Nicholas Sarkozy is expanding the French presence in the middle east to prove, conclusively, that a Napoleonic complex transcends birthplace. The President/super-model afficianado has recently busied himself by gladhanding around the UAE. No longer content to merely arm the Middle-East, he now aspires to occupy small portions of it.
Much fuss has been raised about this, and pundits (at least Al-Jazeera) believe it implies closer French ties to Washington. They are skeptical of a European power with a presence in the Gulf, and especially one which has advocated for additional pressure against Iran.
It is, however, irrational, to view this as a direct threat to Tehran. Sarkozy is placing a minuscule 500 soldiers in the Emirates and this is far from an expeditionary force. More likely, the base evidences of France's desire to secure the nuclear materials it will provide to Abu Dhabi for the construction of two nuclear power facilities.
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