General Wesley Clark on Fox's America's Newsroom
Transcript by RegNYC
May 28, 2007
Host: Now to that historic meeting between American and Iranian officials in Baghdad - the U.S. insisting that Iran stop arming the Iraqi insurgents. And in a dramatic backdrop to those talks, the U.S. Navy conducting war games right off the Iranian coast - just a reminder. Joined now by Fox News contributor and former NATO Supreme Allied Commander General Wesley Clark. General, thank you so much for being with us this Memorial Day.
GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: Good to be with you.
Host: You know there is, there's pretty strong evidence that the Iranians have not only been funding and training the Shiite militias, they've been providing them and others with the armor-piercing weapons - you know, 'Made in Iran' on them. We've, we've recovered some of them. So, what can Iraqi and American diplomats say or do to get the Iranians to stop it?
GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: Well, I'm really, first of all, I think we all should be very glad that these conversations are occurring, because having the power of the aircraft carriers there (clears throat) doesn't become useful really until you've got the conversation. So, we've started the conversations. I don't think it's a matter just of what we say. I think it's a matter of a broader regional dialog and also what we do. I think we need to put more pressure on Iran inside Iraq. I think we need to tighten up our efforts on the border with Iran. I think we need to expose more of the evidence. But I also think we have to have a positive component of this. We've been in a 30 year struggle with Iran, ever since the fall of the Shah. It's time to move forward in a different way with Iran. So, at the same time we've got negative pressures on them, we ought to show them that there are opportunities if they change their behavior-
Host: Mm hm.
GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: -that it can go the other way. So, we need a really broader dialog, than just talking about-
Host: Yeah.
GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: -what Iran's doing inside Iraq.
Host: And our deeper concern, obviously, overall is their nuclear weapons programs. So, might this initial discussion - and let's assume it goes on and there are further talks - might this serve as a predicate to broaching nuclear talks with Iran.
GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: Well, I hope it will. We've, many of us, have advocated this for a long time. I don't think you get the benefit from the negative pressures unless you have the direct, face-to-face contact with the Iranians, and that needs to be on a variety, on a variety of issues. What the United States, though, has said is that, in the past at least, 'We won't talk to Iran unless they stop their nuclear-'
Host: Mm hm.
GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: '-enrichment program.' Well, that's like asking them to surrender before we talk. So, we need an unconditional dialog. We didn't have any conditions on this dialog, apparently. Let's have an unconditional-
Host: Yeah.
GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: -broader dialog on the nuclear issues.
Host: Real quickly (clears throat), the head of the UN Nuclear Agency, Mohammed Al Baredei now agrees with the recent CIA estimates that the Iranians are about three years away, bare minimum, from having a nuclear bomb, and they may have a delivery system for it as well that could reach the U.S. Do you think that new sanctions would deter Tehran? If not, what will?
GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: I don't think you can deter Tehran just by sanctions and pressures. I think you have to create a new vision in the region. People have to see in Iran, in Tehran, in the government, they have to see that there are better alternatives. They'll be safer, more prosperous, more accepted, more welcomed, greater leadership in the region - IF they don't have nuclear weapons.
Host: Yeah.
GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: They have to create a new vision in the region.
Host: General Wesley Clark on this Memorial Day it's very special having you here. Thanks so much.
GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: Thank you. It's great to be here.
