Clark announces 4 part plan for Sucessful Exit from Iraq

[papau]

http://www.thestate.com/mld/thestate/7197085.htm

Clark said Wednesday that even while he praised them, the Bush administration was failing America… In a speech prepared for delivery Thursday at South Carolina State University in Orangeburg Clark offered up a four-prong strategy for exiting Iraq., the United States should bring in more foreign help, reconfigure the military forces serving in Iraq, give Iraqis a stake in the country's success and rebuild partnerships with European allies.: "Every American should understand: early exit means retreat or defeat. There can be neither. We need a 'Success Strategy' — for it is only success that can honor the sacrifice of so many American men and women; it is only success that will allow Iraq to stand on its own; and it is only success that will allow our soldiers to come home." <snip>

Clark outlines his four-point "Success Strategy": 1) End sole American responsibility for the country by, among other ideas, creating an Iraqi Reconstruction Council to replace the Coalition Revisional Authority. 2) Provide better border protection, more intelligence sources, formidable Iraqi security forces, and secure ammunition. 3) Give the Iraqis a stake in the country's success by transferring authority on an ongoing basis and by naming an interim Iraqi government with a written Constitution, written by Iraqis. 4) Creating a New Atlantic Charter to "reinvigorate our security partnership with Europe."

[jonoboy]

1. this is sounding good

[StephNW4Clark]

2. I really like the part about a new Atlantic Charter

I think that is one of the most visionary steps I've heard any candidate or politician recommend.

NATO was a mutual collective defense agreement that acted as a counter-weight to the Warsaw Pact of the USSR. Now with the USSR now longer standing, and the EU seriously considering building its own defense force, it is incredibly necessary for the Charter to be re-worked. More than that, it would signal a serious sign of bridge-building to spurned European allies. This is brilliant. If Clark doesn't get the nod, I think I'm going to cry.