Mr Sarkozy is not the only Western leader to embrace Mr Qaddafi since the Libyan leader escaped from diplomatic isolation in 2003, after renouncing a secret nuclear-weapons programme and taking official responsibility for past acts of terrorism.

• 2003年，利比亚的领导人卡扎菲宣布放弃核武器的研制计划，并对过去几次恐怖袭击事件正式承担了责任，自那之后，卡扎菲便从外交孤立中解脱出来，而萨科齐先生并不是唯一对卡扎菲示好的西方领导人。