"As far as I know, there’s no evidence the French lacked some kind of surveillance authority that would have made a difference" This is really all that should

"As far as I know, there’s no evidence the French lacked some kind of surveillance authority that would have made a difference" This is really all that should need to be said. Opportunists will jump on any event to push their own personal agenda, even if what they are pushing wouldn't have made a damn bit of difference in the outcome of said event.