Posted on 01/21/2004 1:03:38 PM PST by Dragonfly
Wednesday, January 21, 2004 - Page updated at 12:00 A.M.
Guest columnists
Gen. Wesley Clark, character and courage
By Chuck Larson and Dan Christman
Special to The Times
Retired four-star Army Gen. Wesley Clark did something truly historic recently — and it has nothing to do with his run for the White House. Clark testified against the former president of Serbia, Slobodan Milosevic, who is being tried for genocide by the International Criminal Tribunal at The Hague.
For the first time in history, a former military commander faced down a former head of state in an international court of law. To stop ethnic cleansing in Kosovo, Clark led the 19-nation NATO war against Milosevic, which saved 1.5 million Kosovar Albanians.
In years to come, more and more members of the American military might find themselves testifying against deposed dictators. Perhaps even against Saddam Hussein.
As former superintendents of the United States Military Academy at West Point and the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, it was our job to teach young cadets and midshipmen about the demands of 21st-century leadership. Clark's actions throughout the Kosovo conflict, culminating in his testimony at The Hague tribunal, could form a chapter in manuals on modern, character-based military leadership.
When he led NATO's war against Milosevic, Clark wore two hats — that of supreme allied commander and head of the U.S. European Command. But those two titles do not begin to describe what Clark did during the course of the Balkan conflicts.
In the mid-'90s, he pressured Milosevic to end the war in Bosnia and wrestled with him to implement the Dayton Peace Accords. In the late-'90s, Clark threatened Milosevic to prevent further hostilities. And, in 1999, Clark forced Milosevic to give up his ethnic-cleansing campaign.
The goal of both Annapolis and West Point is to produce leaders of character who can stay abreast of — indeed, who are comfortable with — the many roles modern military commanders are asked to play. Our service academies are also tasked with turning out graduates who embody the highest moral and ethical standards.
"Duty, Honor, Country" is the motto at West Point. "Honor, Courage, Commitment" are the core values of the Naval Academy and the Navy. These are the standards that are foremost in the minds of the men and women serving in Iraq right now.
In an age of multilateral modern warfare, it is not easy to live up to these principles. Clark is showing the way for future generations of military officers.
When we were superintendents at Annapolis and West Point, we each called on Gen. Clark to address our students about the complex choices he made in Bosnia during his time as the supreme allied commander of NATO — choices that were among the most delicate and morally wrenching any commander has had to make since the end of World War II.
Every graduate of West Point knows the "Cadet Prayer," which reads in part: "Make us to choose the harder right over the easier wrong." That is what guided Clark in Kosovo.
When it became clear that Milosevic intended to eradicate the ethnic Albanian population of Kosovo, Gen. Clark believed it was his duty to prevent genocide. The easier wrong would have been to ignore the ethnic cleansing in Kosovo, as we had in Rwanda. Clark knew that the Pentagon would be reluctant to engage. He knew the prevailing military opinion was against intervention. He knew he was putting his career on the line because others opposed his judgment.
But he didn't relent. He spoke up and he acted. And he was right. His moral courage was instrumental in stopping another round of ethnic cleansing on the European continent. Despite opposition from the Pentagon and extraordinary restraints imposed by NATO, he held together a 19-nation coalition and brought the conflict in the Balkans to a successful end.
Today, Milosevic is in the docket and the Kosovar Albanians are back in their villages. And Clark did in a courtroom what he did during the war in Kosovo — faced down a genocidal dictator without flinching.
In light of the character and judgment displayed by Clark, from Vietnam to The Hague, military students will study his actions for generations to come. His career models the very values that our service academies seek to instill in 21st-century leaders — duty, honor, courage and commitment to country.
Adm. Chuck Larson served as superintendent of the Naval Academy for seven years and Lt. Gen. Dan Christman served for five years as the superintendent of the United States Military Academy at West Point. Both recently retired. Their commentary was submitted through the Wesley Clark for President campaign.
Clark has continually changed so many of his views throughout his life - all "consistent" with today's, of course - that I don't believe he knows what he thinks, about anything.
Got a different link, or did it get taken down?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.