Charlie Rose

akinbluhnchertudi  03/23/2011 11:15 AM Report

I don't think Mr Levy's view mirrors that of the rest of Europe. Similarly to other recent conflicts such as the Balkans, Iraq and Afghanistan there is a situation of confusion among politicians who cannot decide if a military attack is a good choice.

I wouldn't suggest that there is such a cheerful climate right now.

I live in Italy and the feeling one perceives is that there is only a huge economic interest specially from countries like France UK and Italy.

My comment does not want to cause any controversy at all, I respect Mr Levy's speech and I appreciate very much Charlie Rose's show, I just wanted to point out that the climate in Europe is depicted in a slight different way.

Best Regards,

Akin Bluhn Chertudi

JohnGelles  03/22/2011 05:26 AM Report

The anti-Wilsonian view, of America's role since 1918, is that the Kaiser, Hitler, and post WW II tyrants were really not our responsibility -- as the heirs of Jefferson, Lafayette, FDR and others.

These Buchananite (Patrick -- who failed to be elected president a while back) isolationists are often right when it comes to protecting America from itself -- in relation to fair and union wage wages for workers here -- (a cause they never protect against corporate anti-labor forces).

But these anti-Wilsonian's are always wrong when it comes to their unfriendly attitude toward a universal profound desire for democracy, freedom and making a good living, that motivates many in Arabia today -- who would like American protection from tyrants we have accommodated earlier.

REMant goes so far as to use the slang insulting name for French fighters and "hypocritical and self-righteous" in the text of his comment on the best part of this particular Charlie Rose hour.

Bernard Henri-Levy brings to politics the brilliance of a thinker and the wisdom of professional in the war against global evil that people like Buchanan try to ignore. Pat says he wants no unsought unintended American empire.

But victims abroad who see America as the champion of global democracy with the power to protect it from some of the evil and hard-to-eradicate institutions and hates that persist in our time, see what Buchanan refuses to appreciate.

Levy and I appreciate it. Charlie appreciates it -- but always allows a balanced view to be heard on his show. That is to Charlie's credit. But I am sure he is not pleased with REMant's insults to an invited guest.

Still, I use insult all the time. It makes me feel good -- in spite of it being a stupid thing to do.

sonia  03/21/2011 06:03 PM Report

It does not take Bernard to know that Kaddafi is a deranged and ruthless dictator---But for Sarkozy to recognise a government and go to war based on this man's say-so and his vouching for a few people he had just met and whose language he does not speak is sheer lunacy...

sonia  03/21/2011 05:47 PM Report

Bernard as Sarkozy's advisor on anything to do with the Middle East, particularly a call to war, is a chilling thought. Hopefully, this whole gallic histoire was Bernard merely indulging in exaggerated advertisements for himself. Since when was he an expert on who was or was not democratic, or much else in the Arab world?

REMant  03/20/2011 01:34 PM Report

There really is nothing like a self-righteous frog, unless it is an hypocritical, self-righteous one.

JohnGelles  03/20/2011 12:35 AM Report

I wish the transcript were here. I do have the show downstairs on by TV recorder -- but I'll have to go from memory for this comment.

Bernard Henri-Levy from Paris was as elegant and exciting on the 18th of March as most people were on the following day -- as the coalition to defend democracy attacked Libyan air defenses to prepare for a quick death or exit from Tripoli of Muammar Qaddafi the threatening dictator whose time has expired. Levi pulled out all stops and showed his trust in the Libyan reformers who were left exposed to martyrdom while democracies were being as cautious as people afraid of their own shadow.

Levy issued what seemed like a call to arms at the moment we needed it most. I was thankful to Charlie Rose for making the call that brought him to America to remind us of Lafayette and victory at Yorktown -- when this Libyan thing began from a certain point of view.

Time will tell if all this -- and not Secretary Gates -- is the voice of experience in the matter at hand. Let me quit while we're still ahead. I expect Muammar to be gone in no time at all. And I hope he can still make it with his son, (who had better ideas -- without courage enough to slap some sense into Dad,) to a better end than Saddam Hussein's. Saddam was worse that Muammar -- and IMO Muammar deserves better. (But my opinion is not based on fact -- it is nothing more than a preference for less murder right now and not more.)