Thank God for Hollande!

Hollande invokes EU treaty, hoping to build coalition against ISIS

(CNN)Once again Wednesday, the French President used the W-word: France, he said, is at war.

The terrorist group ISIS, President Francois Hollande said, "has an army, financial resources, oil resources, and occupies a territory."

In other words, last Friday's terrorist attacks in Paris that killed 129 people, which authorities believe were committed by ISIS, were perpetrated by something that looks pretty much like a country.

Hollande wants to rally his nation -- to forge the kind of unity that nations rarely exhibit in times of peace. But there may be more legalistic reasons, as well.

The French President wants what amounts to war powers at home. And he is choosing not to invoke an article of one of the European Union treaties that requires member states to help in case of "a terrorist attack."

Instead, Holland wants to invoke Article 42.7 of another treaty -- the Treaty on European Union -- that applies to war. Article 42.7 requires EU countries to do all they can to help when one of their own is the "victim of armed aggression."

This would mark the first time the article has ever been invoked. (Please continue reading here)