France's government is bolstering the country's military presence in the Middle East, dispatching its aircraft carrier and other warships, while President Emmanuel Macron engages with key players in the conflict, including Iran, in a bid to position Paris for future diplomatic talks. Macron said that France's military involvement is strictly "defensive" and aims to avoid making the country a party to the war. He reaffirmed that position after one French soldier was killed Thursday in a drone attack in Iraq. "We are not at war with anyone," Macron said. Still, the large-scale deployment of the French navy - which he described as "unprecedented" - has made France the European nation with the most prominent presence in the region. Visiting the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier last week, Macron said that its presence in the Mediterranean demonstrates "France's strength: a balancing power, a force for peace." Here's what to know about Macron' strategy. France's large naval ...