Ralph Peters on the Paris Riots

From the NYPOST:

Desperate apologists for France's apartheid system claim that the present uproar is merely about youthful anger, that Muslim fundamentalism isn't in play. Just wait. Islamist extremists aren't stupid. Thrilled by this spontaneous uprising, they'll move to exploit the fervor of the young to serve their own ends.

Expect terror. Whether the current violence ebbs tonight or lasts for weeks to come, the uprising of the excluded and oppressed in the streets of France has only begun.

Meanwhile, every American who believes in racial equality and human dignity should sympathize with the rioters, not with the effete bigots on the Seine.

I agree. I don't think Al Queda is the one directing these riots YET, but the Islamist extremists see the anger and the hate coming out from fellow Muslims rioters, and they will try to hijack the situation and exploit these angry youths.

For now, this rioting is more about criminal gangs trying to assert control of their territory than a Muslim uprising, IMO. You hear reports that people in that area "just want to be left alone" and they want the police to stay out -- and one immediately assumes na it's Muslims demanding autonomy or wanting to separate from France. But I see it as criminal elements telling the police to get out of their neighborhoods. You read reports re French authorities finding a bomb-making factory in one of the banlieus, and think it's an al Queda base. I think it's more likely na headquarters yan ng mga North African gangs.

There were reports na some of them were chanting "Allahu Akbar" while setting cars on fire, but that's not enough to say that Islamists are the ones directing this operation. Besides, "Allahu Akbar" is a common chant among Muslims.

They say the rioters only set fire to churches and synagogues, and no Mosques were burned down, but these "youths" have been doing that even before the outbreak of rioting in Paris.

So, in a way, it's "good news" that Islamists are not behind these rioting, but that doesn't mean that they won't try to take credit for it and hijack the situation.