Overview of General Clark's Appearance on CSPAN2

TITLE: Putting the "Never" in "Never Again:" Halting Genocide

Forum: Bipartisan Action on Human Rights: Uncommon Leadership for Common Values
Georgetown University
Washington DC
Nov 1, 200, 10:15 a.m.
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CO- ORGANIZERS: Freedom House, U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, International Crisis Group, International Justice Mission, International Rescue Committee

SPONSORS: The Aspen Institute and Georgetown University's Mortara Center for International Studies and Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service

SPEAKERS:
-- General Wesley Clark, Former Supreme Allied Commander, NATO
-- David Gompert, Distinguished Research Professor at the Center for Technology and National Security Policy, National Defense University,
-- moderated by John Prendergast of  International Crisis Group (ICG)

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Balkan Wars: Model to deal with Genocide On Darfur

General Clark outlines 3 Part Strategy to deal with genocide, as well as similar crisis like Darfur:  He informs foreign policy majors at Gerogetown University to understand the past, deal with the present and prepare for the future, based on his experience, as NATO Supreme Commander during the Balkan wars. ...

The Past (1994):  Clark mentioned that he was a member of J5 Staff in 1994: Issues at that time: Madeline Albright was Sec of State, ...War in Balkans, ...Haitian migrant/refugee crisis and plan needed for possible invasion, ...reinforcements were needed in South Korea, and there was the fighting in Rwanda. 

-On Rwanda issue: Clark was asked by Albright to prepare a plan. Clark then presents his plan to General  Shiaskashvilli, who said, "Do you seriously think,.. that  anyone in Congress will put 20,000 American troops in the middle of Africa, ..after the incident in Somalia?" (essentially here, Clark indicated that he was deeply disappointed how the political reality diverted our efforts to deal with Rwanda)

-On Balkan/Kosovo issue:  However, with NATO, he said that "we tried negotiations and diplomacy, but we also gave the Serbian leader a military threat to stop his ethnic cleansing."   "...In the end, NATO eventually engaged in an 8 Day bombing campaign that also included diplomacy.  ... In legal sense, we took a pre-emptive stance and NATO was acting, ... "It was a painful process, but it was successful."

Based from the tragedy of Kosova, there is a formula, 3 parts can be apply to crisis in Darfur...

#1. There needs to be very good knowledge about conflict. (he elaborates on this with examples)

#2. Clark proclaims, "We need public outrage! Where's is Kristine Amanpour when we need her?"

#3. We need  framework for international engagements with a clear legal basis that can rouse nations to action.

There should also be an effort to engage in a political and diplomatic effort, along with the military.  There needs to be an "if/then" clause. You have to also need to find the perpetrators in the plan. (This is the formula to prevent genocide...)

The Present:  On Darfur, he said that we are using this model, such as training African troops,.. (for African Union?) and details other efforts.

The Future: We know we must have  international standards,..."but if you don't live by those standards, you can't enforce."

Q&A Session:

-On Darfur question:  Clark believes that US needs an active presense in region, ... US command and control, such as a combat force of 15K troops, 2 Battalians. Eventually, NATO can come in to support that effort.  He argues that this commitment by our country is modest to our conscience.

He adds, that Sudan is not a real partner on war on terrorism.  If this nation wants to commit to stop the genocide in Darfur, "we need leaders,...we cannot pass the buck!"

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 Sorry, that's about all I got, hope it's broadcast again...

UPDATE: Video link available;

http://webcast.georgetown.edu/events/20051101_hrc_panel3.mov

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