The French people and government have demonstrated extraordinary sympathy and solidarity for the United States in the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks. Spontaneous gestures of friendship towards Americans in France, including symbolic acts such as the playing of the American national anthem at the Elysée Palace, underlined the degree to which much of the French public felt themselves victims of the attack along with the Americans. The newspaper Le Monde—not known for reflexive Atlanticism—editorialized on September 13 that "We are all Americans." It even began publishing daily full-page English-language coverage of the story drawn from the New York Times,. Some in France, of course, have dissociated themselves from the expressions of solidarity, and instead blame American foreign policy for the climate in which the attacks occurred.
For the most part, however, September 11 has brought the French public closer to the United States. After recent concern over a supposedly growing transatlantic "cultural gap" on issues such as the death penalty, abortion, gun control and religion, the attacks have served as a sharp reminder of the values and interests that Americans and Europeans still have in common.
French leaders from across the political spectrum have, with few exceptions, expressed solidarity with and support for the United States. While traditionally reluctant to see NATO's role enhanced, or the scope of its missions expanded, France did not hesitate to support the invocation of NATO's Article 5 mutual defense guarantee. President Jacques Chirac and other leaders have made clear France's readiness to take part alongside the United States in a possible military retaliation, a stance supported by no less than 73% of the French.
