General Wesley Clark on Your World with Neil Cavuto

February 23, 2006
Transcript by Reg NYC

David Asman: The White House trying to squash the port deal uproar. President Bush is telling Americans they've got nothing to worry about.


(Clip of President Bush)


Democratic Senators on Capitol Hill today not impressed, lashing out at the deal that will allow a company from the United Arab Emirates to take over six US ports. So how does former Democratic Presidential candidate General Wesley Clark feel all about all of this? He is, by the way, General Editor of the latest edition to GREAT GENERALS series. This particular one is about General Patton. Good to see you, General.

GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: Nice to be with you.

David Asman: Was Patton a hero of yours.

GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: He, he is a hero of mine, yeah.

David Asman: And-

GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: He is great, great General. Had a tremendous impact on the Army.

David Asman: Didn't you, in fact, once command a training center that was based on, on his model of training?

GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: That's exactly right. That's exactly right. He, he took the United States Army out into the California desert before we went to North Africa in 1942. And in 1980-81, we set up another training center right there on some of the same ground he'd maneuvered over, to take the Army out of Vietnam and transition it to a modern Army that it is today.

David Asman: And this is just part of a series. We'll look forward to the next one. Now the port controversy that the President is embroiled in, how do you stand there?

GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: Well, I know the company, but I think we have to be very concerned about port security in this country. We know that we're not checking an adequate number of the containers. We've got agreements with a number of ports around the world. And I think what you're sensing in this is two things. Number one is Americans have a right to be concerned about port security, because it's one of the major unchecked areas that's still out there. Hasn't been fully resourced. Hasn't been fully diagnosed.

David Asman: Well, of course-

GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: And secondly, it's the decision- it's the process.

David Asman: Right.

GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: You know-

David Asman: There, but there- But let me just stop you there. You say you know the company. Are Americans right to be concerned about it, can be concerned about a company from the United Arab Emirates being somewhat involved in our security?

GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: Well, I think Americans are con- right to be concerned about a process, in terms of consultation with Congress and port security which springs surprises. So, the truth is that we haven't put the resources into port security we need. It's not a function of which company. It's a function of the United States Customs. It's a function of all of the elements of the United States government who do this.

David Asman: But let me just put it very simply, are you, yourself comfortable with what this company's going to be doing in our ports?

GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: I'd like to see it laid out, and I'd like to see the American people brought into this. I'd like to see our Congressional Representatives brought into this, because security's a matter for all Americans. Look, the President scared this country to death before the 2004 election on security. And here, honestly, this looks like, I mean, to the American people, to the Congress, it's like a rabbit out of the hat. And suddenly there's no threat. What were all those alerts about. It's not about the company. It's about the issue of port security.

David Asman: You say it's not about the company, but here's a deal. There's a deal on the table. You know the company. Are you for the deal?

GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: What I'm for is for laying out the process for the American people.

David Asman: I'm not going to get an answer. Specific now, are you for-

GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: You're getting an answer about the process.

David Asman: Are you for the company taking over these ports' security?

GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: I'm for strengthening port security and homeland security in America. That's what the American people want. This is an incident that indicates that this administration, despite all the talk and all the rhetoric, is not doing it the right way and hasn't done enough.

David Asman: But again, final question now, on this company in particular, a company that you yourself are familiar with, do you feel comfortable, would you feel comfortable with them doing what the proposed deal says they should do.

GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: Well, what I'd like to see is what the proposed deal says. I'd like to know what the procedures are, and I'd like to know what more the United States government is going to do to protect this country and our ports.

David Asman: By the way, that'll probably-

GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: It's a major vulnerability .

David Asman: That'll probably happen right, in the Congressional investigation that's upcoming about all this?

GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: Well, I hope it'll all be laid out for the American people, because one thing we know in this country is that if you don't tell people what's going on, they can't be with you. And this is another case where the administration hasn't been open and transparent in it's decision-making.

David Asman: Quick question on Iraq. Are we in a civil war situation there?

GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: Yeah. We're in a low-level civil war, and it's been going on for some time. In fact, you know our troops there are sort of right in the middle of this. They're being accused by some of the Shias of not being pro-Shia enough. But the truth is that we're completing the Iran-Iraq War by finishing off some of the hardline Ba'athist Generals and their, and their allies. So, we're right on the seam of this split between Shia and Sunni Islam.

David Asman: Gotcha.

GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: It can't be covered up. We're going to have to deal with it.

David Asman: Alright. The book is PATTON. It's the first in a series about Generals. We look forward to more of them. Thanks very much for coming in, General.

GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: Thanks a lot.

David Asman: Thanks very much for coming in, General. Good to see you.

GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: Good to be with you.