SAVED BY FRANCE? – AT 11:03 A.M. ET:  One of the most fascinating aspects of the Iran nuclear negotiations is the role played by France.  Americans often criticize the French for being difficult, but now we should be praising Paris.  The French are holding out for the kind of agreement with Iran that makes sense to a mature adult.  Obama seems to want a piece of paper.  From AFP: 

PARIS, France (AFP) — As the drive to reach an accord with Iran on its nuclear program heads towards a March 31 deadline, France is digging into its role as chief hawk — a position inclined to annoy US allies, but not likely to scuttle an eventual accord, diplomats say.

The French hard-line among its US, British, Chinese, Russian and German partners to hammer out a nuclear agreement with Tehran is rooted in ideological, historical, and even personal concerns that tend to stiffen as Paris recognizes Washington’s increasing pragmatism in seeking to conclude a deal swiftly.

“France has taken the opposite path to that of the United States, which changed strategies with the arrival of Barack Obama,” said Bernard Hourcade, an Iran specialist at the National Centre of Scientific Research, who says France’s current Socialist-led government adopted and defends the wary, intransigent stance towards Iran set down by previous conservative president Nicolas Sarkozy.

“Paris has clearly made the choice of going with Gulf oil monarchies and with a conservative stability” in the region, and frontally opposing Iranian interests and influences that Paris blames for violence and turmoil in Syria, Lebanon and Iraq, Hourcade said.

COMMENT:  On this the French are the realists, along with the Israelis and a number of Arab countries. 

It is crunch time in the talks with Iran.  Congress accepts the date of March 24th as the deadline to achieve a general agreement.  John Kerry is now hedging on whether an agreement will be reached by that date.  If it isn't, what will happen?  If it is, what will happen?  Republicans in Congress have said they will move forward with legislation that will give Congress an active role in evaluating any agreement reached with Iran, legislation that Obama has said he will veto.  Another idea being floated is that any agreement will be taken to the UN first for ratification, with Congress left out.

One of the most serious governmental clashes in modern American history may be coming.  The next few months will be critical. 

March 15, 2015