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Edited on Wed Feb-28-07 12:42 PM by Tom Rinaldo
Hey, I didn't get home until after 2:00AM, it's a long commute to the city for me.
There was a whole lot to absorb, and I couldn't use a recorder, it wasn't allowed. So I think reports from last night will be coming out in drips and drabs for a couple of days, from me and from others who attended, and probably from Amy Goodman also. I don't have a free schedule today so I can't spend hours on this just yet.
Some thoughts on Wes and Amy. Clark was clearly not worrying about how his words might be spun by others last night. Amy and Wes both were respectful in how they engaged each other, and tough questions were the norm not the exception. I have to say that I was really proud of our General for his candor and courage and the respect he shows all of us by always telling us the truth the best that he knows it. Clark does not bob and weave to avoid punches thrown at him. He sure didn't with Amy. He stands his ground, not because he is foolish, but because he is defending something important. Clark will not retreat from the truth as he knows it because his committment to an informed citizenry in a Democracy is fundemental to his values. So he actually answers when he is asked a hard question.
On withdrawing from Iraq quickly, Clark said it could be done, it would be ugly, we would have to fight our way out, but it would not be a blood bath for U.S. troops because there are tactics that can be employed to retreat to minimize direct casualities. But Clark said as it stands currently if the U.S. withdraws now Saudis and other Sunni States will feel a need to fill a security void in Iraq that left them exposed to expansionist Shia by backing whatever Sunni forces that exist inside of Iraq that show a willingness and ability to fight hard against the Shiites there. Clark said those would be forces that increasingly are under strong Al Quada influence and direction, which would be a direct substantial set back to our efforts to weaken Al Quada in the world, with potentially dire consequences for the region and for us. Remember, Wes Clark just returned from a regional conference in Saudi Arabia last weekend.
Clark was passionate about how the Bush Administration has abandoned our soldiers inside Iraq by not providing them with the support that they need to accomplish their mission. He didn't just mean military supplies, though he mentioned that. The emphasis was on the failure to develop a rational regional diplomatic strategy, the failure to effectively drive reconstruction inside Iraq, the failure to help provide Iraq with expert asssistance in developing and strengthening civil institutions etc etc. PLUS the failure to care for our Vets when they returned home.
Of course the theme of the evening was War, and Amy didn't shy away from tough questions. She brought up the bombing of the Serb TV Station during the Kosovo campaign, and asked Clark about whether knowing that innocents died there he regretted it. Clark said he very much regretted those deaths, but the target was legitimate as a Serbian Command and Control center, and he detailed the efforts that NATO made to warn Milosevic in advance that the Station would be bombed, including but not limited to intentioinally planting questions at a Press Conference briefing that NATO held which allowed NATO to warn about the coming bombing in public. Clark referred to information that has subsequently been documented that Milosevic ordered civilians to be present at the station even during after hours because he believed their deaths would aid his propaganda efforts. The bombing happend in the wee hours of the morning to avoid causualities but of course there were some anyway as a result.
Amy asked if the the disappearance of billions of dollars cash inside Iraq should be investigated and Clark said absolutely. Amy asked if Gitmo should be closed and Clark was emphatic in the positive that it should be. It was one of the moments when Clark was most passionate, talking about how UnAmerican and counterproductive our use of torture and indefinate detentions has been. Goodman asked Clark if Rumnsfeld should be tried as a war criminal and Clark answered that he would like to see the evidence presented. Regarding impeaching Bush Clark said we should start first with completing the stalled and disappeared Congressional investigation of how the decision was made to take America to war with Iraq, and he brought up the specifics about how Republican Senator Roberts of Kansas stonewalled the Senate moving forward with the investigation promised. He said "I haven't seen that report, have you?".
Amy asked about Lt. Watada's decsion to refuse redeploment to a military mission he had profound disagreement with and Clark praised Watada' moral courage in taking that stand, but also acknowledged that the military as an institution can not function by allowing each individual solidier to opt in or out of specific assignments, thus Watada's courage was in being willing to face real consequences for his choice. Amy asked of there was need for more of that courage and Clark replied the real need was for more courage in Washington to implement a sane and thoughful foreign policy strategy that would resolve and/or avoid military conflicts. Clark was always emphasizing that the use of military force is a very limited tool that can not be discarded from the tool chest in today's world but comes with great risk, great cost, significant civilian suffering, and the liklihood of unintended consequences trhat can come back to haunt you. Clark thought it appropriate for Senior Military commanders to seriously consider resigning rather than implement a militarty policy that they had profound disagreement with, though he said he did not know who specifically it is being reported on now is thinking of resigning rather than attack Iran.
I'm sorry guys, but this is all I have time to write at the moment. This event could be blogged over 50 pages, there was that much to it. More later...
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