Al Qaeda fighters from Libya attacked Mali, a former French African colony, and were getting close to the capital and taking it over.  In response, the French decided to send in troops, and according to a French spokesman in the Elysee Palace, they were surprised at the military competence of the Al Qaeda fighters, surprised at the quality of their weapons, surprised at the quality of their training. Sounds a lot like Dien Bien Phu, where the French thought Giap had no heavy guns, thought that even if he did he couldn’t get them up into the hills, and even if he did French counter-battery fire would quickly take them out. Quelle surprise all around.

Mon Dieu! These Muslims want to fight

Attack all day and shoot all night

Their weapons shine as if brand new

Their training’s hard and first class too

There’s someone giving them their arms

They’re sure not growing them on farms

They grow in strength they grow in size

And Elysee says Quelle Surprise!