I was wondering the same thing, why do we care more about death in Paris than we do about death in Beirut, and is it acceptable? 

First, a life is a life. A French life is worth exactly as much as a Lebanese life. 

But the United States and France are close allies. We fought on the same side in both World Wars. France was an ally of ours going all the way back to the American Revolution in our war against the British. We have a defense pact with France. An attack against France is an attack against the United States. 

So yes, to Americans a French life is special. 

But there is more to say. 

The war that this is another in a series of battles in was started by the the west. When it started is subject to debate. But the lives lost in Iraq and Syria every day in huge numbers, far larger than the number of lives lost in France, can be traced to our terrorist attack on Baghdad in 2003. You don't think it's terrorism? Our government called it Shock & Awe. Sounds like terrorism to me. 

But when France is attacked in this war, it's closer to us than an attack on Beirut, even though there are many Americans for whom Lebanon is closer to home than Paris. 

There are millions of points of view on this. It's muddled, it's a mess. Like war always is.