What is happening in France is an excellent example of how weakness and corruption begets violence and terror

Now President Jacques Chirac and the French are reaping what they have sowed

writes Patrick Curry from Irvine, California.

For years, the French have been soft on terrorism. They consorted with the likes of Saddam Hussein. All the while the French vilified the United States, condemning Washington's hard line on terrorism and working diligently to undermine U.S. foreign policy on Iraq.

In spite of the sniping from the French, the United States has stuck to its belief that terrorists cannot be appeased. The only way to deal with terrorism is to exterminate the terrorists who cause it.

When the United States and its partners attacked terrorism in Iraq in March 2003, Chirac stood on the sidelines and rooted for his buddy, Saddam. Now that France is going up in smoke, the world can see the results of Chirac's policies of fraud and appeasement.

What is happening in France is an excellent example of how weakness and corruption begets violence and terror.