Outside the Beltway

The political party formed by French President Emmanuel Macron just about a year ago scored big wins in yesterday’s first round of legislative elections.

The players are almost completely set for France’s 2017 Presidential elections, and the choice seems likely to come down to center-right candidate Francois Fillon and Marine Le Pen, France’s Donald Trump.

For largely irrational reasons, French police are arresting women on the beach for wearing swimsuits that are compatible with their faith.

A night of terror mars Bastille Day celebrations in France.

Representatives from 195 nations reached an agreement supposedly devoted to addressing global climate change, but it’s really more hype than anything else.

Some analysts are already suggesting that Russia’s two month old intervention in Syria is becoming a quagmire. That seems to be a premature judgment, but it’s not accomplishing much more than anything the West is doing.

The British Parliament has approved expansion of that countries airstrikes into Syria, but it’s unclear just how much of an impact that will have on the ground.

France’s President has spent the week trying to forge and agreement on an anti-ISIS policy, but the two nations that matter the most also disagree the most.

Tensions between Russia and Turkey remain high in the wake of yesterday’s incident, but there are some signs that things are starting to cool down.

A potentially big complication in an already complicated situation.

France’s President blames ISIS, vows response, as death toll from Paris terror attacks stands at at least 127.

Reports of at least up to sixty dead, a hostage situation, and attacks at multiple locations in Paris.

Senate Democrats successfully blocked a final vote on the Iran Nuclear Deal, meaning that Congressional debate on the matter is effectively over.

At least 11 are dead and 10 wounded in an attack on free expression.

For the fourth time in 30 years, an American President spoke at Normandy to honor a day of sacrifice and triumph.

Thanks largely to France, this weekend’s efforts to reach an interim deal on Iran’s nuclear program fell apart.

Could anyone have imagined a decade ago a scenario when the United States would go to war with France by our side and England on the sidelines?

Western military action in the Syrian civil war now appears likely.

The French were indignant about reports of the NSA’s surveillance programs. Now we know they have own of their own.

The French economy has drifted into recession for the second time in four years.

In office less than a day, Francois Hollande has already been forced to admit he can’t withdraw French forces from Afghanistan by the end of the year.