Who's Behind the Violence?

In this account of the unrest in France, one thing seems certain: This is a test for new President Sarkozy, akin to what President Reagan faced with the striking air traffic controllers.

Back in the 2005 French riots, the largely youthful, Arab rioters insisted that they wouldn't stop until Sarkozy (who called them "scum") were removed from office.

Of course, the reporting of this round of riots follows the familiar pattern, with journalists insisting it's just the understandable behavior of the oppressed and frustrated. But it's also entirely possible -- although less amenable to a politically correct story line -- to suspect that some of the rioters might also be trying to intimidate the new president through fomenting criminal activity and social unrest.