RECAP from UCLA Rogue States Conference PART I:

Just in case anyone forgot, here is Part 1:
http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/15014

And seeing as I was so late getting to Part 2 (insert very guilty faced emoticon) I thought you could use a recap. You can hopefully understand when you scroll down, and down, and down… why this took so long to pull together. Transcribing is a painstaking exercise in patience and rewind…

This intro is snipped from Part 1 to refresh your memory.

France's Le Monde published an interview with Gen. Clark last Thursday. Here's my translation:

It wasn’t until right before Wes was scheduled to speak that I learned I would be able to attend. The event had been booked full already for days, and I had meetings to move around even if I could go. After a series of frantic last minute calls to UCLA media relations dept and then to the public affairs offices-- I finally got my clearance at the very last minute. I dropped everything to dash off to UCLA-- in record time.

Great Day for a Hike

VITAL STATS FIRST: White shirt, Navy jacket, gold buttons on cuffs, red
dotted tie again! Mrs. Clark: Pistachio green scoop neck top and tan pants, looking lovely. They are so beautiful together, they radiate love. It sounds corny, but it's true....

_____________________________________

General Clark has been hopping all over Los Angeles in the past few
days, appearing here and there, no rest for the weary. I heard he even
spoke at Ron Burkle's estate again this week... which had me pondering
if perhaps the reason I was not invited back was because last time I

BLUE SKIES... SHININ' ON ME... NOTHIN' BUT BLUE SKIES--- DO I SEE!

General Clark always ushers the blue skies into Los Angeles with his visits, and we smog breathers do so appreciate it. Parking lot #3 is a nice long walk from Dodd Hall along the gorgeous UCLA Campus grounds -- it gives you a chance to stroll through the lush sculpture gardens en route and just breathe in the crisp fall air.

The hallway at Dodd was already filled up with students and people waiting to get in when I arrived --a half hour early. I bought a copy of Time to Lead just as the doors to the lecture hall were opened -- and in we went. This time was different from his usual UCLA events as I noticed the crowd comprised of primarily students. It was refreshing to see so many of them so eager to hear Wes speak.

Well, Wes addressed members of the Oxonian Society in NYC this evening. It was a wonderfully intimate affair, with seats for only about 100. The room was full, with a number of folks standing when all of the seats were taken. Among the audience were three new Oxonians -- me, Gordon and Perry Barber (a fascinating woman who umpires Major League Baseball games and makes great T-shirts). We’d all joined after we’d seen Wes was scheduled to speak.

Ladies & Gentlemen, Volunteers of all ages ~~

Recently, General Clark has asked for our help to not only change the debate from troops and tactics to strategy and diplomacy, but he has also asked, several times, for us to help several candidates get elected to Congress in 2008.

The DJ, Bob, introduced Gen. Clark as a former General then corrected himself saying, "Well, no one is ever a 'former' General," (good on him), former Commander of the Kosovo War and NATO Allied Commander.
Gen. Clark talked about the troop surge and continued problems in Iraq. He reminded listeners that "everyone" is saying that the war cannot be won by military alone but that broad and robust diplomacy was needed. Wes pointed out that Bushco was not putting forth the effort needed for diplomacy to work.

Link

July 12, 2007

Roll over the icons on the right to access full event footage from each panel and speaker.

The Center for American Progress and The Century Foundation hosted the “America in the World” conference to explore how the United States can restore its leadership for a more peaceful, prosperous, and secure world.

The conference brought together leading thinkers from government, academia, the military, and the non-governmental sector to discuss the peace and security issues that will shape the public agenda over the coming years. Keynote speakers included former Secretary of State Madeline Albright, Sen. Gordon Smith (R-OR), and former National Security Advisor Zbigniew Brzezinski. Panel discussions focused on four topics: energy and the environment, the Middle East, America’s defense posture, and the global economy.

<snip>

Our nation's troops need your help, right now!

This week, the Senate will consider an amendment offered by military veterans Senator Jim Webb (D-VA) and Chuck Hagel (R-NE) that puts on paper one of the greatest things we can do to support the troops and the military -- guaranteeing them proper time on the homefront, to improve our readiness.

Call your Senator at 202-224-3121 and tell them to support the Webb-Hagel Readiness Amendment.

Their amendment simply says that active duty troops should have as much time home as they had on deployment, and that National Guard and Reserve troops should have three years at home after their one-year deployment. Besides being a just and fair thing to do for those who are making tremendous sacrifices for all of us, it is just good military policy.

The war in Iraq is breaking our fine Army and Marine Corps. You've heard the stories about deployments being extended again and again, and troops coming home only to turn around and head right back. It has led to our troops being depleted and exhausted. Not only that, but it has seriously damaged our ability to defend this nation. Many units are simply not combat ready, and God forbid an attack by a rogue nation necessitates opening up a new war front, our forces would be unable to respond. Further, extended and frequent deployments of our National Guard has left us much more vulnerable at home.

As Major General Batiste, a former commanding general in Iraq said, "In addition to our country's lack of strategic focus and failure to mobilize the country, our military is at a breaking point. The Webb-Hagel Amendment is a step in the right direction to force our leadership to come to grips with the gross mismatch between capability and requirements."

Tomorrow, we're going to be on Capitol Hill, to speak out in strong support of this bill. But we need you to back up our efforts.

Call your Senator's office at 202-224-3121 and tell them to support the Webb-Hagel Readiness Amendment. If you served in OIF or OEF, be sure to note that to the staffer you speak with. Remember, be polite with the person answering the phone, but firm in saying you support the troops, General Clark's WesPAC, VoteVets.org, and Senators Webb and Hagel.

Let's make this happen, and really support the troops!

Sincerely,

Peter Granato

Iraq War Veteran

Veterans Outreach Coordinator, VoteVets.org