I feel vindicated in my reluctance to laud Chirac two years back for his refusal to support George Bush's war effort.

In response to widespread rioting that covered most of France and lasted for several weeks, eventually forcing the declaration of an emergency and the imposition of curfews, the government announced a few days back that they would be imposing some new regulations to help smooth over the problems in French society.

As you will recall, the rioters were mostly second-generation Algerian and Moroccan immigrant youth, jobless and disaffected, feeling alienated from French society at large.

The response from Chirac and Villepin: 'Yes, that's right.'

The new regulations tighten down rules on who can enter this country and set a higher bar for entry. Fluency in the French language is a must. Angry growling about those disgusting immigrant swine is thinly veiled at best:

Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy, who threatened to expel any foreigners involved in the riots, told parliament on Tuesday that France no longer wanted "those people that nobody else in the world wants."

"I agree with what the prime minister said. We want selective immigration," Sarkozy said.

The government is also cracking down on polygamy, because, don't you know, it was a strong contributing factor to the riots.

Some French officials cited polygamy as one reason that youths from underprivileged Muslim households joined in the rioting, saying that children from large polygamous families often have social-behavioral problems stemming from a lack of a father figure. The suggestion outraged opposition politicians, human rights groups and others.

But if you think that's the height of idiocy, check out this disavowal that Villepin was forced to make: French leader says rap not rioting cause.