French President Chirac nearly killed

[tam]

someone shot, but missed...

French police are questioning a neo-Nazi who fired a shot as French President Jacques Chirac passed by during the Bastille Day parade in Paris.

Officers overpowered the man near the Arc de Triomphe, just after Mr Chirac had been driven by in an open-top car at the start of the parade.

Police were alerted by cries of alarm from the crowd who saw the man pulling a rifle from a guitar case.

The police said in a statement that the man had fired a shot from a .22 calibre rifle before officers wrestled him to the ground.

French TV is reporting that the 25-year-old man was set on killing the president.

Police would not confirm the reports, but said that the man was "known to belong to neo-Nazi and hooligan movements".

Security questions

The parade - marking the anniversary of the French Revolution in 1789 - continued down the Champs Elysees without interruption.

Questions are now being asked about how the man managed to reach the Champs-Elysees despite heavy security.


The incident has also reawoken concerns in France over the emergence of the far-right.

President Chirac was returned to power in May, but only after voters from left and right rallied behind him against the far-right candidate Jean-Marie Le Pen.

The Bastille Day incident immediately drew comparisons with the Frederick Forsyth novel, Day of the Jackal.

In that story, a professional assassin with a concealed high-powered rifle attempts to kill French President Charles de Gaulle during a military parade in the 1960s.

Franco-American relations are the central theme of this year's commemoration.

The march-past was led by 170 US military cadets.

New York firefighters - as well as relatives of some who died on 11 September - were among the guests of honour at a garden party hosted by President Chirac after the parade.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/wor...00/2127583.stm

[FaDeThEBuTcHeR]

Damnit, close but no cigar. Words cannot express my utter contempt for that corrupt sleazeball bureaucrat.

[tam]

So, Fade, where you been?

And I don't like him much either, but to have him assasinated goes a lil too far... we had it happen over here a couple months back, and it hasn't done too much good.

[Powerboss]

Tam, what has been the fallout of that incident, if any?

What has happened as far as legislation since the right has gained more power?

[tam]

As I understand it, the right didn't win in France. During the pre-election the right seemed to be in the lead, but it didn't turn out that way (I dont really follow french politics much though).

Right after the shooting the guy was overpowered and the parade continued as if nothing had happened. I don't see something like that hapnin in the US very soon

So basically, Bill, I don't really know. I don't like frenchies and they don't like me.

[Powerboss]

Sorry, I was referring to your country.

[QtrHrsmn]

If it was a former Marine, I bet he'd have made the shot...LOL I know I could have.

[tam]

oh, bill, i misread it.

Well, after he was shot he became a martyr, pretty much, and a lot of things were done 'because Pim wouldve wanted it that way', which is not a very good policy.
His party (that really was HIS party, and then had some no-name people in it too) didnt break up but made it into the government with 2 other parties. They've already fought two internal 'wars', that party, and some people left. Right now they're (all 3 parties) working towards finishing up their plans and giving away minister-positions. Some of the ideas brought forth by Pim's party aren't in line with their original goals, and their supporters aren't happy about that, but they said they're not there to satisfy their supporters (not a very normal way of dealing in a democracy).

The general feeling is that all this made politics more interesting, and that after a couple more interesting soap-like incidents, our government will fall apart and that we'll have new elections. It's just such a joke right now.

[u8nxprt]

Originally posted by QtrHrsmn
If it was a former Marine, I bet he'd have made the shot...LOL I know I could have.

I bet you wouldn't have tried it with a rim fire .22

[Powerboss]

Originally posted by tam
oh, bill, i misread it.

Well, after he was shot he became a martyr, pretty much, and a lot of things were done 'because Pim wouldve wanted it that way', which is not a very good policy.
His party (that really was HIS party, and then had some no-name people in it too) didnt break up but made it into the government with 2 other parties. They've already fought two internal 'wars', that party, and some people left. Right now they're (all 3 parties) working towards finishing up their plans and giving away minister-positions. Some of the ideas brought forth by Pim's party aren't in line with their original goals, and their supporters aren't happy about that, but they said they're not there to satisfy their supporters (not a very normal way of dealing in a democracy).

The general feeling is that all this made politics more interesting, and that after a couple more interesting soap-like incidents, our government will fall apart and that we'll have new elections. It's just such a joke right now.

Sort of sounds like a disfunctional family.
Sounds a lot like our govt at work.

[RedLine99]

Originally posted by tam
but they said they're not there to satisfy their supporters (not a very normal way of dealing in a democracy).

Sounds pretty normal to me. You'll luv it here, Tam

[QtrHrsmn]

Originally posted by u8nxprt


I bet you wouldn't have tried it with a rim fire .22

nope........... .30-06 from a nice distance....say 1000m.........LOL

[86Dude]

Damn, too bad.

[Ponycar_302]

nope........... .30-06 from a nice distance....say 1000m.........LOL

You'd have to be superhuman to make that kind of shot with an .06. A Barrett .50 would be a better choice.

[86Dude]

Notice how quickly he was labeled a Nazi? Maybe he is, but I'll bet all he is really pissed about is how the immigration influx is destroying his culture and his beloved language.