France Angry at 'Arbitrary' Arrests, Ignores Its Own Colonial Playbook
Paris fumes as Al-Monitor reports two French citizens, Cécile Kohler and Jacques Paris, face lengthy prison terms in Iran on espionage charges, crying 'arbitrary' and 'unfounded.' France's foreign ministry expresses its outrage, portraying Iran's actions as an egregious violation of justice. (One might wonder if Iran views French foreign policy similarly.) This 'indignation' conveniently overlooks
France's own historical and ongoing penchant for state-sponsored detentions and interventions, particularly in its former colonial spheres. Is it 'arbitrary' when others do it, but 'maintaining order' when France sends troops or supports coups in Africa? The indignation seems to flow only one way on the international stage, depending on whose citizens are in whose prison. It's almost as if some
nations believe they hold a monopoly on legitimate state coercion.