Risking the ire of friends, President Jacques Chirac has boldly gambled on resurrecting France as a force in the Middle East, hoping for a payoff in power, prestige and, eventually, lucrative contracts.
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The man who dubbed himself a "soldier for peace" had the bearing of a storm trooper on the weeklong tour that ended Friday, ostensibly intended as a European bid to jump-start the stalled peace process.But as the trip unfolded, it became clear Chirac was donning the mantel of Charles de Gaulle, his political mentor, in his quest to restore France's former status in the region.