France is introducing a number of repressive measures, not only an extension of the emergency by three months, thus allowing house searches without a warrant during that period; and a revision of the constitution that would involve stripping the French nationality of a dual citizen connected with terrorism.

It isn't often that a mainstream newspaper calls out Islam over a terrorist action—in this case one of the worst in history—the November 13, 2015 attacks in Paris—which ended in the murders of 129 people.

"However dry the above definition sounds, or perhaps because it does, the words seem only to fit one person in the presidential race for 2016. It is, of course, Hillary Clinton. She is the default candidate. Though she doesn't click very well with the American public, she has what it takes: she is very experienced; she doesn't make mistakes in her pubic discourse; and she is liked by the people around her, in particular, those who have worked for her."

"Barack Obama's tenure, particularly his second term, is studded with peacemaking deals, from the Iranian nuclear agreement, to the Trans-Pacific Partnership, to the re-opening of relations with Cuba, and to now the accord on climate change. His first term brought us the Affordable Care Act. When are we going to back off our disappointment at his clear lack of bombast?"

"Blacks first came to this country in pre-Independence times — in 1619. In no way can they be considered a foreign presence, as some have tried to do with other minorities."

"How can we say to history that we helped maintain in power the man ultimately responsible for the repression of an uprising that began peacefully and which has caused the deaths of more than 200,000 people, amid gas and barrel bomb attacks, and has produced four million externally displaced and eight million internally displaced persons. If he is not to answer to this tragedy, he can at least leave power."

"The recent New York Times Magazinearticle on the 'mysteries' remaining about the bin Laden raid offers no clear conclusions. But it does usefully point out that there could be a difference between the Pakistanis being aware that bin Laden was living in Abbottabad, and not being informed of the impending attack against him."

"With exquisite timing, just before his speech at the United Nations, Putin announced on 27 September that he had put together a consortium of intelligence-sharing powers on the Syrian situation: Russia, Iran, Iraq and Syria."

"Senator Schumer stated that his was a very difficult decision, and one must respect his convictions. However, a number of Democratic leaders were disappointed by his action, which, due to his experience and influence, might have helped swing the vote the other way."

"I find it inconceivable that not a single Republican lawmaker plans to vote in support of the nuclear deal with Iran....We are light years away from the thinking of the Founding Fathers of a group of disinterested representatives voting for the common good. Also, they did not envisage the position of lawmaker as a lifetime sinecure."