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French philiosopher and intellectual-at-large Bernard-Henri Lévy was harshly criticized for meddling into states affairs and reportedly persuading President Nicolas Sarkozy to meet the Lybian rebels. BHL, nicknamed "foreign minister B", contacted Sarkozy after he heard of planes shooting on pacifist demonstrations and, despite being political adversaries with the French leader, immediatly arranged a meeting between Sarkozy and the rebels, driving him to his "diplomatic blitzkrieg" to secure UN approval for the military action.
Facing criticism, Lévy shrugs:" Honestly, I don't give a damn. What has happened is so much more important than this derisory criticism. What is important in this affair is that the devoir d'ingérance [the right to violate the sovereignty of a country if human rights are being excessively violated] has been recognised."
Bernard-Henri Lévy believes that in a normal, civilised, adult democracy an intellectual should be able to speak to a political leader, even if he is not from the same political family.
"And what is even more important is that we avoided a bloodbath in Benghazi. Compared with this, criticism on my person is quite honestly of no importance." Read the full article.
