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The General: Did Clark Fail to Salute? (Clarks NATO Firing)
Newsweek ^
| Feb 2, 2004
| Evan Thomas and T. Trent Gegax
Posted on 01/25/2004 12:13:22 PM PST by XHogPilot
Wes Clark won a war, but ran afoul of his Pentagon masters and lost his job. (snip)
Gen. Hugh Shelton, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters that Clark had been sacked as commander of NATO forces after the 1999 Balkans war because of "integrity and character issues." (snip)
What really happened? According to a knowledgeable source, Clark ran afoul of Cohen and Shelton by being less than totally forthcoming in morning conference calls during the Kosovo war in the spring of 1999. From his NATO headquarters in Brussels, Clark wanted to wage the war more aggressively, but back in the Pentagon, Cohen and Shelton were more cautious. They would give Clark instructions on, for instance, the scale of the bombing campaign. "Clark would say, 'Uh-huh, gotcha'," says NEWSWEEK's source. But then he would pick up the phone and call [British Prime Minister] Tony Blair and [Secretary of State] Madeleine [Albright]." As Clark knew full well, Blair and Albright were more hawkish than Shelton and Cohen. After talking to the State Department and NATO allies, Clark would have a different set of marching orders, says the source, who has spoken about the matter with both Cohen and Clark. "Then, about 1 o'clock, the Defense Department would hear what Clark was up to, and Cohen and Shelton would be furious (snip)
(Excerpt) Read more at msnbc.msn.com ...
TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 2004; clark; election; evanthomas; generalclark; kosovo; nato; wesleyclark
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This must be where the saying "An Army of One" originated. Failed to follow the direction of Secretary of Defense. Why is this scum drawing a retirement check? Why is he not on trial/in jail?
1
posted on
01/25/2004 12:13:23 PM PST
by
XHogPilot
Comment #2 Removed by Moderator
To: Idaho5412
Isn't 'scum' a little harsh?
No.
3
posted on
01/25/2004 12:17:49 PM PST
by
Lauratealeaf
(God bless our troops and their Commander in Chief, President George W. Bush)
To: XHogPilot
Doing an "end-around" is a certain way to get fired. I'd have fired him myself and enjoyed it.
4
posted on
01/25/2004 12:19:41 PM PST
by
RichardW
To: XHogPilot
Is this the same Newsweek that ran a fantasy article which left the reader with the impression that a poll of Democrats in New Hampshire was a national poll showing that Kerry would beat GW in the general election? Yes, it is.
5
posted on
01/25/2004 12:19:58 PM PST
by
cake_crumb
(UN Resolutions = Very Expensive, Very SCRATCHY Toilet Paper)
Comment #6 Removed by Moderator
To: Idaho5412; XHogPilot
Isn't 'scum' a little harsh?XHogPilot is being too kind. I believe lying, egotistical scum is more appropriate.
7
posted on
01/25/2004 12:21:25 PM PST
by
BigWaveBetty
(Won't you please, won't you please, please won't you be my neighbor?)
To: Idaho5412
Clark is, in fact, scum.
He is that typical '90s Clinton-approved officer who will transgress every moral and legal boundary to grasp the next rung on the ladder.
I've served with these fellow officers and no one hates them more than I do.....
8
posted on
01/25/2004 12:21:32 PM PST
by
Cogadh na Sith
(The Guns of Brixton)
To: XHogPilot
"Why is he not on trial/in jail?"Because he's Bill Clinton's pet general, that's why.
9
posted on
01/25/2004 12:21:44 PM PST
by
cake_crumb
(UN Resolutions = Very Expensive, Very SCRATCHY Toilet Paper)
To: Idaho5412
Brevity is the soul of wit.
10
posted on
01/25/2004 12:22:01 PM PST
by
Tijeras_Slim
(Come see the violence inherent in the system!)
To: Idaho5412
Idaho5412... Since Jan 25, 2004Actually, scum is too gentle a term to describe this lying, two-faced, butt-kissing, un-American perfumed prince. That's why watching him self-immolate is great fun.
11
posted on
01/25/2004 12:22:22 PM PST
by
Cautor
To: Idaho5412
Harsh? Not at all.
12
posted on
01/25/2004 12:22:32 PM PST
by
cynicom
To: Idaho5412
"Isn't 'No' a little too brief of a response? "No.
13
posted on
01/25/2004 12:22:38 PM PST
by
cake_crumb
(UN Resolutions = Very Expensive, Very SCRATCHY Toilet Paper)
To: Idaho5412
Depends on what the meaning of no is. /s
14
posted on
01/25/2004 12:23:05 PM PST
by
rintense
To: XHogPilot
For being first in his class at West Point, Wesley can't be too smart. This story has the smell of Hillary all over it. (I know, that's not a good thought.)
He should have seen this coming.
To: RichardW
Doing an "end-around" is a certain way to get fired. Indeed. "Back Dooring" your superiors is taboo in the private sphere and in the military.
16
posted on
01/25/2004 12:24:30 PM PST
by
Jeff Chandler
(www.VirtueMedia.org)
To: XHogPilot
"You people always want to bomb someone. It's some kind of orgasm." Albright silenced the men in the room by remarking, "I forget what an orgasm is."I'll bet that did silence them. Who wants to deal with the vision of Halfbright and orgasms!
17
posted on
01/25/2004 12:24:37 PM PST
by
expatpat
To: XHogPilot
I think Clark is now toast along with Dean.
18
posted on
01/25/2004 12:24:44 PM PST
by
Mike Darancette
(Proud member - Neoconservative Power Vortex)
To: XHogPilot
Was Clark going around them? Not really. As NATO commander, Clark told NEWSWEEK, "I wore two hats."
The issue is not an issue of "who" his bosses were, but rather an issue of being a straight shooter. Apparently, Clark didn't level with Shelton. One of the 4 c's critical to any military career is CANDOR. (Courage, Competence, Commitment being the other 3.) These are drummed into every soldier, and especially into leaders.
The way Clark was playing it, his lack of Candor with Shelton and Cohen left them hanging in the wind.
19
posted on
01/25/2004 12:24:50 PM PST
by
xzins
(Retired Army and Proud of It!!)
To: XHogPilot; All
Alittle off topic but not realy. Concerning nuclear protocol and the football. If a sitting President decided to launch a nuke, who or what if any could stop it. Also, if one needed to be launched and the President refused, could anyone else initiate a launch. If no one here knows, where would on go to find out?
20
posted on
01/25/2004 12:25:10 PM PST
by
eastforker
(The color of justice is green,just ask Johny Cochran!)
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