I never thought I would praise the French

A few weeks ago, we won the right to host the 2012 Olympics. Of course it's hard to remember all that now, recent events have made it pale into insignificance.

You may also recall that on the day it happened, July 6th, we were sneering at the French for their failed social model, their unemployment, their protectionism and their overall attitude. How times have changed!

Is our social model so wonderful? The French may have cradle to grave welfare that is unnaffordable, meanwhile our own welfare state subsidises Jihadists who live on benefits whilst openly inciting terrorism. France has found a way to deal with such people....it deports them, but our own judges are too squemish to do likewise for fear they may be ill treated by the country they fled from.

Even Ariel Sharon has found it in himself to praise Chirac for cracking down on anti-semitism.

July 7th was our September 11th, except that we are still living in September 10th. Whatever you may think of the French, you have to admire them for standing up for their values. Unlike Britain, they have no intention of letting "Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité" being turned into "Jihadism, Terrorism, Misogynism"