Hollande's 'pitiless' war simply pitiful

French President Francois Hollande reacted as anticipated by the Paris attackers, calling for a 'pitiless' war against ISIS. Immediately sending jets on a massive bombing campaign that will do nothing to defeat ISIS but much to inspire many thousands of foreign Sunni extremist supporters flocking to the emerging Islamic State. Alas, Hollande is falling into the same trap as President George W. Bush, wildly overreacting to a violent attack to save face at home, squandering endless treasure and blood in the process. In Hollande's case the endless blood will be many innocents in Syria because French boots on the ground, like American boots, are not an option. The French public knows France can't win this war; there's no real war to win. They just want a lot of Muslim blood to flow in revenge.

Neither Hollande nor President Obama will tell the terrible truths that ISIS is both funded and supported by our Middle East allies including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, and Israel. Even NATO compatriot Turkey is using our war on ISIS to smash their real and only enemy, the Kurds. Years ago American and its allies, both Western and Middle Eastern, decided to back the Sunni's in the massive civil war ignited by our failed Iraq war. The region has become ungovernable due to this war-inspired instability, but we mindlessly funnel weapons to imaginary Sunni moderates seeking to overthrow the Shi'ite Assad who then uses them and our training to fight for the Islamic State. If that sounds insane...it is.

Not everyone is depressed by this sorrowful turn of events. US defense stocks are on the rise at Northrup, Raytheon, General Dynamics and Lockheed Martin. France's biggest weapons manufacturer Thales is up, up, while the French index is down, down.

Hollande's bombing campaign isn't pitiless; it's pitiful.