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PUBLISHED: Tuesday, April 3, 2007
Clark speaks at CMU
By IAN PATRICK GRAY
Sun Staff Writer
Retired Gen. Wesley Clark addresses an audience gathered in Warriner Hall's Plachta Auditorium in Mt. Pleasant Monday. Sun photograph by Victor Fitzsimons.
When America won the Cold War in 1989 and defeated communism, it also defeated its greatest ally.
Retired U.S. General Wesley Clark said that the defeat and disappearance of the Soviet Union left the U.S. without a purpose and that lack of a national strategy continues today.
Clark spoke Monday night to a near-capacity audience in Central Michigan University's Plachta Auditorium as part of the school's Speaker Series.
The people of my generation never expected the Cold War to end in our lifetime, Clark said. When we won, we lost our adversary and also our sense of purpose in the world.
If our purpose is not to protect the world from the threat of communism, then what is it.
Clark, who was a four-star general and presidential candidate in the 2004 election, said that there are three main problems confronting American today.
Interconnected conflicts in the Middle East need to be resolved for American security.
But he doesn't advocate the wholesale use of the military to try to solve those problems.
We cannot resolve Middle East challenges through military power alone, Clark said. You cannot kill people and change their minds. When you kill people their relatives hate you.
Winning the war on terror requires that you cut off the supply of new recruits, Clark said.
We must have regional dialogues among the factions (in Iraq and the Middle East), he said. You can't buy proud people. We must respect other nations, other people and their leaders even if we don't agree with them.
A second issue is rebuilding American legitimacy around the world.
We just have to live up to our values, Clark said. We treat this as a law enforcement problem, using the military only as a last, last, last resort, and this problem will wither away.
Finally, Clark said American is facing a global economy with blinders on. Ideas, capital and jobs are moving freely around the world.
You cannot go against the laws of economics, he said. We've got to be more productive, but intelligently.
The foundations of a new economy include preschool for every child and college for every child, even those who cannot afford it.
He continued to detail his strategy for American national security which included affordable healthcare insurance for every citizen, a better business environment created through stimulus packages and investing in new ideas, an energy policy with 20 percent sustainable sources by 2020, and investments in technology and the environment.
We must be more than the America of the Broad Shoulders, he said, quoting Carl Sandburg's poem Chicago. We must be the America of the Big Heart.
Although he has not announced his candidacy for the 2008 presidential race, Clark said, I haven't said that I won't run.
Man, he would make an EXCELLENT candidate! His entry would really add to a great lineup of Democratic candidates (Obama, Edwards, Clark, Richardson). I would like to see a joint ticket of Clark/Edwards or Clark/Obama with Clark as the main guy. That's a power ticket!!!
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Man, he would make an EXCELLENT candidate! His entry would really add to a great lineup of Democratic candidates (Obama, Edwards, Clark, Richardson). I would like to see a joint ticket of Clark/Edwards or Clark/Obama with Clark as the main guy. That's a power ticket!!!
From an outsider point of view I dont think I would consider that lineup a "great" one, but it sure beats the goobers the Democrats trotted out in 2004.
I have no problem with Clark. I don't agree with him on some items, but I think he'd make a strong leader and foreign countries wouldn't run over him.
In these volatile times, I like the idea of actually having a military man in the White House. McCain gets big points here, as does Clark. Edwards or Obama really need to woo this guy if either wins the primary or vice versa if Clark could somehow win.
I see Clark as a great VP selection for Obama. In light of the monetary demands of the election these days, I don't see Clark jumping in for the presidency himself.
dreamcastrocks--My Hero!!
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