General Wesley Clark on Fox News Live
July 10, 2006
transcript by Reg NYC

Martha MacCallum: Well, Japan apparently has had it with North Korea, but is Japan ready to attack, and are they positioned to do so? Joining us now former NATO Supreme Allied Commander and Fox News contributor, General Wesley Clark. Good afternoon, General.

GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: Good afternoon, Martha.

Martha MacCallum: You know, when you hear that, that Japan, it feels vulnerable enough that they are in a position where they might consider a preemptive strike, really for the first time in their history since Pearl Harbor, what goes through your mind?

GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: That it's a very dangerous situation in Northeast Asia. War could begin by accident or miscalculation, and got to be very careful with talk like talk about preemption by Japan.

Martha MacCallum: So what, how would you handle it? How would you talk to Japan about the situation?

GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: Well, I think Japan has to be reassured that the United States see this as very serious, and that the United States is working with China and others to bring North Korea back to the discussions. The missile test itself is no direct threat, but it's part of an ongoing process by North Korea to ratchet up the rhetoric, to put pressure on the West to give concessions. And the United States has to have a very measured, temperate response. This is not about teaching the North Koreans how to behave. We're not disciplining a child here. We're trying to head off a dangerous situation, and we're trying to put together a security consensus in Northeast Asia that keeps all the major powers in Northeast Asia working together. So, it's in China's interest to put pressure on North Korea, but they're looking to the United States also to take leadership. And the United States needs to be ready to hold the conclusive and decisive dialog with North Korea when the six-part talks begin.

Martha MacCallum: General, after World War II, Japan really has been put in a self-defensive position, just in, in the ability to protect themselves against an attack from the outside. How, where does that leave us as their ally? And obviously President Bush has said many times that he considers Prime Minister Koizumi to be a close, personal friend. Where does that leave us in terms-

GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: J-

Martha MacCallum: -of protecting them?

GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: Well, Japan has very capable forces. They, they put over 1% of their Gross Domestic Product on national defense and they have a very large GDP. So, they've got high technology. They've got well trained forces. They have an extensive defense perimeter. And the United States is committed to help protect them. By law, we're committed. It's one of our treaty obligations. And so yes, we're going to help Japan, and they should have confidence that we're going to do that. We've got technology they don't quite have yet. We could intercept these missiles if necessary, but that is not a military issue, primarily. It's a diplomatic issue, and the real question is what's the best way to defuse this crisis and get the North Koreans back to the table.

Martha MacCallum: And what is the best way, you know, in 30 or 45 seconds, to get China to come to the table and to, to do something meaningful to sort of prove their position in the world,-

GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: Well-

Martha MacCallum: -rather than, you know, be a little but shady about it, as many suspect they are?

GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: Well China's got to, got to put pressure on North Korea to come back to the talks, but they've got to have some help from the United States. And we've got to be willing to have direct dialog with North Korea.

Martha MacCallum: Alright. General Wesley Clark, good to talk to you. Thank you.

GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: Thank you.