“Pacifism is a very good idea; unfortunately, it doesn’t work,” insists Bernard Kouchner, the former French foreign minister, co-founder of Doctors Without Borders (MSF) and staunch advocate of humanitarian intervention.

But can a military campaign ever be strictly humanitarian? Or is the defence of human rights just a facade for imperialist agendas?

Kouchner is one of the architects of the concept of the right to interfere and has always argued that the West has a responsibility to protect human life, regardless of international borders.

Joining the discussion are Lindsey German, convenor of the Stop the War Coalition Barak Seener, Royal United Services Institute Hamza Hamouchene president of the Algerian Solidarity Campaign

17 Nov 2014

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