Excerpts from Defense Secretary William Cohen's speech at "European Command Change of Command Ceremony" which can be found here:
http://www.dod.gov/speeches/2000/s20000502-secdef.html"Now, it has been said that, "without passion, man is a mere latent force and possibility, like the flint which awaits the shock of the iron before it can give forth its spark." Future historians will recount how the passionate leadership of Wes Clark and the dedicated men and women of this command combined to spark new possibilities across this continent, forging new bonds in a great Partnership for Peace and serving alongside soldiers from some 38 nations to bring peace to Bosnia and Kosovo."
"General Shelton has reminded us of the historic accomplishments further to the south. Indeed, while it may be tempting to view darkly the challenges of the moment in Kosovo, I would say to all who are here today that no one, no one, should ever doubt either your service or your success."
From an article on General Clark's retirement which can be found here:
http://www.cnn.com/US/9907/28/clark.01/--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Report: NATO commander Clark to leave
July 28, 1999
Web posted at: 1:40 a.m. EDT (0540 GMT)
WASHINGTON -- The top NATO commander, U.S. Army Gen. Wesley Clark, has been told that his term with the alliance will end in April, a move that follows months of tension with the Pentagon over the conduct of the war against Yugoslavia, The Washington Post reported on Wednesday.
He reportedly received a call Tuesday from Army Gen. Henry Shelton, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, with word of the early relief of command.
The newspaper said senior Pentagon officials, who were not identified, portrayed it as a normal rotation.
But the Post said the decision to end Clark's term a few months short of three years was unusual. Some military officials said it may be seen by his congressional supporters and European allies as an affront to the general who led NATO to victory, the newspaper reported.
Clark had expected to stay a full three years until July 2000 and possibly longer because most of his predecessors as supreme allied commander in Europe served in the post for at least four years or more.
Informed of the decision, Clark said he accepted the change and that he would continue to fulfil his responsibilities as NATO's military chief until next spring, the Post reported.
In an effort to make clear that the decision was not retaliation against Clark for his differences with the administration during the war, Pentagon officials told the newspaper that four-star officers in several other regional commands would also step down next year after three-year tours.
They also said the timing of Clark's departure had been dictated by a desire to move Air Force Gen. Joseph Ralston, vice chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, into the NATO job.
Defense Secretary William Cohen, in a telephone interview with the Post from Japan where he is travelling, said he would have preferred to wait until autumn to make a decision but felt obligated to give Clark as much notice as possible.
Cohen told the newspaper he had discussed with the White House the possibility of offering Clark an ambassador's post.
Clark, in a brief phone interview from Brussels, told the Post: "I'm not going to speculate on what opportunities might be available in public life or private life. There is a long time yet to do this job and I've got to keep my attention on it."
Farther down in article
"Cohen is very happy with the job that Clark has done," the official said. "But because of the long lead time required here, this is a process he needs to start in an orderly, measured way."
From another article on General Clark's retirement which can be found here:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/inatl/longterm/balkans/stories/clark072899.htmCohen insisted that any strains with Clark had played no part in the decision to move Ralston into the NATO job, describing his relationship with the Army general as "good and cordial."
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