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The French president intends France to succeed in Libya where the US failed in Iraq

Libya is Nicolas Sarkozy's date with history. Behind the scenes of the Paris conference on Tripoli's future, the president was said to be revelling in his new French nickname, "Sarkozy the Libyan". In France, the intervention has been dubbed "Sarkozy's war", delighting him. By taking a leading role, the deeply unpopular leader hopes with one swoop to save the badly tarnished image of French policy in the Arab world, prove that France matters on the global stage and save his re-election battle for 2012.

Elysée observers say not since the cold war has a French leader made an international conflict such a personal obsession, poring over maps and plans, having the last word on arming rebel fighters. Many sensed a personal battle against his one-time friend turned enemy, Colonel Gaddafi. Sarkozy was desperate to undo the ill-effects of a disastrous state visit to Paris in 2007 in which Gaddafi made Sarkozy look ridiculous. The two men both claimed to have key insight into each others' personality - deeming each other utterly "mad". Privately, Sarkozy vowed to force Gaddafi "to his knees". But publicly, he hoped to rescue an election promise which had become utterly discredited: that France would be a global human rights defender, "on the side of the oppressed". He cited the massacres of Srebrenica or Rwanda as examples of what he wanted to avoid by protecting the Libyan people.

For now, Sarkozy has achieved a turn-around from Paris's disgrace at the start of the Arab spring. France dragged its heels, failing to support the Tunisian and Egyptian people's revolutions until the very last minute. It even offered police back-up to the Tunisian dictator, Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, as protesters were dying in the street. The French ruling political class was exposed as the self-serving pals of world dictators, more interested in cut-price holidays on the back of dodgy regimes.

Six months ago, over 80% of French people feared France's role in global politics was weakening. Sarkozy's foreign policy was dismissed by a rebellion of his own diplomats as amateur, impulsive and a total joke. Sarkozy was so keen to change public opinion on this that earlier this summer, he reportedly told French generals - to their stupefaction - that he wanted a victory in Libya before 14 July, hoping to capitalise on a mood of joy for Bastille day.

Back in March, France was the first nation to recognise the rebel National Transitional Council. Sarkozy now wants to visit Libya as soon as Gaddafi is found.

Sarkozy is still at record lows in the polls. Foreign policy, crucial as it is for a president's image, does not win French elections. Voters make their decisions on issues closer to home, such as unemployment. But the liberation of Tripoli opens up an opportunity. Sarkozy wants to take credit for helping to establish a workable post-Gaddafi country, he wants France to succeed where the US failed in Iraq. By showing he could win over others as part of an alliance of world partners on Libya, Sarkozy hopes he can redress his public image as impulsive, undiplomatic and with a tendency for going out on a limb.