Can we like.... Keep the voices down a bit? This thread has been going fine for at least 100 pages... please let the ad-hominems not influence that streak. Show we're better tha US politics thread.
Spoiler
I'm not really asking
More on topic:
Those soldiers are mostly for show and preventing a panic. It is an established idea in counter-terrorism that the more visible you are, the more the crowd things you're getting things done, but the less you're actually achieving.
The most successfull counter-terrorism operations (as had been deployed after the Brussel Bombings) were for the far, far greatest part invisible to the public. Systems then were unlocked that are normally prevented from being used by privacy law (yes, that is a things, does actually happen and is abided by (yeah I was surprised too).
A regular increased presence is only a little less capable than the soldiers you see on the pictures. Yes I am aware that is contra-intuitive, but that is how it goes. Especially in the major cities there is armed police spec-ops on-scene within 5 minutes. In those couple minutes, sure, The Legion can make a difference but it is necligable to the costs and effort it is to keep the lads on the streets. More police almost reaches the same effect.
Spoiler
And because I know you're going to ask for sources:
Gendarmerie general, couple of staff officers
A marine major
Former Military intelligence director
Some civilian Ph.D. lecturers