Clark questions legitimacy of Iraq war in campus lecture

[tishaLA]

In a public lecture on Monday, Gen. Wesley Clark expressed to an audience of 150 members of the UCLA community his view that the war in Iraq has legal basis but lacks legitimacy. <...>


Clark, who held the rank of supreme allied commander of NATO and negotiated peace in Kosovo in the 1990s, emphasized the need to use elements of just-war theory when molding American foreign policy. The theory allows for the use of force only as a last resort, for the right intentions, and with a high probability of success.

Elements of the just-war theory such as proportionality, avoidance of civilian casualties, and goals of the maintenance of peace are lacking in the Iraq war, making it illegitimate, he said at the lecture, which took place in the law school.

Clark, who campaigned for the Democratic nomination to run for the presidency in 2004, also questioned the aims of the Iraq war, saying the goal of long-term regional positioning does not constitute just or legitimate war. Daily Bruin

[TheIdiot]

1. no shit

no shit

[Pithy Cherub]

2. Brilliant explanation of the origins and execution of this war

By Wes. It outlines clearly that an illegitimate action will not sustain itself because the motives for the Iraq war did not have moral currency. A national security heavyweight! Clark's conference on terrorism will be a must hear from as well as his intellectual gifts are so needed! :patriot:

[PeaceProgProsp]

3. He thinks it has legal basis, but that it's illegitimate for other reasons?

[Tom Rinaldo]

6. This was a lecture at the UCLA Law School

Clark prefaced his remarks by saying:

"I’m not here today in a political purpose. If you want to see the latest —go to my website and see the speech I gave last week in Alabama. That’s the political side. I’m really here in an academic setting, a policy setting and a legal setting.”

“I think that war and law are two critically important regimes of study and practice in the United States and it’s very difficult to find people who really do the cross walk between the two well.. and yet the failure to do the crosswalk can lead to enormous policy failures”.

There is a masterful and thorough blog about Clark's lecture up now at Clark Community Network. I absolutely urge you to read it:

"Legitimacy, Legality and 1000 Feet of Leverage-- Wes at UCLA"
http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/10663

The blog title comes from this line said by Clark while discussing current tensions with Iran (as recorded in that blog):

WES CLARK:

“We need to keep the threat of Iran in perspective. And in dealing with them we have to realize that we are the most powerful country in the world. We have incredible economic strength. We hold the key to the G-8, the World Trade Organization, International Monetary Fund...the key to advanced technology, energy development—We have that. So when I hear rumors that the President is unable to talk to Iran right now because we don’t have “leverage”...

--- If you have 1000 feet of leverage – do you need another half inch?”

We have 1000 feet of leverage over Iran. We’re completely dominant over the country. Can't the most powerful nation in the world deign to speak to an aspiring regional power?"

[ChairmanAgnostic]

11. wow. speaking the truth still happens on ocassion.

bravo, Wesley.

[blm]

8. He's right. Bush was legally covered BEFORE and didn't need the IWR.

He was covered legally by the original 1991 UN resolution that said Iraq had to answer to the allied forces until time the UN said he didn't.

Since Clinton took the weapon inspectors out in 1998, and Saddam wouldn't let them back in, that gave Bush the cover he needed.

IWR was always just a political divider as it actually carried no weight since Bush was going to go in with or without it.

[Crunchy Frog]

4. Wow, I wish I could see or hear a recording of that.

I don't think I've yet seen anybody address this war from the standpoint of just-war theory, and I think that it is a particularly valid and important way of examining the issue.

Great picture of him BTW.

[Adelante]

5. I hear it was a smash

Double the crowd expected and they had to open a second lecture hall.

[Leilani]

14. And he's not even a lawyer!

;)

[Tom Rinaldo]

7. Actually I think he proved the illigitimacy of the Iraq War

After reading the blog I linked to above, that is what I came away from it with. That is what made his lecture so powerful. He tied everything, and I mean everything, together.

[nealmhughes]

9. Eeeew! An intellectual as a leader! Eeeew!

Someone with international diplomatic experience as well as being a general. Good looking. Totally disqualified from politics. I doubt he even knows how to equivocate, straddle a fence with ease or to care what a focus group says.

:sarcasm:

[Crunchy Frog]

10. Yes. Definitely a very icky thought.

:rofl:

[Auntie Bush]

13. But, he doesn't clear brush

Recommended

[Jai4WKC08]

18. No, but I hear he plays golf

God only knows when he finds time. After the 5am swim every morning, I guess. :shrug:

:kick:

[welshTerrier2]

12. "the goal of long-term regional positioning does not constitute just or legitimate war"

neither does the theft of oil

[Tom Rinaldo]

16. Nope. Not that either. n/t

[evelync]

17. agreed

And I remember how wonderful and hopeful I felt when after Ted Koppel asked Wes Clark during one of the 2004 primary debates whether he wasn"t concerned about controlling Middle Eastern oil, and Clark snapped back somewhat angrily I thought, "I do not need to steal my oil I can buy it on the open market." I sure hope Wes Clark runs. It would be wonderful to have a principled president for a change.

[FrenchieCat]

19. Welcome!

:hi:

[roseBudd]

15. I love the sound of General Clark in the morning, sounds like victory...

Go Wes

[Eurobabe]

20. that's my general.

Kick ass Wes!