Clark Credits Clinton for Ghadafy Breakthrough

NewsMax.com ^ | 12/22/03

[Headfulofghosts]

Clark Credits Clinton for Ghadafy Breakthrough

Democratic presidential hopeful Gen. Wesley Clark said Sunday that his old boss Bill Clinton - not President Bush - deserved credit for forcing Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi to abandon his weapons of mass destruction programs, even though Gadhafi's turnaround came nearly three years after Clinton had left office.

"It's a program of squeezing Libya that's gone on for more than a decade," Clark told a Derry, New Hampshire audience, according to the Concord Monitor. "The Clinton administration was very much involved with this."

In a slap at Bush, Clark said, it "shows that you don't need to use force to get your way in world affairs," adding that Prime Minister Tony Blair deserved credit for the Ghahafi breakthrough as well.

The retired general added new details to his charge that President Bush was responsible for leaving America vulnerable to the 9/11 attacks, saying that President Clinton tried to warn Bush about Osama bin Laden but Bush wouldn't listen.

"He wasn't paying attention," Clark complained. "He didn't do his job as commander and chief."

The former NATO commander said that Bush deserves to be "fired" for not doing more to prevent 9/11.

"This is the way it works in the Navy, if you're the captain of a ship, and it runs aground, they only ask two questions: Did it run aground, and were you the captain?" he explained. "If the answer is yes to both, you're fired."

Though Clark has repeatedly pounded away at the theme that Bush is responsible for 9/11, reporters have yet to ask him about President Clinton's confession last year that he turned down a deal for bin Laden's arrest in Sudan.

[Headfulofghosts]

A Vain, Pompous, Brown-noser

Meet the Real Gen. Clark
Anyone seeking to understand the bloody fiasco of the Serbian war need hardly look further than the person of the beribboned Supreme Allied Commander, General Wesley K. Clark. Politicians and journalists are generally according him a respectful hearing as he discourses on the "schedule" for the destruction of Serbia, tellingly embracing phrases favored by military bureaucrats such as "systematic" and "methodical".

The reaction from former army subordinates is very different.
"The poster child for everything that is wrong with the GO (general officer) corps," exclaims one colonel, who has had occasion to observe Clark in action, citing, among other examples, his command of the 1st Cavalry Division at Fort Hood from 1992 to 1994.

While Clark's official Pentagon biography proclaims his triumph in "transitioning the Division into a rapidly deployable force" this officer describes the "1st Horse Division" as "easily the worst division I have ever seen in 25 years of doing this stuff."

Such strong reactions are common. A major in the 3rd Brigade of the 4th Infantry Division at Fort Carson, Colorado when Clark was in command there in the early 1980s described him as a man who "regards each and every one of his subordinates as a potential threat to his career".

While he regards his junior officers with watchful suspicion, he customarily accords the lower ranks little more than arrogant contempt. A veteran of Clark's tenure at Fort Hood recalls the general's "massive tantrum because the privates and sergeants and wives in the crowded (canteen) checkout lines didn't jump out of the way fast enough to let him through".

Clark's demeanor to those above is, of course, very different, a mode of behavior that has earned him rich dividends over the years. Thus, early in 1994, he was a candidate for promotion from two to three star general. Only one hurdle remained - a war game exercise known as the Battle Command Training Program in which Clark would have to maneuver his division against an opposing force. The commander of the opposing force, or "OPFOR" was known for the military skill with which he routinely demolished opponents.

But Clark's patrons on high were determined that no such humiliation should be visited on their favorite. Prior to the exercise therefore, strict orders came down that the battle should go Clark's way. Accordingly, the OPFOR was reduced in strength by half, thus enabling Clark, despite deploying tactics of signal ineptitude, to triumph. His third star came down a few weeks later.

Battle exercises and war games are of course meant to test the fighting skills of commanders and troops. The army's most important venue for such training is the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, California, where Clark commanded from October 1989 to October 1991 and where his men derisively nicknamed him "Section Leader Six" for his obsessive micro-management.

At the NTC, army units face a resident OPFOR that has, through constant battle practice coupled with innovative tactics and close knowledge of the terrain, become adept at routing the visiting "Blue Force" opponents. For Clark, this naturally posed a problem. Not only were his men using unconventional tactics, they were also humiliating Blue Force generals who might nurture resentment against the NTC commander and thus discommode his career at some future date. To the disgust of the junior OPFOR officers Clark therefore frequently fought to lose, sending his men on suicidal attacks in order that the Blue Forces should go home happy and owing debts of gratitude to their obliging foe.

All observers agree that Clark has always displayed an obsessive concern with the perquisites and appurtenances of rank. Ever since he acceded to the Nato command post, the entourage with which he travels has accordingly grown to gargantuan proportions to the point where even civilians are beginning to comment. A Senate aide recalls his appearances to testify, prior to which aides scurry about the room adjusting lights, polishing his chair, testing the microphone etc prior to the precisely timed and choreographed moment when the Supreme Allied Commander Europe makes his entrance.

"We are state of the art pomposity and arrogance up here," remarks the aide. "So when a witness displays those traits so egregiously that even the senators notice, you know we're in trouble." His NATO subordinates call him, not with affection, "the Supreme Being".


"Clark is smart," concludes one who has monitored his career. "But his whole life has been spent manipulating appearances (e.g. the doctored OPFOR exercise) in the interests of his career. Now he is faced with a reality he can't control." This observer concludes that, confronted with the wily Slobodan and other unavoidable variables of war, Clark will soon come unglued. "Watch the carpets at NATO HQ for teeth marks."CP

[Political Junkie Too]

Yeah, and her name was Mulva.

-PJ

[Darksheare]

Cripes, that behavior sounds just like that of my last Captain.
When he was in meetings with the higher ups and we were out firing at the impact zone, everything was smooth.
As soon as he got back he'd micromanage FDC and everything else he could possibly screw up and we'd fire on Do Not Load missions due to it coming down the line as a live mission.
And he'd screw over anyone who did their jobs the right way, usually those who refused to kiss up to him.
This is scary to read.

[Headfulofghosts]

http://www.mbruce.addr.com/clark.jpg

Wesley Clark referred to the "shame" of the German bombing of Belgrade in World War Two, which resulted in 17,000 killed in one day. Later NATO, under his command, bombed Belgrade during Orthodox Easter week, he replied that "Belgrade was bombed during both Easters," as if that somehow made it alright. Clark states that a "political problem cannot be solved by military force." What a bizarre comment from one who directed the attack on Yugoslavia and advocated the use of ground troops in Kosovo

Sen. Joe Lieberman on FOX News Sunday, 05/23/99, stated that Clark's "military victory" included attacking civilian infrastructure targets to "break the will of the Serbian people." Clark's reply was, "I don't care what Joe Lieberman says, it isn't true."

[MamaB]

Let me tell y'all something. These democrats really scare me. They are so anti-America and pro UN. Where do they get all their ideas? I would not vote for any of them--not even for dog catcher. Poor doggies!

[Inspectorette]

Regina? Oh, it's Delores!

[Alissa]

The man is delusional.

It wouldn't be the first general, but having some experience around generals, Clark is a major prima donna!

[Alissa]

Clark is definately on the clintoon payroll. No one could make such a stupid statment like that if they weren't. Clark is a stooge for the clintoons.

Unfortunately the Clinton's depend on 'charisma' more than record. Clark is an absolute joke. However, I never thought Clinton would be elected twice!

[tinacart]

These GD people are so sick!!!

[Pagey]

his charge that President Bush was responsible for leaving America vulnerable to the 9/11 attacks

This guy is a warped human being. I mean warped. He consistently cites Mr. Clintoon as an effective force on earth for 8 years, and now gets his talking points from Clinton sycophants. How on earth can he speak like that in public and keep a straight face? Billy Jeff is on tape for gosh sake regarding the 9/11 Terrorist issue,and in historical terms he will be revealed as a disgraced and weak excuse for a man responsible for the deaths of 3000 Americans. Let him sleep on that fact, every single night for the rest of his miserable existence. I haven't seen the skunk (B.C.) on TV since we acquired Saddam either, anyone else notice that?

[jwalsh07]

Clark needs to be instituionalised. Perhaps he'll find Mladic and Karadzic there.

[PistolPaknMama]

Clark said, it "shows that you don't need to use force to get your way in world affairs,"

But it's necessary with women.

[Political Junkie Too]

I haven't seen the skunk (B.C.) on TV since we acquired Saddam either, anyone else notice that?

Perhaps he's been keeping a low profile while Clark was at the Hague testifying against Milosevic.

-PJ

[Headfulofghosts]

"The policies and actions of the Government of Libya
continue to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States," President Clinton. July 6, 1998.

[PistolPaknMama]

Thank you!!

[LoudRepublicangirl]

During the Kosovo conflict Clark wanted to open fire on Soviet soldiers. He also states that Dean asked him to be his running mate and the Dean camp completely denies it. This guy is completely Whacko! OH, AND BY THE WAY, HIS FATHER IS jewish. This explains the yiddish name-Clark.

[stands2reason]

No, no it was LBJ that deserves the credit....

[gatorgriz]

Amen! The Weasel Fart might of been a big time general with a big time degree, but its clear to me he's a has been, and with his recent comments I have to wonder if his current IQ isn't equal to his shoe size... What a LOSER!!!

[BunnySlippers]

Haha ... how appropraite!

[BunnySlippers]

I meant appropriate