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French press review 18 August 2017

Shock and revulsion as terrorists turn their vehicles into weapons of mass destruction in Spain, killing 30 and wounding 100.

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There is an out-pouring of emotions and outrage from the commentators as they rush to denounce the carnage in the Spanish cities of Barcelona and the seaside resort of Cambris on Thursday.

This after two terrorists drivers ploughed into pedestrians in two quick-succession, leaving 13 people dead and injuring more than 100 others.

There were 26 French people wounded, whihc has sent Le Parisien screaming about yet another attack on tourists by terrorists who have sworn allegiance to the Islamic State.

The paper notes with revulsion that the tactic of ramming crazy vehicles on pedestrians is the same deadly weapon the terrorists already used in similar attacks Nice, Berlin, London and Stockholm.

“They are turning vehicles into weapons of mass destruction”, warns Libération. The left-leaning publication urges European citizens who are the target of the attacks not to give in to the pressure being mounted by the terrorists.  

It explains that the goal pursued by the Jihadists is to cause a degradation of relations between Moslems and non-Moslems, a mission in which they have so far failed woefully.

According to Libé, the watchword that needs to be in every mind is the categorical imperative to remain vigilant, not just on the front against terror but also on the political front.

Yet, it says, despite the bloodshed, and deaths, sequences of tragedy staining the continent with blood, the so-called stupid and barbaric agenda of the killers will not succeed as it cannot overcome the resilience of Western democracies.

Le Figaro also condemns the use of low-cost terrorism to strike right into the heart of Europe. The right-wing publication says that what the Islamists targeted in the Barcelona and Les Ramblas attacks are essential symbols of free and festive societies.

Le Monde extends its reflections on the ugly face of blind fanaticism to the situation in Mali, Burkina Faso and the entire Sahel which are under constant threat from armed groups.

According to the publication, the French Barkhane Operation faces the risk of getting stuck in the region without anyone capable of figuring out if there is anything that could be done to avoid that.

For Le Monde, if Paris pulls its forces out, Jihadi groups would interpret that as an act of cowardice and disloyalty towards her allies at the middle of the war, especially after France are behind the creation of the 5000-strong G-5 anti-terrorism force composed of troops from Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania, Niger and Chad.

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