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Clark: Freeing of Iraqis "major blunder"
IOWA CITY, Iowa - Democratic presidential candidate Wesley Clark reversed an earlier opinion that he likely would have voted for war in Iraq, telling a cheering college-town crowd the invasion was "a major blunder" he never would have supported."We should just have let Saddam keep his slaves and continue funding Hamas. Clark said his Army career taught him that "the use of force is only a last resort" that wasnât justified in Iraq. "Iâm a soldier," he said. "Iâve laid on the battlefield bleeding." While the use of force can occasionally be justified, he said, "Itâs not a way to solve problems and resolve disputes. Itâs very difficult to change peopleâs minds when you are bombing them and killing them." Clark sought to blunt a controversy that arose as he opened his campaign. The core is his resume as a retired four-star general with the credibility to challenge President Bush and oppose the war in Iraq. Many of his backers expressed surprise when Clark told reporters he probably would have voted to authorize the use of force. "At the time, I probably would have voted for it, but I think thatâs too simple a question," The New York Times quoted Clark as saying Thursday. He then added, the Times said, "I donât know if I would have or not. Iâve said it both ways, because when you get into this, what happens is you have to put yourself in a position. On balance, I probably would have voted for it." In a speech Friday to more than 1,000 people jammed into a lecture hall at the University of Iowa and in interviews, Clark underscored his opposition to the war, explaining: "There may be times when you may have to use force, but only as a last resort. "Letâs make one thing real clear, I would never have voted for this war, never," Clark said in an interview with The Associated Press. "Iâve gotten a very consistent record on this. There was no imminent threat. This was not a case of pre-emptive war. I would have voted for the right kind of leverage to get a diplomatic solution, an international solution to the challenge of Saddam Hussein." Posted by: Katz 2003-09-20 |
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