The murderous terrorist assault in Paris that has killed at least 127 people is civilisation’s worst nightmare: indiscriminate attacks in the heart of a capital city on peaceful people, guilty of nothing more than enjoying a meal or listening to a band. Coming days after suicide bomb blasts in Beirut, it is clear we are living through another spasm of Islamist terrorism, just at the moment when the extremists’ badlands in Syria and Iraq are under threat.

The immediate reaction of the civilised world must be: collective courage in the face of such outrage; heightened vigilance and intelligence sharing; a targeted military response; and international solidarity with the French people.

The lines of blood donors queueing outside Parisian hospitals testify to the resolve and humanity of this great city’s population. The mass deployment of troops on France’s streets and the imposition of a state of emergency are the necessary response to restore public security. The expressions of sympathy from abroad are heartfelt. For so many foreigners, France is their second homeland: Nous sommes tous Fran?ais.