Waiting for Wesley Clark - Bernie Quigley
Submitted by John on November 19, 2005 - 6:29pm.
Angry words and personal insults erupted in Congress this week when a representative from Ohio with barley two-months tenure in the august body suggested Rep. John Murtha of Pennsylvania, a Marine decorated for combat duty in Vietnam, was a coward when he proposed that the war in Iraq was a failure. More of this acrimony should swirl around Dick Cheney, who took five deferments to dodge the draft during the Vietnam period. What else is here – the daily Kos, among the most influential of the blogs – has Wesley Clark desired by more that 34% of his readership, far more than any other contender for Democratic leadership. Clark’s stock will rise now in the party and in the country. Here is an essay I wrote about Wesley Clark in late August, 2005 for The Free Liberal. Murtha is wrong on the issue of withdrawal and General Clark is right. But what will bring Clark through is character he is a warrior through and through.
We started with nothing, but we all knew we had the General message would someday catch.We see "His Truth is Marching ON"
Long Island For Clark
I love that this essay points out the anxiety over Clarks military background that kept so many from whole-hearted support. I have (as has everyone who is on the Clark-Side....hey, that's good. Come on over to the Clark-Side....I digress, sorry) always felt just the opposite. One of the primary reasons I supported Wes is his military background - and the vast amount of wisdom that comes with it.
Mr. Quigley is exactly on the money here. Great find, John!
<<One of the primary reasons I supported Wes is his military background - and the vast amount of wisdom that comes with it.>>
I came to believe General Clark was the greatest patriot/politician of my life time despite the military backround. It was only after studying his philosphies that I gained the insight you came to hime with.
I was a Green before "meeting" General Clark. Before I learned who General Clark is, it would never have occurred to me that I would be supporting a GENERAL!
thanks for posting this JOhn!
Once in a while you get shown the light, In the strangest of places if you look at it right. - Hunter/Garcia
Please change "everyone on the Clark-Side" to "many on the Clark-Side." My pop was a former Army Captain (WWII and Korea) who having the understanding of war from the POV of one who has served, was an utter pacifist by the time Vietnam rolled around. I have always felt that leadership should have a deep understanding on a experiential level, of those things that that they would ask others to do. Or in other words - never ask one to do something that you wouldn't do yourself.
I do, of course, realize that many who support the General do so after having wrestled with their own feelings regarding the military. And you get double props from me, for being open minded, and willing to look beyond the four-stars.
at your words Dorma! Have to admit, I may use your "come on over to the Clark-Side"!! Love that! :D
And ya know it really never occurred to me - until it was pointed out - that those who are always so ready willing and able to send other people's children off to war are almost always those who have never seen war. And those who have been there are much more likely to exhaust all other possibilities first. It makes perfect sense.
People on the far left who refuse to see things differently from their lifelong beliefs are equally as blind as we always accuse those on the far right of being. imho.
We should find that list of "who served." It's very telling.
Here it is:
http://www.sunmt.org/sep30chron04.html
Once in a while you get shown the light, In the strangest of places if you look at it right. - Hunter/Garcia
Did someone say Wes was a Republican? Lol!
Thanks, JOhn, good to know folks out there are taking notice.
And thanks Quigley for alerting America!!!
I agree with Murtha that our presence there is exacerbating the insurgency. I also agree that the Iraqis need to know they need to take more responsibility for their security very soon. We need to apply some pressure. For these reasons, I believe Murtha is right. That does not mean I believe What Clark has said about how to best approach the Iraq debacle at this time is wrong. However, I do agree with Murtha that the time has come for a more bold approach. The events on the ground everyday demonstrate we do need to begin a withdrawl soon, and it is the our best interests, the region's best interests, and Iraq's best interests to do so.
Enough is enough.
"Dissent is the highest form of patriotism" - Wes Clark
We owe Murtha a big “Thanks” for opening the issue up to debate.
Although most people on this blog do not know me well yet, you, JOhn, do. (In case anyone wonders, I’m from Austin, have worked with JOhn a lot, particularly for Clark, to whom we are both devoted. I am an old-style liberal and JOhn, I think, is an old-style centrist—or maybe we are both just OLD—but Democrats).
I cannot completely agree with Quigley. I do not think Murtha is completely wrong. Further, Quigley’s emphasis on character above all else is wrong in one sense.
I have no doubts at all about Wes Clark’s sterling character and I love that in him and I wouldn’t support him if I thought otherwise. However, as I tried to explain in Little Rock when we were giving comments about why we supported Clark initially, there are two other very important aspects that influenced my support for Wes.
He first had to pass a preliminary “sniff test” on the issues. I no longer demand that a candidate share my views on every single issue, but there are minimum demands as to issues.
Moreover, aside from character, I like how the man thinks. I admire not only his intellect, but even more, his thought process, which is usually quite flexible--in the best sense. He normally takes in all the information he can, is unafraid to make decisions based on that information--which he knows is incomplete--but he then continues to assess, take in more information, and is not afraid at all to adjust his next decision based on what he already knew and what he has learned since. That was one of the hallmarks of his military career.
Now I find myself confused by his message on Iraq. I have read and reread his most recent blog post and am still confused by it. Its not that I see anything incorrect in the post—it’s a great plan. Unfortunately, it leaves out anything about just how we are to implement it given that Bush is in charge, not Wes.
Like many other liberals and activists who support him, I think, I need for him to directly address this issue. What does he plan to do to see it gets implemented? Please spell it out.—1, 2, 3. Put it in the plan. As it stands, the plan is exceedingly confusing to liberal supporters, and there are many of us. Further, if Wes thinks that we may have to stay there even beyond the Bush administration’s demise, he needs to say so and fully explain his thinking.
Further, how can we, his supporters and activists, effect change on a recalcitrant administration? What should we do? Based on what he has up there, the only conclusion I can come to, other than generally supporting Democrats in 2006, is that if we want to make an impression on the Bush administration, we who do not really want an immediate withdrawal due to the likelihood of civil war, but who do want us out before Bush leaves office, may have to vociferously call for immediate withdrawal just to get things moving.
Unfortunately this could actually lead to immediate withdrawal, but given the stubbornness of the administration and the slow-grinding wheels of policy change, it seems much more likely to lead to just some movement on the issue--which is what I really want and what many others want..
Thanks Sharon, you've articulated very well the problems many of us have with the plan.
Intellectually, I agree that probable wide regional disaster is a good reason to try to get some success out of the mission.
BUT and it's a big but....and is getting harder and harder to defend........this administration is NEVER going to follow the General's advice! So what does he suggest in that instance? I really feel he needs to address this. In his Washington Post Op-Ed, he said if the administration doesn't work the diplomacy, the American people have every right to demand the troops come home......so what is the breaking point?
George Bush has had his day and he's bollixed it up.
The policy content on this site needs to be fully articulated, comprehensive and fresh. We have to be able to rely on it to make the case out there and it's becoming more and more difficult.
Let's Go Get Those Bush Bastards - http://ga4.org/campaign/prisonerabuse?source=gac_pa
I think Wes needs to address the fact that since the Bush administration is not going to follow his advice, what then? It may be that we have to wait until the December 15th elections in Iraq, and see if the Sunnis take part, and see if some agreement can be made on amending the Constitution. However, if that doesn't work, what should we do. The military alone can't win this war. If the internal political situation goes down the drain, what then? We already know that the Bush administration will not do diplomacy. That would mean that 2 legs of Wes's strategy are gone. What should the military do then?
because of one critical point: Even with his contacts and stature as a retired four-star general, Wes doesn't have access to the intelligence information required to articulate a detailed plan. He can see where we are going (went) wrong, and where we need to go; but without access to the product of the three-letter agencies (CIA, NSA, DIA, NRO, etc.), it wouldn't be prudent to articulate a detailed plan.
Just MHO as a military retiree from a 3-letter agency...
a detailed plan. Just solve the disjunction between three more years of Bush and his current plan.- with some action items--for him and for us.
Quigley's comments very much. Thanks, JOhn. Murtha has perhaps been over simplified--dosn't he also call for diplomacy? I do think Clark has the only realistic ideas for solution--and he is doing all he can to get those ideas to the people in power. Maybe we who live in red states can put pressure on congressionals to respond (at least) to Clark's proposals. Since the Repugs have to approve for anything to move forward.
The General gets it right. Competence--What a concept!
Wes Clark as Bull Dog
Wes Clark should be the bull dog heart of a new Democratic Party movement and a new patriotic era much as Tedy Bruschi is the heart of the New Engalnd Patriots.
posted by Bernie Quigley at 4:34 AM 0 comments
http://quigleyblog.blogspot.com/
George Bush has had his day and he's bollixed it up.
which about what a monumental mistake it was to have Kerry instead of Wes. A Clarkie whose son is in Iraq told me she was "honored" to have read it. Leave me your email so I can forward it to you. ...or just cut and paste it from my GET BUSH OUT!!! post.
Great find, JOhn,.. Bernie Quigley is right,.. I like his closing paragraph.
But just as evident at WesPACs' Annual Meeting in DC this week,.. Clarks' leadership was greatly valued and respected by our most senior leaders within the Democratic Party. In contrast, Americans are also realizing the failings in leadership by this President towards Iraq war and the war on terrorism. George W. Bush is a total incompetent, whereas Wes Clark is the real leader...