmen fighting with the IS, Garachon said the number was "a social minority but can be very dangerous."

"It's so unthinkable for young Frenchmen to think that killing people is okay," he said. France learned a lesson from the incident, he said, but it must do more to raise awareness of civic values among young people.

"It's a never-ending work to educate [people] about civic values. In fact, it will never be enough as the world is changing so fast," he said. "[still,] we have to accept our responsibility."

Garachon also echoed the sentiments of French President Francois Hollande, who described the terrorist attacks and the subsequent French strikes in Syria as an "act of war".

"The war is far from over. And it won't be over until the ISIS terrorists are wiped out," he said. "The war has been on for some time. Now this is only one episode. It will not end yet. But it's the war of civilisation. It's a war against terrorism, not Islam. We have the deepest respect for the Muslim people," he said.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/French-joie-de-vivre-made-it-the-target-says-ambas-30273281.html


-- The Nation 2015-11-19

[ezzra]

au contraire Monsieur ambassador.. ...

France thought that by turning a blind eye by letting millions of Muslims in to live in total freedom of the Islam religion

effectively creating their own culture and autonomy, while taking a back seat against radical Muslim groups,

and championing the Palestinians cause, will get them on ISIS and Al Qaida sunny side...

Oh how wrong they have proven to be.. now the French people has woken up to the real ugly face of Islam,

radical Islam and the thousands of potential jihadist living among them...

[MAJIC]

So the implication is:'joie de vivre' made it the target look miserable and you won't get shot. What a ridiculous article.

[overherebc]

So the implication is:'joie de vivre' made it the target look miserable and you won't get shot. What a ridiculous article.

Think you are looking at it the wrong way.

'IS' and all the others of a similar 'ilk' believe you should spend all day thinking about religion and different ways to kill people who don't think the same way.

When they see a society where people are actually having fun and enjoying themselves they know that they can't 'control' those people because they have a mind of their own. The only reaction they can possibly have to that is to start killing, thinking that other people will be cowed into following them.

The attack could have been in any major city in any country in Europe. Just so happened it was Paris this time. People in London, Rome, Berlin also have fun weekends, this makes them legitimate targets to 'IS'

Edit to add Bangkok Singapore etc to the cities where people have fun and enjoy themselves.

Edited November 19, 2015 by overherebc

[Daniel Boon]

the fact that France has sold much of its arms to the rebels of that region, that it has bombed the Syrian and surrounding countries played no part in it ... the French ... a nation fixated on playing with itself

[chilli42]

What rubbish, the journalist should turn their talents to writing children's books.

France was a target because of their involvement in Syria. ISIS also knows that France does not have the military resources to retaliate without the full involvement of the US - they are simply too weak to go up against ISIS. The Caliphate wants a full scale military confrontation on their home territory (the prophesy of Armageddon against the forces of "Rome"). More of the same terror tactics in New York, London etc will draw the major Western countries into a ground war ... which is what ISIS is looking for. There will be no voices in France arguing against a ground war after this.

[Crash999]

This is as misguided as the "they hate our freedoms" reasons put forward by the Bush administration.

As many have pointed out France was involved in Syria- that is why they were targeted as opposed to the many other countries out there who also have a "pleasure of living".