AND NOW FRANCE – AT 8:29 A.M. ET:  A mischievous French publication has published some provocative pictures of the Prophet Mohammed.  While the French government has made some mild, appropriate comments about freedom of speech and cautioned about the responsibility that goes with it, France has responded in other ways that show weakness before Muslim threats. 

France announced Wednesday it will close 20 embassies across the Muslim world on Friday after French weekly Charlie Hebdo published cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed naked, amid growing unrest over an anti-Islamic film that has left dozens dead.

The French foreign ministry announced Wednesday that France will close 20 of its embassies in Muslim countries this Friday following the publication of controversial Prophet Mohammed cartoons by satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo. Major protests in the Muslim world generally take place after Friday prayers.

The illustrations, which show the Prophet Mohammed naked and refer to the incendiary US-made film which has been fueling deadly unrest among Muslim communities for over a week, hit newsstands across France on Wednesday.

The magazine's editor, Stephane Charbonnier, told reporters that the pictures, which are printed on the back page, will "shock those who will want to be shocked."

COMMENT:  One can debate whether the publication of these cartoons was wise, but France should have responded by strengthening security at its embassies and insisting that security be provided by host countries if they wish to continue relations with France. 

It's understandable that France would want to protect embassy personnel, but expressions of weakness, as France should have learned in 1940, lead only to more aggression and hostility.

We might teach our own president that lesson as well.

September 19,  2012