[jaguar]

Griff has a good point. Firstly, france has not refused to acknowledge the war on baddies. Secondly the second one you mention doesn't exactly strike me as a masterful terrorist plot, in fact it looks like one angry guy with a grudge. Kinda like the Isreali airline shooting recently in LAX, i didn't see that labeled a terrorist attack either.

I'd also love you to find a source for the statement the french made, i doubt it's even close to your hyperbole.

I think griff answered the why france bit. My guess on the oil tanker is well, they are meant to go boom big and US warships are under orders to cap anything that comes close.