Wesley Clark "I would have had Bin Laden by now"

[96B]

(CNN) -- Democratic presidential contender Wesley Clark said Wednesday that President Bush has shown a lack of will in pursuing al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.

In a blistering critique of the commander in chief, Clark said that "capturing Saddam Hussein doesn't change the fact that Osama bin Laden is still on the loose."

"If I'd been president, I would have had Osama bin Laden by this time," Clark said at a news conference in Concord, New Hampshire, where he was campaigning for votes in the nation's first primary, January 27.

"I would have followed through on the original sentiment that the president gave us -- Osama bin Laden, dead or alive.

"Instead, he executed a bait-and-switch. He took the priority off Osama bin Laden. He shifted the spotlight onto Saddam Hussein."

The retired Army four-star general also said that if Bush questions the patriotism and national security credentials of Democrats in the coming campaign, he would not hesitate to match his record against the president's.

"I'll put my 34 years of defending the United States of America, and the results that I and my teammates in the United States armed forces achieved, against his three years of failed policies any day," said Clark, who was NATO supreme commander during the 1999 air campaign in Kosovo.

He added, "We've got a president who will go halfway around the world for a photo opportunity but won't go halfway across town for a funeral for an American serviceman.

"I've been to those funerals. I've comforted families. ... I don't think you can make good policy at the top if you don't understand the impact at the bottom of your organization."

Bush has on only two or three occasions met with the families of fallen servicemen and women, most recently at Fort Carson, Colorado, and he has not attended funerals or greeted caskets returning from Iraq.

A senior administration official told The Washington Post in November, "The president believes funerals are a time for grieving families to be together and mourn their loved ones and celebrate their lives, and he has not felt comfortable intruding on that."

Clark, who returned this week after testifying at the war crimes trial of former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic in The Hague, Netherlands, weighed in on the case of deposed Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein.

Clark said Saddam should be tried in Iraq, by Iraqis, under standards drawn up by international experts -- with the death penalty as a potential punishment.

"I think that you cannot take the death penalty off the table. ... It has to be there, to be applied to war criminals who've used chemical weapons, to those responsible for genocide," Clark said.

While congratulating U.S. forces for capturing Saddam from "that snake hole in the ground," Clark said he "can't understand why the president hasn't devoted the same energy and resources to going after al Qaeda that he did to going after Iraq."

"Right now, having captured Saddam, the right course for the country is to redirect our energies and capture Osama bin Laden, now. We've got momentum, now," he said.

"It's a question of presidential will. If the president will show the will, I'm confident our armed forces will find a way to take him."

As president, Clark said he also would "insist that Saudi Arabia take responsibility" and provide resources and intelligence to help the United States get bin Laden, including creating a joint U.S.-Saudi commando unit to root out terrorists.

He said the United States should put "intense political pressure" on Pakistan to find bin Laden and move "substantial" U.S. special operations forces and intelligence personnel from Iraq into Afghanistan.

To free up those assets, Clark said the United States should end its "fruitless" hunt for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq and turn the task over to the international community.

"I could never understand why we insisted on doing this anyway, when the international community was fully willing to participate and do it," he said.

"The experienced U.N. inspectors, who've done it before ... were champing at the bit, waiting to go there. We kept them out."

Clark said the hunt could be turned over to international inspectors because "weapons of mass destruction are no longer a threat to the United States, at least not from Iraq. We're there.

"We need to move on -- let the international inspectors clean out the remnants of this, sort out the programs, talk to the scientists."

[StarvingStudent47]

It's comments like this from Clark that make me want to move my support to Kerry or Lieberman.

[Ratamacue]

Good job Wesley, you've done absolutely NOTHING to aid in the capture. Oh well, it's comforting to know how competent you would have been if you ran for president 3 years ago.

[Salty Dog]

"If I'd been president, I would have had Osama bin Laden by this time," Clark said at a news conference in Concord, New Hampshire, where he was campaigning for votes in the nation's first primary, January 27. "

i am going with john kerry.

[Tane Angle]

I'm thinking Kerry or Dean, probably Dean. Whichever one is the more viable candidate.

As for Clark, he lost me, and I'd say politicians in general should avoid campaign promises that they can't back up.

Have a good one, just some thoughts...

[FallenAngel]

"I'll put my 34 years of defending the United States of America, and the results that I and my teammates in the United States armed forces achieved, against his three years of failed policies any day," said Clark, who was NATO supreme commander during the 1999 air campaign in Kosovo.

I wonder if he will include his attempt to start WWIII, at the cost of both British and Russian lives, in that "comparison." Me, personally, don't go for guys who would order one ally to attack another :cantbeli:



He added, "We've got a president who will go halfway around the world for a photo opportunity but won't go halfway across town for a funeral for an American serviceman.

"I've been to those funerals. I've comforted families. ... I don't think you can make good policy at the top if you don't understand the impact at the bottom of your organization."


First, I am sure the President has a pretty good reason for missing those funerals. Word is that being president is a full-time job. He does his best, and I am sure flying to Baghdad for Thanksgiving for the troops doesn't count either. As someone who was in the military, I think he would have a better understanding of how it "impacts the bottom" better than, say, a 3 time draft dodger like Clinton ;)

And if you REALLY want to go for the experiance of how it effects the bottom, call up Senator John McCain and tell him to run for president. I am sure his decade in the Hanoi Hilton will be sufficient for Mr. Clark.



As president, Clark said he also would "insist that Saudi Arabia take responsibility" and provide resources and intelligence to help the United States get bin Laden, including creating a joint U.S.-Saudi commando unit to root out terrorists.

He said the United States should put "intense political pressure" on Pakistan to find bin Laden and move "substantial" U.S. special operations forces and intelligence personnel from Iraq into Afghanistan.


I DO agree with Clark on these two points. Saudi Arabia and Pakistan could do more to help us. But at the same time, that also takes some of the "blame" off of George W. because capturing Bin Laden, although an American goal, is not necessarily ONLY an American effort.

Bah...I want McCain to run damnit :D

[FallenAngel]

woot Made three stars on that post! woot

[budanski]

Funny you don't hear him criticising Clinton for turning down offers for OBL, TWICE. Wesley Clark getting Osama is somewhat akin to O.J. searching for Nicole's murderer, with about the same amount of success.

Anywho, I presume that when Wesley Clark is at Madonna's mansion hobnobbing with the Hollywood left, he'll be looking under the beds for Bin Laden. :roll:

[fred_engles]

Clark always struck me as the kind of guy who would make a great VP, but a crappy President (yes, I know that the main constitutional function of a VP is to become president if the need arises, but I still make a distinction). Personally, I'd love to get a chance to vote Dean-Clark '04.

Statements like this one, along with some of his other positions, like the one on a flag burning amendment disqualify him for the white house, in my opinion. Ditto for the fact that he's never held political office.

Edit
One thing I should make clear: I do believe that Clark would, in all likelyhood, do a much better job on hunting Bin Laden than Bush (to the degreee that hunt is effected by the actions of the white house). However, it would still be tremendously difficult task, and I don't like Clark's cocky certainty that he cannot possibly justify.

[Seoulstriker]

whatever the democrats throw at bush, he will still win. the DNC is in disarray.

[budanski]

I'd like to see Clark come up with a better team than Bush (ie: Cheney, Powell, Rice, Rumsfeld)

[Seoulstriker]

I'd like to see Clark come up with a better team than Bush (ie: Cheney, Powell, Rice, Rumsfeld)

they can't.

the DNC is finished, man. it's over for them. what issues do they have? they are only successful when things are bad in the country. rough days ahead for the democratic party indeed.

[Zach R.]

Can't wait when it's Giuliani/J. Bush vs. H. Clinton/Clark in 2008. Clark ain't gonna win. I hope Dean gets picked to run. If his fellow liberal cantidates don't support him, how do they expect to retake the whitehouse? Man, I can't till I get to vote. Just remember my name: Zach Robinson. In 40 years I'll probably running for office. Yea, a SMJ. with absolutely no political experience in office. It'll be great. :D

[Seiyuuki]

Powell and Rice will potentially be great presidential candidates.

[Vance]

Powell is teh cool, but he says the death threats he receives (I guess for being black) stop him from going to President. He says for his family's safety.

[NcDeuce]

Wesley Clark is another 4-star brat.

[Durandal]

Clark needs to know when to shut the F%$k up. This is nothing but Democratic primary BS.

[James]

Wesley Clark is another 4-star brat.

Inform us of your rank again, please. :P

[James]

I plan to vote for whoever seems to have the best chance against GWB. Probably the Democratic candidate, and hopefully Dean. Think of it as a vote against... ;)

If anyone would like to engage me in an intelligent and lively debate about my dislike of the honorable Mr. Bush, I would be happy to comply.

[Midav]

You want to vote against him because you don't like his policies or don't like him in general?

I have no intention of turning this into a flame fest... am just curious :)

[StarvingStudent47]

the DNC is finished, man. it's over for them. what issues do they have? they are only successful when things are bad in the country. rough days ahead for the democratic party indeed.

You think the USA right now is as good as it gets?

And there's still one Democrat left (http://www.joe2004.com/site/PageServer?pagename=ii_joesagenda) with a real concrete agenda.

[martinexsquaddie]

Clark has a point if all the men that had been sent to iraq had been used to finish the job in Afganhistan first.
rather than invadeing iraq then who knows

[budanski]

Most of the troops used in Afghanistan were Special Forces. Opposite in Iraq so it wouldnt change anything.

[martinexsquaddie]

you'd still have more more special forces available plus recce and int elements.
UK could put a considerable element in as well even non special forces infantry could garrison towns making the talabans chances of coming back zero destroy the poppy harvest as well. special forces could go knocking on binladens door on the border. Meanwhile destroying the poppy harvest would make the UN feel the US was doing good stuff.
Saddam could wait he's not going anyway and he had no WMDs ready to go and little chance of getting them.
2 years time bin laden locked up Afganistan on the way to rejoining the world mission accomplished :lol:
Nows the time to deal with Saddam having brought afganistian back into the fold of civilisation bush'd great plan would have a bit more legitamancy with the UN plus you could have given hans Blix 18months to find the wmds ( keeping the pressure on the entire time when ready to move you'd have had ample excuse)']\

[Durandal]

Clark has a point if all the men that had been sent to iraq had been used to finish the job in Afganhistan first.
rather than invadeing iraq then who knows

You know, the United States should be able to handle both conflicts.


Oh wait, we are.

[Seoulstriker]

Clark has a point if all the men that had been sent to iraq had been used to finish the job in Afganhistan first.
rather than invadeing iraq then who knows

You know, the United States should be able to handle both conflicts.


Oh wait, we are.


i agree.


on a lighter note, clark can suck my chode (http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=chode&f=1) and he would probably even get it on with adam (http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=adambalhetchet&f=1).

[2Sheds_Jackson]

I don't know how anybody can take Clark seriously. He changes positions more than a $20 ho with back problems. OK that analogy sucks, but the man's entire campaign is built on sound bytes that contradict his previous positions.

The only Dem candidate that seems like a grown up is Lieberman. His big problem is that he's hardly Mr. Excitement. While that shouldn't be a factor, the Dems have clearly staked their future to the soccer mom vote. The one with the best hair will win the nomination.

The DNC is really in a tough spot. It knows it can't win with it's traditional "core" issues, so it's kind of flailing around & these guys are all over the map, hoping something sticks. And for entertainment value, you simply can't beat Carol Moseley Braun & Al Sharpton.

[Durandal]

You think the USA right now is as good as it gets?

No, I think this nation is a LONG way from being like the State of New Hampshire. Till it gets there there will ALWAYS be work to do.

[Seoulstriker]

I don't know how anybody can take Clark seriously. He changes positions more than a $20 ho with back problems. OK that analogy sucks, but the man's entire campaign is built on sound bytes that contradict his previous positions.

try this: http://www.foxnews.com/video2/player.html?4908&FOX_News_Live&Setting%20the%20Record%20Straight&wvx-300

it pains me so much to listen to him, i'm not going to watch it again. check it out. ;)

[NcDeuce]

Most of the troops used in Afghanistan were Special Forces. Opposite in Iraq so it wouldnt change anything.

Special Forces were vital to the Iraqi invasion.

[Salty Dog]

i'm gonna vote John McCain and steve martin. that would be awesome.

[Whistler]

WTF?

I was glad when I heard Clark was running, I thought he would be a Democrat who could be left on some social issues but still know what he was talking about when it came to the military/foreign issues.

Lately I've really been losing respect for him though. Everytime he says something he looks like more and more of a Euro-wannabe who can't keep his positions straight.

How exactly would he have captured Bin Laden? If he knows so much why has he been spending all his time playing war-sportscaster on CNN?

...Go Lieberman and Bush :D .

[Trigger]

If Clark were President we would have already had a nuclear exchange with the Russians over parking places at the U.N.
Hmmm, he wants to put extreme pressure on Pakistan (another nuclear power). Good thinking Wes!
That guy is just dying to get his nuke on isn't he.
Sounds like a 'Dr. Strangelove/Mr. Hyde' complex. :roll:

[Zach R.]

Hey, check that Adambalmachet definition within the next 24 hours, you'll get a kick out of it.

[WARPIG]

Any one that has been paying attention knows that lookin for Osama is not the same task. I doesn't matter how many GI's we throw into Iraq.. it is too much country to search for. Osama is a hardened mountain man. His whole life spent in the mountains of Afghanistan hiding from someone. We could line up soldiers shoulder to shoulder across the whole frigging country and walk from one end to the other.. and still miss him! The smart thing to do is to keep the intel ears going and wait until he starts to move around. Long process but that is how it is done.
As far as Presidential Candidates.. finding an option "other" than Bush sounds like complete stupidity. Just finding a candidate other than Bush is not enough.. get some leadership that is clearly better.. that is a worthwhile vote.
Are we really looking at who the least incompetant candidate is to simply oppose our current Pres? WTF!!
Does any one think that there is a real candidate that is clearly better? I would love another option. I just don't see it.

[Beowulf]

Gore/Clinton reverse ticket!! woot

[Trigger]

^ :lol:

[NcDeuce]

THe 4-star brat is using his former rank/position to create false facts. And the Democrats and some people of America won't know the difference, they'll think he's right because he's "BTDT".

Oooh, Ft. Campbell is on CNN...