In most large American cities, the inner cities are dangerous and the suburbs safe. In Paris, the opposite is true: tourists are told to avoid the suburbs and enjoy the safety of the inner city.

But France’s indulgence of Eurabia is catching up with it. The project to “Frenchify” Islam hasn’t mollified anyone. Now the very liberal politicians who made such a great show of welcoming Muslim immigrants are taking a more Napoleonic line. Dominic de Villepin complains that accommodating Muslims will threaten “French” identity.

There is a certain pattern to French rationalism: it begins with a liberal attitude for which France’s pols congratulate themselves before the world; time goes by and problems stemming from that unreal liberal attitude percolate; chaos erupts; then the “liberty and fraternity” crowd call for the most illiberal crackdowns. French rationalists create just enough mayhem to give birth to Napoleons who will save them from it.