General Wes Clark on Hannity and Colmes Special Edition

July 23, 2006
Transcript by Melange

Alan Colmes: Welcome back to a special edition of Hannity & Colmes. Joining us now with more on the threat from Iran, former NATO Supreme Allied Commander and Fox News Military Analyst, General Wesley Clark. General Clark, welcome to Hannity & Colmes, a special Sunday night edition.

GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: Thank you.

Alan Colmes: Should we be seen rushing bombs to the area?

GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: Well I think that what you've got to do is succeed in this against Hezbollah, to drive Hezbollah back and to give Israel a greater sense of security and to resist Iran's encroachment in the region. I think you've got to have a strategy of diplomacy as well as letting the Israelis do what they can on the ground right now. So that means that the United States should be in there working with the government of Lebanon.

I've heard this administration take a lot of credit for the democracy in Lebanon; I didn't hear much discussion of Hezbollah's role in it. And I don't recall the administration ever, in advance, saying that Hezbollah hadn't been disarmed and making a big deal of it. Now, it was a mistake. This administration's got a critical role to play now. This administration in Washington is the leader of the free world. They've got to go in there, talk to the government of Lebanon, support them and help bring regional diplomacy to push Hezbollah out - either disarm it or get it out of the government. I think it shouldn't be in the government. I think the people who lead it should be indicted as criminals and arrested by the Lebanese government.

Alan Colmes: General Clark, Tony Snow said that nobody has been more diplomatically active than we have in the Middle East, citing phone calls the White House has made in recent days. Somehow it doesn't match up…in my mind, with Henry Kissinger's shuttle diplomacy. What's your take on that comment?

GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: I think you've got to have senior American statesmen in the region. Phone calls aren't enough.

Alan Colmes: I want to get back…go ahead.

GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: Phone calls aren't enough and in fact, the United States did not have a strong position in the region because basically we were working only to ensure Israel had freedom to maneuver. That's not enough. We have to get the Lebanese government to support and have confidence in itself and we should be helping the Lebanese government recover from the impact of these Israeli air strikes and give them the confidence to turn against Hezbollah.

Sean Hannity: General, look, I don't want to get into political discussions with you. I know you think everything George Bush basically does on these issues is wrong. I…put your military hat on for a minute.

GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: That's what's on.

Sean Hannity: I want to know specifically…Iran, potentially…we know they're fomenting this terror with Hezbollah, we know they're adamantly, they're feverishly seeking nuclear weapons and weapons of mass destruction, do we wait until they get them or should we consider military action against them if they continue that pursuit, knowing that the danger in the future?

GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: Well, I think what we've got right now is a strategic opening. I think their support for Hezbollah can be turned into a strategic vulnerability for Iran and if we were to take this crisis and use it, through our diplomacy in the region and strengthening the government of Lebanon, to break the ties with Iran and Hezbollah, then Iran suffers a net loss. Iran's trying to become the preeminent regional power. It's not in our interests to have them there and we need to take advantage of this opportunity to move against them. <crosstalk>

Sean Hannity: I don't think it's a bad idea, but I think the likelihood of that succeeding is probably 10-15% at best. But, let's assume that that doesn't work. What's the next step for the United States as they actively seek nuclear weapons? Should we put on the table a strike on their nuclear facilities so that we don't face a day where Iran is arming a group like Hezbollah with nuclear weapons?

GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: Well I wouldn't want to take the military option off the table Sean, but it has to be the absolutely last, last, last option. I'll tell you why: because first of all, there's no assurance that we know where all those installations are and we can be effective. Secondly, once we've initiated the program of strikes on Iran, we've opened warfare against a government that represents 70 million people. I don't see an end-state to the strategy. I don't see the United States and our allies having the wherewithal to occupy Iran or deal with it. And, there's nothing to prevent other powers from coming in behind these strikes and re-arming the Iranians so…<crosstalk>

Alan Colmes: Hey General, we…

GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: So, I think the strikes are problematic.

Alan Colmes: We thank you very much for being on with us tonight on the special Sunday edition of Hannity and Colmes.

GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: Thank you.