No matter that events have thoroughly borne out his criticisms of the US and British invasion of Iraq in 2003. The Muslim teenagers who briefly applauded him then have long since forgotten all that - though of course if he had supported President George W Bush and Prime Minister Tony Blair then, he would be in even greater trouble now.
From Chicago Sun Times columnist Mark Steyn:
The notion that Texas neocon arrogance was responsible for frosting up trans-Atlantic relations was always preposterous, even for someone as complacent and blinkered as John Kerry. If you had millions of seething unassimilated Muslim youths in lawless suburbs ringing every major city, would you be so eager to send your troops into an Arab country fighting alongside the Americans? For half a decade, French Arabs have been carrying on a low-level intifada against synagogues, kosher butchers, Jewish schools, etc. The concern of the political class has been to prevent the spread of these attacks to targets of more, ah, general interest. They seem to have lost that battle. Unlike America's Europhiles, France's Arab street correctly identified Chirac's opposition to the Iraq war for what it was: a sign of weakness.
For the most part it appears the press is still going out of its way to NOT mention that the "youth" are largely Muslims and are likely being directed and encouraged (and perhaps soon to be aided) by local and foriegn Muslim leadership. Oddly, even Simpson mentions it, but of course downplays it -- saying only that it's a good thing Chirac opposed the toppling of Saddam Hussein, (and how "right" he was about it) or it would've been worse!
If you read the Al Queda manifestos, it's pretty darned clear which view is the correct one.
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