Posted on 09/24/2003 3:32:06 AM PDT by jaykay
Retired General H. Hugh Shelton, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on 9/11, shared his recollection of that day and his views of the war against terrorism with the Foothill College Celebrity Forum audience at Flint Center, Sept. 11 and 12.
His review of that historic event and his 38 years in the military kept the audience's rapt attention throughout. But it was his answer to a question from the audience at the end that shocked his listeners.
"What do you think of General Wesley Clark and would you support him as a presidential candidate," was the question put to him by moderator Dick Henning, assuming that all military men stood in support of each other. General Shelton took a drink of water and Henning said, "I noticed you took a drink on that one!"
"That question makes me wish it were vodka," said Shelton. "I've known Wes for a long time. I will tell you the reason he came out of Europe early had to do with integrity and character issues, things that are very near and dear to my heart. I'm not going to say whether I'm a Republican or a Democrat. I'll just say Wes won't get my vote."
Shelton was on a 757 en route to Budapest for a conference when he learned that a plane had crashed into the World Trade Center. Knowing that New York had perfect weather and there were no computer problems, he determined that it was a terrorist attack and immediately turned the plane around.
Shelton's 38 years in the military included two years in Vietnam and service in the 173rd Airborne Brigade and Green Berets. In addition to having been an adviser to the president and a member of the National Security Council, he has been awarded the Congressional Gold Medal, the Purple Heart and six Distinguished Service Medals. He has been decorated by 15 foreign governments and knighted by Queen Elizabeth.
His 6-foot-6-inch military bearing and commanding presence at the Celebrity Forum belied his recent personal battle. Only months after his retirement, following 400 parachute jumps from 30,000 feet, the former special ops soldier fell from a ladder outside his home, landed with his head caught in a chain-link fence and was partially paralyzed from the neck down.
The doctor told Shelton he would never walk or use his hands again. Shelton said he checked the doctor's name tag for "God"; he didn't see it. Eighty-four days later he walked out on his own, and he is now close to 100 percent recovered. The unfortunate experience taught him an invaluable lesson -- "the importance of faith, family and friends when the chips are down."
Three days after Shelton took office as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, his commitment to the integrity of the military was tested. When U.S. planes in the Iraq no-fly zone were attacked, a member of Congress suggested that perhaps "we" could fly a U-2 spy plane so low over Iraq that it could easily get hit. Then we'd have a reason "to kick Saddam out of Iraq." After Shelton responded that he would order that "just as soon as you are qualified to fly (it)," he was not asked again to compromise his office.
"Sometimes people in a position of power lose perspective on right and wrong," Shelton said.
The events of 9/11 were not a surprise to Shelton. He had been concerned because the United States offers a vulnerable target-rich environment. Two areas continue to worry him. First, a cyber-attack on air control, water, 911, financial or other nationwide systems could "bring us to our knees." Second, the use of weapons of mass destruction, even small amounts of sarin gas, anthrax germs, bio-attacks, continues to be a dangerous threat. Their deployment had been planned for the first World Trade Center bombing in 1993, but al-Qaeda ordered the attack before they were in place.
In order to deal with the ongoing danger, the United States must "continue to go after terrorists," he said. "Bush has maintained the pressure and earned kudos in spite of the criticism."
OC,
Being out of sync with those base liberal elements of our country isn't that troubling to me. I shudder to think though that they might ever gain a majority rule over us, knowing well, in the back of my mind, that Gore actually won the popular vote!?! OUCH!!!
THAT makes me pray!
Geo Bush's win was one strategic victory for the forces of good. I just live my life thankfully, according to God's guidance, being the light and salt as much as I can be and hoping to God that the rest of the picture falls into place.
What else can we do?
Some additional material, fictional but very clearly derived from actual people and events, that I highly reccomend as useful to you in your contemplation of such matters: the series of novels by author W.E.B. Griffin, entitled The Lieutenants, The Captains, The Majors and so forth, progressing all the way up to general's rank with a few included detours such as the Aviators and The Berets.
In them you'll find reappearances of familiar characters who'll feel like old friends after the first couple, and then might consider the same author's efforts detailing the Marine Corps from WWII to the present. I gave a set of the books in paperback to the bethrothed of an army officer cadet and he informed me that they made her cry. I am not a nice person.
If Clark had said something like "General Shelton and I had basic policy and procedural differences," I wouldn't have been very surprised, and would have probably forgotten it.
But that isn't what Clark said. He immediately tried to portray the questioner as out of bounds. Now I am REALLY suspicious.
Clark clearly has some major integrity issues. He seems to think that the vast majority of us who are christians and conservatives are the real threat to thsi country and not Saddam. Could he use the military against us? I'm not sure but I'm not so anxious to find out.
Obviously, there's something he's hiding since he seem to consider the questions about Shelton's observations about him out of bounds. I guess we'll see what all comes out.
I am leaving for Fort Jackson soon, this weekend I will complete Phase II of U.S. Army Drill Sergeant school... I look foward to graduating on 24 January 2004 at Fort Jackson.. ALL FREEPERS WELCOME !!!... Will keep you posted...
I believe you're correct about some dirt, particularly of the sort that demands loyalty and sacrifice from subordinates, but then fails to return it back down the Chain of Command. As a Ranger and snakeeater, Shelton has made his career in a community where that sort of two-way traffic is a must.
But I don't believe that the Pristina Airport incident is the reason, or at least not the entire reason.
>
There was a US Officer at the Pristina airfield when the Russians moved in. Short of other resources, he opened his fatigue shirt to show the Russians he was wearing one of the blue-and-white striped telnyashka T-shirts that are the symbol of the elite Russian VDV paratroops as much as the green beret is for American Special Forces troops. Apparantly the US airborne officer had previously made some *partnership* jumps with the Russians and hoped that he might convince them that escalation of the situation wasn't a particularly wise idea. But the Russians had their orders, and his effort, unorthodox and desperate as it was, failed to keep the Russian desantniks from taking the most suitable positions and waiting to see if they'd be reinforced or attacked.
There was a US Officer at the Pristina airfield when the Russians moved in. Short of other resources, he opened his fatigue shirt to show the Russians he was wearing one of the blue-and-white striped telnyashka T-shirts that are the symbol of the elite Russian VDV paratroops as much as the green beret is for American Special Forces troops. Apparantly the US airborne officer had previously made some *partnership* jumps with the Russians and hoped that he might convince them that escalation of the situation wasn't a particularly wise idea. But the Russians had their orders, and his effort, unorthodox and desperate as it was, failed to keep the Russian desantniks from taking the most suitable positions and waiting to see if they'd be reinforced or attacked.
free dixie,sw
You didn't just hit the nail on the head, you hit it with a jackhammer. The thing about Clark that I have noticed and find scared, is this weird complex, where he wants to be Patton/Ike/McArthur. The war hero everyone loves, respects, and admires and desires for leadership. In speeches (paid, and in interviews), his anger that he doesn't get the same attention or treatment for the Kosovo war that Shwartzkoph got, infuriates him. He is no peacenik, this guy wants world war 3, and his moment to shine and be the "great leader of our generation". He never hesitates to refer to Kosovo as a war (and his face turns red when he also says "not to many people seem to know that was a war").
This obsession and drive to make his name in the books of history, as a great general and war hero, who has to constantly hark on both vietnam, and kosovo (though he spent his time in Belgum) is a sign that this man is a power hungry driven madman. The left is so full of hate for Bush, they are blind to see the wolf in sheeps clothing. Clark has no real ideology, no real political beliefs, he is still learning lefty dogma, but he knows he wants power and his name in lights.
It should be noted, that his economic views that he is espousing now, totally contradict his previous teachings by 180 degrees. Wesley Clark, believe it or not, used to teach economics at west point, and often preached supply side economics and adam smith style beliefs according to his students. He was, pretty anti-government in his economic views then (though, they also claimed, he had a good understanding of economics then, why he talks like a fool now, I have not a clue).
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