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General Clark and President Bush
2003-11-16
I am listening to Tim Russert interview Wesley Clark in Meet the Press. Following are some of the views he’s espousing:
*The Bush administration deserves part of the blame for 9/11, the Clinton administration only deserves a little blame.

*The Bush administration made a "fundamental choice to go against States in the War on Terrorism." But, he continues, "the problem in the War on Terrorism is not States, but Terrorist organizations."

*He keeps mentioning Nato cooperation as if it is only a call away.
Disgusting. I haven’t had any hope for the Democratic Party for some time now, but listening to the proclaimed "moderate democratic candidate" tell such nonsense is a call for action. As of now, I’m officially working for the reelection of George W. Bush.
Posted by:Sorge

#22  OK Jarhead--I value your input and don't wanna start an argument-- --but...do you personally know any guys in the USMC that vote for Democrats?
Posted by: NotMikeMoore   2003-11-16 10:57:59 PM  

#21  Dave D., you are not alone in realizing how long into the war with terror we are, but it has felt lonely sometimes. Gen Schoonmaker started his incoming address back in August by recalling his part "23 years ago ... in the Iranian desert on a moonlit night at a place called Desert One". Rumsfeld chose his new Chief of Staff of the Army carefully. It's been 23 years so far and I suspect it will be 20-30 more ....
Posted by: rkb   2003-11-16 10:27:08 PM  

#20  Haven't you guys figured this out? Terry McAuliffe is Karl Rove's mole in the Democratic National Headquarters. That's the only way you can explain everything TM has done.
Posted by: Steve White   2003-11-16 7:04:40 PM  

#19  I seem to remember that Clark was a two-star ... and that BC's desire to put him in the NATO slot is the reason he's got four...

I think you're right. He was done after having the 1st Cav, not that an MG isn't anything to be proud of, it's a fine career. But I wonder why an armor officer of such distinction was conspicuously absent from commanding any armored or mechanized divisions in Desert Storm?
Posted by: Anonymous   2003-11-16 7:00:10 PM  

#18  Clark was a Rhodes Scholar after his stint at the USMA. Rhodies are known for two things: their brains, and their tendency (as someone at The New Republic once put it) to kiss up and kick down. In other words, they kiss a lot of butt when they're talking to their superiors, and they kick down anyone at their level or below them. It isn't a pleasant combination.
Posted by: MW   2003-11-16 6:59:53 PM  

#17  Sorry about the anonymous above post. That was actually me.
Posted by: Jarhead   2003-11-16 6:11:49 PM  

#16  Lucky, the quick rotating of a high ranking officer because of a screw up is sometimes referred to as a "soft-relief". I.E. instead of him getting out right fired it's more like "hey, we have this billet in the pentagon that just opened up! We really need you there Gen Clark, like next week. Don't worry about the international incident you just caused, we'll handle it."
Posted by: Anonymous   2003-11-16 6:10:57 PM  

#15  4th: You would expect (at least i would) better from a full General.

I seem to remember that Clark was a two-star (and, I think, about to run up against an involuntary retirement selection board) until he met Bill Clinton -- and that BC's desire to put him in the NATO slot is the reason he's got four...
Posted by: snellenr   2003-11-16 6:08:16 PM  

#14  I heard about the Clark WW3 thing, though it seems there's more. I'm sure Russert grilled him about that incedent or any other incedent that MAY have caused his sacking. Or was it rotating?

Good point OP, unless one of those pricks confronts McAuliff, call him a nasty name, make it clear that the Clintin groupies are not part of their plans, they'll all just be leafs blowing in the wind.
Posted by: Lucky   2003-11-16 4:08:22 PM  

#13  Problem is, McAuliffe runs the Democratic bank, and McAuliffe is Bill and Hillary's personal eunuch.

That's why it's so much fun watching dean and the rest of the 9 dwarves fight tooth and nail amongst themselves. I wonder if Wesley Weasel has the stomach for the gutter brawl that is about to erupt.
Posted by: Anonymous   2003-11-16 4:01:47 PM  

#12   I would have come out and blasted HILLARY as a fake, that her and Bill have done enough screwing around, and maybe it's time she take her little dog and pony show and shove it up her ass. Are you listening Geppy?
Problem is, McAuliffe runs the Democratic bank, and McAuliffe is Bill and Hillary's personal eunuch. As long as he's in charge, Bill & Hill can do no wrong. The three of them should be the first crew on a Mars probe, beginning next week, with a crash-landing scheduled for sometime in 2006. Need to get the camera in place, so we can record the impact.
Posted by: Old Patriot   2003-11-16 3:42:07 PM  

#11  "Ever hear of Dugout Dug?"

-Sure have, but before my time for speeches ;)

I've listened to guys like Gen Zinni (emissary to Israel/Paleo conflict), who spoke to us at Lejeune some years back. Also, had the honor of serving under Gen Lebutti (Ridge's Right-hand guy on the home def dept) - was my Division Commander for a little while. Clark couldn't hold the jock of either won of these 'warrrior leaders'. I respect that he finished first at the USMA but heard he got sacked at NATO for trying to order an attack on the Ruskies during our rush to that p.o.s. airport in Kosovo, which they were trying to beat us to. The Brit subordinate commander under running the mission told Clark he wouldn't initiate hostile fire on the Ruskies even when directly ordered by Clark. Word got back to Shelton & the others & that was it for Clark according to my sources there. Either way, I won't vote for any of the Dems this coming year.
Posted by: Jarhead   2003-11-16 3:39:17 PM  

#10  The first shot I heard was the 72 Olympics. The targets wern't just Israelies but the civilized world. Clark seems like a punk, with a secreat to hide. Does anyone know why he was relieved of NATO command. He seems to be a Clinton Democrat.

NMM Zell is right about the Dems. I think he's guttless in the way he's bug'n out though. Should have outright quit the party and become independant.

Listened to parts of HILLARY last night and it occurred to me how to take the lead in the Dem polls. I would have come out and blasted HILLARY as a fake, that her and Bill have done enough screwing around, and maybe it's time she take her little dog and pony show and shove it up her ass. Are you listening Geppy? I'd make it loud and I'd make it personal. Thats how you get back those who've seen enough. Bunch of gutless pricks.
Posted by: Lucky   2003-11-16 3:25:38 PM  

#9  Ever hear of Dugout Dug?

Macarthur believed there was no substitute for victory, not in rolling over and appeasing the enemy.
Posted by: Anonymous   2003-11-16 3:13:34 PM  

#8  And, uh,-- you guys forgot "political opportunist" !
He's about as much of a Democrat as Tom DeLay or Zell Miller
Posted by: Not Mike Moore   2003-11-16 1:36:01 PM  

#7  but his comments don't really fit the mold of any General I've ever heard give a speech.

Ever hear of Dugout Dug?
Posted by: Shipman   2003-11-16 1:26:40 PM  

#6  4thInfantryVet: Yeah, I know what being a voice in the wilderness feels like. Myself, I actually date the start of this war back to 1967 (68?) when Arafat's Palestinian airline hijackings began.
Posted by: Dave D.   2003-11-16 1:12:53 PM  

#5  Islamist fanatics have been at war with us since at least as far back as the Iranian theocratic revolution in 1979

THANK YOU! I'm glad I'm not the only one in the world that knows the truth of that. Talk about a voice in the wilderness, I can't believe people still blame Dubya for 9/11. It had been in 'planning' for 22 years.

And Jarhead, you are absolutely right- the things that are flying out of clark's piehole don't sound like ANY comments a senior officer would make, much less a full f-u four star general or admiral. He was a screamer when he was a colonel, which everyone who pulled duty for brigade quickly became aware of. Felt sorry for all those junior officers he would go apeshit on. Maybe Shelton knows he's an ass-covering backstabber.
Posted by: 4thInfantryVet   2003-11-16 1:06:40 PM  

#4  Maybe Shelton's comments about Clark are more telling then anybody initially gave credit for. My eyebrow's raise at Clark's comments recently. Not that I've known many General's (way above my paygrade) but his comments don't really fit the mold of any General I've ever heard give a speech.
Posted by: Jarhead   2003-11-16 12:50:53 PM  

#3  I gave up on them back in February, after three decades in the party; very little of what they say even makes sense anymore.

As for blame, there's plenty to go around, dating back to at least the Carter administration if not before. Islamist fanatics have been at war with us since at least as far back as the Iranian theocratic revolution in 1979, but neither Carter nor Reagan nor Bush41 nor Clinton took them seriously. Neither did the American public- after all, we thought, these are just hysterical little towelheads screaming "Death to America!!", and they don't really mean it, because they're just wogs.

Finally, after 9/11, we've got an administration that's willing to take the problem seriously and confront it head-on. Whether or not they're doing so in an effective way remains to be seen; myself, I have doubts about Bush's "Middle East Democracy" project. I hope it works, but my own druthers would have been for a lot more smacky-face and a little less kissy-face.

But that's just my druthers; and reservations aside, I am DEEPLY relieved that we're finally confronting reality. I'm also deeply relieved that we've got adults in charge again: being led by a needy juvenile whose main concern was getting the chrome on his trailer hitch polished, was getting a bit old.
Posted by: Dave D.   2003-11-16 12:49:38 PM  

#2  This is why I don't watch MS-NBC. The bias is so heavy that after half a minute I want smash the TV.
Posted by: Charles   2003-11-16 12:44:17 PM  

#1  Wes Clark is all about Wes Clark. Basically as amoral and corrupt as *gasp* ... CLINTON! It's a shame, too. You would expect (at least i would) better from a full General.

Gee, now msnbc has their weekly 'panel' of radical-leftists off the street to come in and bash Bush. Go Figure.
Posted by: 4thInfantryVet   2003-11-16 12:25:48 PM  

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