Reply #11: A different perspective [View All]

[democratreformed]

This is a portion of what is posted here:
http://wesleyclarkblog.us/



Speaking from his considerable experience as a commander of military
and intelligence resources, Gen. Clark recently proposed: "I would
press Saudi Arabia to join US forces in creating a US-Saudi commando
force to work the Afghan-Pakistani border where bin Laden is thought
to be hiding." Why WKC's efforts to innovate foreign policy are so
easily dismissed by many the in chattering class while Howard Dean's
arrogant stereotyping is hailed as just what the doctor ordered is
puzzling. However, highly respected blogger Mark Kleiman gets it.

Kleiman writes: "Diplomatically, the idea strikes me as rather
brilliant. It's a no-lose proposition. Either the Saudis come with
us, thus committing themselves against al-Qaeda, or they don't, thus
making the hollowness of their asserted cooperation against terrorism
clear.

". . . In domestic political terms, there is obvious value in
reminding the country that the president's promise to bring in bin
Laden "dead or alive" has been conspicuously unmet, and is no longer
being seriously pursued. . . What do we have to lose? If we tried
Clark's idea, and the Saudis leaked, we wouldn't catch Osama bin
Laden. Just how does that leave us worse off than we would be not
taking up Clark's idea, in which case we certainly won't catch Osama
bin Laden."

Kleiman concludes: "Clark hasn't been getting much ink of late, and
much of the ink he has been getting hasn't been good. But his ability
to get press coverage for an actual policy proposal rather than a
political maneuver makes him stand out from the field.

"With Bob Graham out, of all the candidates still in the race for
president Clark alone is capable of discussing national security
issues at a professionally respectable level. That's worth
considering, whether you like his individual ideas or not."