What's happening in France and spreading to other parts of Europe has most frequently been referred to as rioting. I guess that's an appropriate use of the word but I'm not sure if it is the best description. From what I have seen, it looks to me like Intifada (uprising) is a better word. A riot is total chaos with indiscrimate murder and mayhem. Only one death has been attributed to the 12 nights of violence. It seems that mostly trashcans, cars and car dealerships are being burned. By now, large sections of the various urban landscapes could have been burned to the ground with much worse loss of life.
What is actually going on here? Is this a spontaneous uprising? Who might be hehind the scenes watching how the authorities react to a given provocation. Is someone testing lines of authority and communication. Are these relatively minor skirmishes meant to test picket lines and defenses?
We'll find out.
No comments:
Post a Comment