Wes Clark- "If you're feared, you'll be hated. If you're hated, you will be sabotaged."

[FrenchieCat]

Wesley Clark: Iraq a 'hopeless, spiraling failure'
Associated Press

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Using war to bring democracy to Iraq is a "hopeless, spiraling failure" that hurts the United States' power and prestige beyond its borders, retired U.S. Gen. Wesley Clark said Friday.

"It was a flawed, fatally flawed idea," said Clark, a presidential candidate in the Democratic primary in 2004. "Now we have to back away from it."
snip
"Democratization cannot cure war," said Clark, a retired four-star general and former commander of NATO. "In fact, there are many democratic societies that love a good war so long as they can win it quickly."

However, Clark offered the Holocaust and ethnic killings in Rwanda and Burundi during the 1990s as examples of when the United States should have acted to stop atrocities.
snip
"All wars are eventually about convincing your enemy not to fight," he said.
snip
Attributing Democrats' electoral victory Tuesday as "two-thirds a referendum on Iraq, one-third on corruption," Clark kept whatever political aspirations he has for the 2008 presidential election close to his chest.

However, he said the reasons for the Iraq war, not fully understood by the American people at the time, have come to "crashing failure."

"If you're feared, you'll be hated," Clark said. If you're hated, you will be sabotaged."
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/111106dntexclarktalk.1e55c78.html

[w4rma]

1. Wisdom. (nt)

[Trajan]

2. I so admire Clark .....

It takes one who has been there to understand it's true costs ....

First in his class at West Point ? .... Doesnt it show ? ....

Brilliant ....

[FrenchieCat]

3. Loved this line.....

"All wars are eventually about convincing your enemy not to fight,"

[Trajan]

6. That logic goes two ways ....

1) Convince them by utterly destroying them, which is what the PNAC bunch are trying to do, with 20% of the troops they would actually need ....

2) Convince them through reconciliation and 'a seat at the table' .... offering a vision of life under a fairly negotiated peace treaty between ALL parties .....

I take door number 2, Monty ....

[FrenchieCat]

7. Convince = Diplomacy......

the art of persuasion through negotiation!

[lapfog_1]

10. War is the failure of diplomacy... n/t

[greenman3610]

9. sounds like Sun Tzu

[Bobbieo]

5. Clark is 100% CLASS!!!

[davidinalameda]

4. K&R!

thanks Frenchie!

[Eurobabe]

8. He's running in 2008, I feel it

wOOt!! :hi:

[acmavm]

11. I hope you're right.

[Dinger]

13. Me Too

I think he had an idea Feingold wouldn't run, and I bet he "has an idea" Hillary won't either, but Wes, why wait? The sooner the better.

[rocktivity]

25. CLARK/OBAMA '08!!!!

:bounce:
rocknation

[democrank]

12. Wes Clark isn`t

a "Bring it on" kind of guy. So insightful, so intelligent, so principled. I really respect this man.


CLARK `08

[Donna Zen]

14. I love this quote

Gosh...he sounds like someone who has a masters in philosophy.

OMG! He does.

[IndyOp]

15. Do you think Clark would take on Secretary of Defense?

I know you are hoping he will take on the Presidency, but damn I think he could reform the military in amazing ways if he were at the helm.

:kick:

[Hugin]

17. He would also make an excellent Secretary of State...

As well.

[Donna Zen]

18. Simply answer:

It is against the law. He must be out of the military for 10 years before he can be SoD.

My thinking: Any cabinet member is at the mercy of the WHouse. Look what happened to Colin Powell. So liking what Clark has to say doesn't make me give a damn about whether he is in a cabinet. Actually, working for someone like Hillary-hawk would be a real let down for me. I understand Wes Clark's amazing grasp of world affairs, but his philosophy and domestic policies are just as impressive.

The domestic policy can no longer be separated from foreign policy.

[IndyOp]

23. When did Clark leave the military? When will 10 years have passed?

I agree that Cabinet positions can be treated as political (at the mercy of the White House) -- but only if the White House is full of assholes who appoint either know-nothings or who appoint good people, but treat them like toilet paper.

Clark has spoken very positively about the military knowledge and leadership of both Clinton and Gore -- if Clark were Gore's SecDef, Clark would - appropriately - be allowed to lead and be given the support he needed to do a damned fine job.

[Donna Zen]

29. Political WHouse

I don't know about Gore, but the Clintons run for office 24/7. All of their decisions have been based on politics including putting that ass Cohen at Defense. Sometimes what needs to be done needs a little spending of political capital. No, I would not want to be a strong advocate for my beliefs and be working for some politicos.

Wes Clark was accepted at the Pentagon because in the words of one general: he made them look good. Rhodes Scholars are not highly favored by the military.

[SharonAnn]

24. He said Secretary of State, not Secretary of Defense

[Hugin]

16. "All wars are eventually about convincing your enemy not to fight"

I somewhat agree with this statement... But, this is diplomacy and
should be done by, say... The State Department.

Whereas, it's the Military's responsibility, if called to action to
"remove the enemy's ability to fight". Which they did very effectively
several years ago in Iraq.

The fault of the quagmire lies squarely on BushCo. Their apparent refusal
or inability to honestly and openly negotiate YEARS AGO has caused this and
no amount of military force is going to change anything.

Instead of moving like an Army they've been reduced to Bush's 'Kitchen Help'.

I think Colin Powell understood this and was making moves to put it in motion.
But, he was stopped by Rummy, Cheney and others who think chaos provided more
opportunities for their cronies.

[Doctor_J]

21. None of this will happen with Smirk in the WH though

he and his cabal are reviled throughout the world.

[BootinUp]

19. Read the whole article

there are several important points he makes, ideas on how to spread democracy the right way. He also realizes our credibility is seriously damaged at this point.

[ProSense]

20. "Now we have to back away from it."

Would Clark support Kerry-Feingold?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=2960920&mesg_id=2960920

[Clarkie1]

28. Kerry-Feingold is not the smartest away to approach the problem.

Speaking of Feingold, I was sorry to hear he will not be running. He was one of my top three along with Clark and Gore.

[judy from nj]

22. I like this part too

Speaking to a group of students at the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service, Clark said democracy can't stop or solve problems faced by people abroad. Rather, the United States should use its power through "coercive diplomacy" – forcing its enemies to realize when they should give in.

As an example of that, Clark pointed to former President Bill Clinton's policy of engagement and enlargement – helping "our friends and reinforcing those who have our ideas."

[SouthernBelle82]

32. But don't you know

that's so 90's and the twentieth century! :sarcasm: Don't forget like what Kerry said with going through the law. The British proved that point. Read Kerry's book "The New War."

[bobbie]

26. The Man is so frikken smart.

Damn I love him.

[dae]

27. I just want him to announce he's running Now! That's

not to much to ask, is it?

[SouthernBelle82]

30. Hear hear

I agree. Kerry's plan is the best and last I heard when he first came out with it before Feingold signed on even Cindy Sheehan supports it. Kerry knows this stuff better than anybody I think and these people too. I hope Kerry fights for that bill to be the way and I know I'll help anyway I can.

[bling bling]

31. Spoken like a true leader.

I'd feel a lot better if Clark was in charge of sorting out the Iraq mess right now. It's going to take someone like him to do it. The ego-maniac chicken-hawks have fucked it all up and have no flipping clue what they are doing.

[SouthernBelle82]

33. I think there should be

a committee with dealing with Iraq and all of the veterans in the House and Senate would be the main people in charge and I would like to see Clark there testifying on his experience and giving advice.