Wesley Clark (ugh!): The Real Battle

Washington Post ^ | 11/14/04 | Wesley Clark

[Pokey78]

Winning in Fallujah Is Just the Beginning

Americans scouring news reports of the U.S.-led assault on the Iraqi city of Fallujah can be forgiven if they are experiencing a degree of confusion and uncertainty.

Air Force Gen. Richard B. Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, assures us that U.S. and Iraqi government forces are advancing steadily through the insurgent stronghold and that the assault has been "very, very successful." Yet even as troops move street by street through the Sunni city, the measure of their success is elusive. There's no uniformed enemy force, no headquarters, no central command complex for U.S. troops to occupy and win. At the end, there will be no surrender.

Instead, the outcome of the battle must be judged by a less clear-cut standard: not by the seizure and occupation of ground, but by the impact it has on the political and diplomatic process in Iraq. Its chances for success in that area are highly uncertain. Will Fallujah, like the famous Vietnam village, be the place we destroyed in order to save it? Will the bulk of the insurgents simply scatter to other Iraqi cities? Will we win a tactical victory only to fail in our strategic goal of convincing Iraqis that we are making their country safe for democracy -- and specifically for elections at the end of January?

[eno_]

Done. Next?

[Yasotay]

Actually the current Army CoS had far more to do with Waco then Clark. For years, I also thought Clark violated that Act, but another FReeper named (I think mark502nd) showed me that he did not.

[durasell]

I'm done. I still don't agree with you, but would naturally defend your right to say it.

[jedi150]

Clarke, S.T.F.U. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Laserman]

Dittos. Weasely is such a loser!

[Laserman]

I don't think Weasely deserves any respect for his current actions. I do respect his previous service in VN.

[BullDog108]

but I guess it's OK the disobey American orders

"Rebellion to tyrants is obediance to G-d"

[highpockets]

You can disagree with a man's views and still show him the measure of respect he deserves.

Respect for what? His rank? What respect does he deserve?

[Bushbacker]

A "chicken general" only Clinton could love!

[Qatar-6]

I don't know man

He was the O-6 commander of Ops Group at the NTC in 1984-85 and was universally despised by everyone who worked there

EMs, NCOs, Company Grades and Field Grades.... No one had anything good to say about the guy

Micromanager from hell, predatory and threatening, no feel for people at all

Easily the most unpopular commander I've seen in my military career

Qatar-6

[Sonny M]

Remember, General Clark had a distinguished career in the military, and the fact that he sucked as a political candidate doesn't negate that. Military leaders follow orders and they don't make policy. I'd feel fairly comfortable with a guy like Clark in an advisory role to the administration. The fact that a fish can't ride a bicycle doesn't make it a bad swimmer!

There's much debate about his career. Considering the fact that he was essentially fired, thats not a good sign. Colin Powell, Norman Schwartzkoph, and Franks have absolutley nothing good to say about him.

He had a good career in Vietnam, and served honorably, but he greased the skids as a general but playing up his arkansas ties and being the only general whom the clintons could talk to. He also shows some weird and bizarre behavior which could be construed with an eerie sense of delusions of grandur and the urge to start WW 3.

For gods sake, the guy bombed the chinese embassy, and alot of people still think he did it on purprose, he also tried to fire on the russians. I would fear if he was given any kind of role in the Bush administration. Even if he was a waiter, he'd probably try to start a war.

[Yasotay]

I only knew him at West Point, he was my instructor for International Relations. He clearly was cocky, but also VERY smart. I remember him predicting that the Soviet Union would fall before the turn of the century, this was when he was an O-5. Then most people I knew were not saying that. I was one of three company commanders patrolling the Berlin Wall in 1989. I thought in the summer and fall of 1989 we were staring at WWIII (at one point the East Germans actually closed Checkpoint Charlie on us....). I also remember what Clark was peaching at West Point and it did give me pause to think. I can easily see him as exactly as you decribed him..... the OC from hell.... but most people here on this forum, only make insulting comments about him without even ever meeting him.