In Paris, President Envy: 'There Is No French Obama'

Briefed military last night, will reveal number and other details tomorrow

(NEWSER) - After weeks of deliberation, President Obama has settled on a new strategy for the war in Afghanistan and ordered the military to carry it out. The exact size of the troop escalation has not been announced, but sources put the number in the neighborhood of 30,000 more troops. The president started informing military leaders last night and will explain his plan in detail in a national speech tomorrow from the US Military Academy at West Point. More»

Sarkozy invites prince to commemoration after snub uproar

(NEWSER) - Prince Charles will attend the 65th commemoration of D-Day in France, celebrating the occasion alongside Nicolas Sarkozy and Barack Obama, the Times of London reports. Earlier, it appeared that no member of the royal family would be invited, a snub that left Queen Elizabeth decidedly unamused. Sources say Charles, a friend of Sarkozy’s, called the French president, and soon received an official invite. More»

Washington, Paris on good terms, Sarkozy aide says

(NEWSER) - President Obama will travel to Normandy for the 65th anniversary of the D-Day invasion, the New York Daily News reports. An aide to Nicolas Sarkozy spilled the beans on Obama’s June 6 visit after a reporter claimed the relationship between the two presidents was distant. “Relations are excellent and very productive,” Claude Gueant said, noting that Sarkozy and Obama talked yesterday about the upcoming G-20 summit. More»

'You must want a cigarette after that,' Dowd tells candidate after fawning reception

(NEWSER) - While all of Europe—even the right-wing Nicolas Sarkozy—goes ga-ga over Barack Obama, the would-be president is keeping it real, writes an uncharacteristically un-scathing Maureen Dowd in the New York Times. “If you start believing your own hype, which I rarely do, things’ll turn on your pretty quick anyway,” Obama tells Dowd, . Plus, he’s anticipating “some backlash” among Americans for cozying up with the French. More»

President-elect has a packed first 40 days

(NEWSER) - Following last night’s victory over Nicolas Sarkozy , Francois Hollande will have to jump right in to his new role—he will be sworn in as France’s president next Tuesday, the BBC notes. What does his election mean?

• Hollande has vowed to renegotiate the eurozone budget treaty Sarkozy championed along with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, but the German government today is trying to cut that off at the pass, calling it “not possible.”
• Though Hollande's election has fueled hope among many French hungry for jobs, economic growth, and the end of austerity, he faces the same debt problems Sarkozy did. Der Spiegel notes that Hollande knows just how tough is the job ahead of him: Rather than appearing celebratory last night, the unsmiling victor “seemed tired, weak, and overwhelmed,” the paper reports.