France's ambition doubted

Meanwhile, a France-proposed political steering committee over the situation in Libya has fixed its first session on next Tuesday in London, with the participation of foreign ministers from United States, France, Britain and other involved countries.

The meeting is expected to discuss ways to neutralize Gaddafi's power on the ground.

A new poll published Wednesday on local daily France-Soir showed that around 66 percent of French people supported the military intervention in Libya, while 34 percent showed disapproval. This represented a change in public attitude compared with a previous poll conducted in early March, which showed 63 percent of French people opposed this intervention.

But France's enthusiasm was also doubted by many inside the country.

"This operation which aimed at making a no-fly zone, quickly turned into a war, and does not protect civilians," Marine le Pen, head of the National Front, the French far right party, said in an interview.

"France has put his finger in the gears and has to assume the responsibility of the failure," warned Roland Muzeau, the spokesman of communist deputies in the National Assembly.

Even the Socialist that supported the intervention at first cast doubt. "We approved an operation in the framework of UN resolutions and we hailed the first results. But we have to take into account the risk of reversal of the Arab opinion. Libya should not be another Iraq," said Jean-Marc Ayrault, the president of the Socialist in Parliament.