General Wesley Clark's Advice: Get Out Of Afghanistan

[Dinger]

http://www.examiner.com/x-23316-Madison-Independent-Examiner~y2009m11d19-Gen-Wesley-Clarks-advice-Get-out-of-Afghanistan

Retired Gen. Wesley Clark has some advice for Congress: Start planning an exit strategy from Afghanistan.

Speaking to the House Armed Services subcommittee on oversight and investigations, Gen. Clark said, "figure out where you’re going. How do we get out of here? Because our presence long term there is not a good thing. We’re playing into the hands of people who don’t like foreigners in a country that’s not tolerant of diversity. And that’s not going to change.”

It is no surprise that Clark's comments have been ignored by the mainstream media. It seems that most who speak out against the occupation of Afghanistan and Iraq are marginalized by the corporate media. But if people who speak out against the wars have credibility, like Gen. Clark, they are completely ignored.

The retired general said he preferred a "minimalist" approach that would subvert Afghan terrorism, as some Democrats, including Vice President Joe Biden, have argued. Biden has asserted that the US should draw down its Afghan military presence and focus on the Taliban, while taking the fight to al Qaeda. Clark emphasized that cannot be accomplished through military strategy alone and that an exit strategy, combined with clear military objectives is the only way for the U.S. to achieve any tangible goals in Afghanistan. And the end goal is to get out of there before it becomes another Vietnam.

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I'm a long time Clark supporter and fan. Please allow me to indulge in posting some Wesley Clark news, especially when it makes sense, a lot of sense.

[YvonneCa]

1. I'm a huge fan of...

...Gen. Wesley Clark. Thanks for posting this. :patriot:

[Dinger]

2. Thank You Yvonne : )

:patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot:

Damn, it feels good to do that again.

[optimator]

3. a lot of psychological projecting

Clark did not say "get out."
He said an exit strategy before anything else, which is basically the same as Obama.
The only difference is Clark wants to FLUSH trillions more down the toilet on rebuilding Afghanistan, which shows how painfully ignorant he is of our economy/debt.
There is a huge difference between "getting out" and "exit strategy."

[YvonneCa]

4. Welcome to DU... n/t

[Dinger]

5. Yeah, Welcome (nt)

[Fumesucker]

13. "Exit" means "leave" and "strategy" means "how do I do it"..

So in my mind "exit strategy" means "how do I leave".

Something that should have been thought of before we ever went in to either Afghanistan or Iraq.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Powell_Doctrine

The Powell Doctrine states that a list of questions all have to be answered affirmatively before military action is taken by the United States:

1. Is a vital national security interest threatened?
2. Do we have a clear attainable objective?
3. Have the risks and costs been fully and frankly analyzed?
4. Have all other non-violent policy means been fully exhausted?
5. Is there a plausible exit strategy to avoid endless entanglement?
6. Have the consequences of our action been fully considered?
7. Is the action supported by the American people?
8. Do we have genuine broad international support?

[grasswire]

6. yes sir

I still think Wes Clark would be a very fine president.

[Dinger]

7. : )

:patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot:

[grasswire]

8. I was a Clark supporter too.

That seems so long ago. Sigh.

[TicketyBoo]

9. Did you see Bill Moyers tonight?

Wow. One of the best arguments for withdrawing from Afghanistan I've ever seen. He had actual tapes of phone calls President Johnson made to various individuals (cabinet secretaries, Senators, aides, and friends) when he was trying to figure out what he was going to do in Vietnam.

http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/blog/

http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/index-flash.html

That program plus the 60 Minutes piece last Sunday which ended with Byron Pitts asking two soldiers what "success" in Afghanistan would consist of. One said, "Getting out of here alive." And the other soldier agreed with him. I told my husband, "Hell, we can do that right now."

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=5658447n&tag=cbsnewsMainColumnArea.5

Those two programs in combination make a compelling reason to withdraw from Afghanistan ASAP.

I hope President Obama comes to the same conclusion I have.

[hayu_lol]

10. Thanks Dinger...

We missed a bet with Clark. He had qualifications to back up his words, as well as life experience and education in several fields.

Some of our folks got 'what they wished for.' We all live with that.

[Dinger]

11. Yes We Do

Good to "see" ya buddy.:)

[malaise]

14. Bill Moyers was excellent

as usual.

[mmonk]

12. As someone who has books written by Wes on military strategy,

Congress should heed his advice. He is a deep thinker and assessor when it comes to such matters.

[Stinky The Clown]

15. That's my general!

[mzmolly]

16. I have no idea why he's not being formally consulted?

I think the President should heed Clark's advice.

[digidigido]

17. What do you mean "BEFORE it becomes another Vietnam?"

[Kat45]

18. Wes is someone who should be listened to in matters like this.

When did they take the Clark group away? Someone just told me that Wes said this, then I came on to DU to find out more about it, I knew I could find it in the Clark group--and the group wasn't there!

[Dinger]

20. Yeah, Why Did They Take The Clark Group Away??

Good question.

[classysassy]

19. Why isn't Clark

our sec of def.?

[Dinger]

21. Because You Have To Be Retired From The Military For 10 Years Before You Can Be

Secretary of Defense. Clark retired in 2000.

[LWolf]

22. Too bad the right people aren't listening. nt