1115.org Endorses General Wesley Clark
by matt at 6:02 am on January 12th, 2004 in Politics
With the first Democratic caucus next week and the most important general election in decades 10 months away, 1115.org endorses General Wesley Clark for the Democratic nomination for President of the United States.
While most people are just becoming familiar with General Clark, and a few remember him from his wartime commentary on CNN, I have been following his career since the Dayton Peace Accords of 1995 where Clark was a military advisor on the U.S. negotiating team. After that he went on to command all U.S. and N.A.T.O. forces in Europe, and led a successful war in Kosovo.
Some of the most common things detractors have been saying about Clark is that he lacks political experience, is nothing but a résumé, has flip-flopped on the Iraq war, and isn’t much of a Democrat. So let’s address these concerns first.
1) Not being much of a Democrat isn’t a bad thing, and it gets less bad just about every day. The fact that Clark initially praised the current President’s national security team in 2001 shows that he is not the same kind of ideologue that we have in the White House today. After all, Dick Cheney, Colin Powell, Condoleezza Rice, and Donald Rumsfeld are all extremely smart and capable people. Neither Clark nor anyone else could have predicted in 2001 that they would all abuse their power and positions to the extent that they have in the last three years. Clark, like most other reasonable people, now knows the reality, and is knowledgeable enough to articulate his differences beyond a simple one dimensional critique.
2) Why is it that whenever a politician has a detailed, nuanced position on anything, he is accused of flip-flopping? Clark was against the war as it was waged, but maintained that if there was a coalition of like-minded nations and air-tight proof then war would be an option. He was against the rush to war and spoke his mind on CNN.
3) Clark’s résumé is incredibly impressive, and while it is represented on a piece of paper, it can’t be contained by one. Being a decorated Vietnam veteran (Purple Heart, Silver Star, Bronze Star), valedictorian at West Point, Rhodes Scholar, commander of the Army’s National Training Center, commander of the 1st Cavalry Division and later the military leader of N.A.T.O. are not accidents. They are the mark of an exceptional man, and proof that Clark is not a lightweight. Criticizing him based on the fact that he has an impressive résumé (especially when compared to the current president) is laughable and illustrates the difficulty of running against him.
4) The argument that Clark has no political experience is baseless and the people who insist on using it are misinformed or disingenuous. Any career officer will tell you that the military is an extremely political institution. A soldier must have some measure of political skill to rise through the ranks and be successful.
The position of Supreme Allied Commander is N.A.T.O.’s highest military post. Clark held this post from 1997-99, a time that included the Kosovo war. Leading the 19 N.A.T.O. nations during a war that no one wanted to fight is Clark’s most impressive achievement both militarily (not a single allied life was lost in the war) and politically (each N.A.T.O. member nation had veto power over every bombing mission). That Clark held together this coalition (even pushing the Pentagon farther than they wanted), stopped the slaughter of innocent civilians in Kosovo by Slobodan Milosevic, won the war, and implemented a workable peace speaks volumes about Clark’s political and diplomatic ability. We should be so lucky to have these skills in the White House.
Clark’s critics are off base, but it’s not enough to dismiss the critics, so the case for Clark follows.
1) Clark’s positions on domestic issues make sense. Whoever is elected President in November is going to have to work with a Republican controlled House and most likely a Republican controlled Senate as well. Rolling back all of the Bush tax cuts is simply not realistic nor would it be good policy. Clark’s Families First tax plan includes cuts for middle class families and raises taxes only on people making over $1 million per year.
Clark’s plan to end corporate welfare and tax shelters would end the destructive policies that are placing an inordinate burden on working people. This country was built on the idea of a progressive taxation system. It’s time to stop the current administration’s regressive policies.
Having served in the military for 34 years, Clark was responsible for the welfare of the soldiers serving under him as well as their families. His tenure in the Army taught him not only how to lead, but how to listen to his subordinates, a combination in short supply now.
2) Foreign policy will be more important in this election than in the past. Of all the Democratic candidates, Clark offers the most credibility and the least vulnerability to Republican attack ads. In his N.A.T.O. posting, Clark learned how to work for a consensus and build and maintain a coalition. It’s time for this country to re-engage our allies and make some progress in Afghanistan and Iraq. Clark has the right plan to repair both the countries we have invaded and the alliances that have been damaged by the irresponsible actions of the current administration.
Al Qaeda continues to present a threat to our security. Clark has proposed that we refocus our efforts on bringing down the terrorist network by using Saudi troops and moving our own intelligence agents to the Afghanistan/Pakistan border to hunt Al Qaeda leadership. We need results in the war on terror.
3) It’s time to make this country great again. The number of Americans who believe that we are on the wrong track is too high. It’s time to reclaim the optimism and results of the 90s. Clark’s New American Patriotism is the clearest way to achieve this goal. This plan calls for Service (whether military or community, paid or volunteer), Principled Dissent (it’s time to stop calling people who disagree with the administration “unpatriotic”), Opportunity for All (America can’t be great unless everyone can reach their potential), and Responsible Global Leadership (we need to lead by example, not by dictate). It’s time for true optimism, not the cynical opportunism (trickle-down supply-side policy) that we are currently forced to endure.
4) Electability. It’s become the most contentious word of the primary season, but any Democrat who wants to win back the White House needs to think about it. The general election will again be fought in certain battleground states. Clark’s moderate positions and military background will sell better in these states. With the country currently split 1/3 Republican, 1/3 Democrat and 1/3 Independent/Other, it is mandatory that the Democrats nominate a candidate that can win more than half of the independent votes. Electoral math is key, and Clark gives Democrats advantages in states that are vital to taking back the White House. We’re all angry and bitter about the 2000 election, and the radical agenda that the current administration has rammed through. But it’s not enough to be angry and bitter and fire up the people who are already going to vote Democratic. A successful candidate must channel these emotions into a positive, uplifting campaign that communicates Democratic ideals to swing voters.
For these reasons and for the good of the country, 1115.org endorses General Wesley Clark for the Democratic nomination for President of the United States.
No matter who you decide to vote for, 1115.org asks you to register and vote in your state’s primary election.
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