Traitor Hackworth Does Turnabout on Wes Clark

DefenseWatch ^ | 09-22-2003 | David H. Hackworth

[WestCoastDefense]

Looks like Hack has been paid and bought for...

Reporting for Duty: Wesley Clark By David H. Hackworth

With Wesley Clark joining the Democratic presidential candidates, there are enough eager bodies pointed toward the White House to make up a rifle squad. This bunch of wannabes could make things increasingly hot for Dubya – as long as they don’t blow each other away with friendly fire.

Since Clark tossed his steel pot into the inferno, I've been constantly asked, “Hack, what do you think of the general?”

For the record, I never served with Clark. But after spending three hours interviewing the man for Maxim’s November issue, I’m impressed. He is insightful, he has his act together, he understands what makes national security tick – and he thinks on his feet somewhere around Mach 3. No big surprise, since he graduated first in his class from West Point, which puts him in the super-smart set with Robert E. Lee, Douglas MacArthur and Maxwell Taylor.

Clark was so brilliant, he was whisked off to Oxford as a Rhodes scholar and didn’t get his boots into the Vietnam mud until well after his 1966 West Point class came close to achieving the academy record for the most Purple Hearts in any one war. When he finally got there, he took over a 1st Infantry Division rifle company and was badly wounded.

Lt. Gen. James Hollingsworth, one of our Army’s most distinguished war heroes, says: “Clark took a burst of AK fire, but didn’t stop fighting. He stayed on the field till his mission was accomplished and his boys were safe. He was awarded the Silver Star and Purple Heart. And he earned ‘em.”

It took months for Clark to get back in shape. He had the perfect excuse, but he didn’t quit the Army to scale the corporate peaks as so many of our best and brightest did back then. Instead, he took a demoralized company of short-timers at Fort Knox who were suffering from a Vietnam hangover and made them the best on post – a major challenge in 1970 when our Army was teetering on the edge of anarchy. Then he stuck around to become one of the young Turks who forged the Green Machine into the magnificent sword that Norman Schwarzkopf swung so skillfully during Round One of the Gulf War.

I asked Clark why he didn’t turn in his bloody soldier suit for Armani and the big civvy dough that was definitely his for the asking.

His response: “I wanted to serve my country.”

He says he now wants to lead America out of the darkness, shorten what promises to be the longest and nastiest war in our history and restore our eroding prestige around the world.

For sure, he’ll be strong on defense. But with his high moral standards and because he knows where and how the game’s played, there will probably be zero tolerance for either Pentagon porking or two-bit shenanigans.

No doubt he’s made his share of enemies. He doesn’t suffer fools easily and wouldn’t have allowed the dilettantes who convinced Dubya to do Iraq to even cut the White House lawn. So he should prepare for a fair amount of dart-throwing from detractors he’s ripped into during the past three decades.

Hey, I am one of those: I took a swing at Clark during the Kosovo campaign when I thought he screwed up the operation, and I called him a “Perfumed Prince.” Only years later did I discover from his book and other research that I was wrong – the blame should have been worn by British timidity and William Cohen, U.S. SecDef at the time.

At the interview, Clark came along without the standard platoon of handlers and treated the little folks who poured the coffee and served the bacon and eggs with exactly the same respect and consideration he gave the biggies in the dining room like my colleague Larry King and Bob Tisch, the Regency Hotel’s owner. An appealing common touch.

But if he wins the election, don’t expect an Andrew Jackson field-soldier type. Clark’s an intellectual, and his military career is more like Ike’s – that of a staff guy and a brilliant high-level commander. Can he make tough decisions? Bet on it. Just like Ike did during his eight hard but prosperous years as president.

[JesseHousman]

Clark was so brilliant, he was whisked off to Oxford as a Rhodes scholar...

Clark has a lot in common with the Marxist-Hillbilly-Rapist-Nation Wrecker Billy Goat (and Hitlery) Klinton.

Only leftists from the USA get Rhodes Scholar status.

After graduating from West Point, who made the decision to whisk him off to England?

[JesseHousman]

Gee, West Coast Defense. We'll never know now what you personally thought about this worthless piece of sycophantic crap you posted.

[CCCnative]

I used to read every Hackworth article. When he began to "turn" I thought his focus began to get clouded. His position was not one of a person who wanted to protect the U.S. but rather one who wanted to b*tch and moan about every decision made in the war on terrorism.
I read this article on Wesley Clark thinking I would get some straight information- seems the colonel has been politically turned and has lost the moorings that allowed him to accomplish so much in active duty. Why would any sane person support a general who received his last 2 stars politically.

[Travis McGee]

Maybe Hack's tired of reporting from on the outside, and Clark offered him a potential job?

Bingo, I think you got it. Clark would know what button to push, that's his area of expertise: manipulation.

"Hack, I've been reading your columns for years. 'About Face' is on my desk, I read it every day! You know, when I'm the president or the veep, I'd like to bring you in. You could finally get the infantry straightened out! Finally, we could get rid of all of those gold-plated toys, and take care of the troops for a change! What do you think, Hack, would you like a job where you could REALLY help the troops?"

(Hack leaps to his feet, saluting, tears in his eyes)

"YES SIR! ONE OLD SOLDIER, REPORTING FOR DUTY SIR!"

[river rat]

"Hack leaps to his feet, saluting, tears in his eyes".

That is a scary, but believable scenario..
Hack must be adored and respected...

Fact is, if he would just shut the hell up, he would be successful.

P.S. Wife left for Georgia visit.. YEA!
My "honey do" list is completed... Double Yea!
I bought a case of beer, spicy meats, swiss cheese, brown mustard and black bread..
All the things my dog and I can't have when she is home..
Thursday - the dog and I start reading your book - cover to cover.
Earlier, I snuck a look at Chapter 1, and it scared me....

Semper Fi

[Deadeye Division]

bttt

[Matthew James]

That's exactly how Clark operates, and exactly what would appeal to Hack.

[WillowyDame]

HACKSWORTH HAS ZERO SHAME!!!!!!!!!

what a SLIMEBALL!!

TWO-FACED OPPORTUNIST!!

[Voice in your head]

David Hackworth is one of the best leaders to ever wear the Army uniform and a man who has endured more fear and danger for this country and his fellow soldier than anyone else whom I can think of. He is a way off the mark in his recent (past 8 months or so) columns on Iraq and US foreign policy. But, he is not a slimeball, he is simply wrong.

Hackworth's military career included WWII, Korean War, and the Vietnam War. He saw a lot of soldiers die needlessly and spent the latter part of his career seeing to it that this needless loss of life was minimized in units that he commanded. The man is a tactical genius, phenomenal former commander and a true patriot. Unfortunately, his reputation has brought him an audience which he is unfit to address. He has taken to commenting on strategy and foreign policy. He is a tactical genius and is usually right on the money, regarding his views on soldier issues, training, and procurement of weapons and equipment. He is almost always wrong regarding foreign policy and strategy, because he has neither the experience nor the education of the people who DO understand foreign policy and strategy - Generals, Admirals, and high-placed members of the DOD.

To be fair, Hackworth is always critical of any military action, because of any weakness that he can find in a plan, strategy, or level of readiness. He sees himself as a critic on behalf of the American soldiers who will put their lives on the line, to implement the policies of our nation's political leaders. Hackworth was extremely critical of Klinton and our involvement in Bosnia and Kosovo. Likewise, he is now critical of Bush and our involvement in Iraq and he is quick to pounce on military leaders who display any incompetence or lack of caring for their soldiers.

When Hackworth starts to be critical of enlisted soldiers, in order to support the stance of a political candidate, then you can call him two-faced. He remains and has always intended to be an advocate for the American soldier, in hopes that American soldiers will not die due to a lack of training, lack of proper equipment, or lack of proper diplomacy. He has 8 purple hearts and a long list of dead friends to motivate him in that cause.