“I don't think you can solve what's going on in Iraq unless you can deal effectively with the region and you can't deal effectively with the region if you start with the premise that you can't talk to people who disagree with you.” PeopleIfsThinkingDealsIraqSolveRegionsDisagreePremises Author:Wesley Clark
“I think you have to repudiate torture and I think you have to end what's going on at Guantanamo and you have to live up to American values. Basically you restore - what the American dream brought to the world stage was respect for the individual and the idea that people aren't pawns that rulers can push around but they have rights.” PeopleThinkingWorldIdeasEndsDreamValuesIndividualRightsStageTortureAmerican DreamRulersPawnsAmerican ValuesGuantanamo Author:Wesley Clark
“Once you take yourself off the pedestal, saying, "It's bad for you to torture, but for us, this is our national security, so we're gonna do it". You can't live that way and the United States doesn't need to do it, it shouldn't do it, and I think a Democratic administration, whoever the democratic president is, will repudiate that kind of conduct. I think it was an overreaction caused by a lot of different strains of thought in the administration. I think it was clearly wrong and I think that repudiation, which will come from the United States, will be a key in restoring America's legitimacy.” ThinkingWayNeedsKindDifferentStatesAmericaPresidentUnitedUnited StatesSecurityKeysDemocraticAdministrationTortureNational SecurityStrainPedestalLegitimacyRestoringOverreaction Author:Wesley Clark
“I tremendously admire, and I think we all should, the great work done by our commander in chief, our president George Bush...” ThinkingShouldDonePresidentAdmireChiefsGreat WorkCommandersWork DoneCommander In Chief Author:Wesley Clark
“Well, I don't think riding in a fighter plane and getting shot down is a qualification to be president.” ThinkingWellsPresidentShotsFighterPlanesRidingQualifications Author:Wesley Clark
“I don't think it was a patriotic war. I think it was a mistake, a strategic mistake, and I think that the president of the United States wasn't patriotic in going after Saddam Hussein. He simply misled America and cost us casualties and killed and injured America's reputation around the world without valid reason for doing so. It's not patriotic; it's wrong.” ThinkingWorldWarStatesReasonAmericaPresidentUnitedMistakeUnited StatesCostReputationAround The WorldPatrioticSaddamHusseinInjuredStrategicCasualtiesMisled Author:Wesley Clark
“I don't think it's patriotic to put on a flight suit and prance around on the deck of an aircraft carrier looking for a photo op. We have a president of the United States who did not do his duty to take care of America. If you're patriotic, you do your duty.” IfsThinkingStatesCareAmericaPresidentUnitedUnited StatesDutyTake CareFlightSuitsPatrioticDeckAircraftCarrierAircraft Carriers Author:Wesley Clark
“I think there are some mass destruction capabilities that are still inside Iraq. I think there's some weapons that have been shipped over the border to Syria. But I don't think we're going to find that their capabilities provided the imminent threat that many feared in this country. So I think it's going to be a tough search, but I think there's stuff there.” ThinkingHas BeensStillsCountryStuffWeaponsMassToughDestructionThreatIraqBordersCapabilitySyriaMass Destruction Author:Wesley Clark
“There's no question that Saddam Hussein is a threat Yes, he has chemical and biological weapons. He's had those for a long time. But the United States right now is on a very much different defensive posture than we were before September 11th of 2001 He is, as far as we know, actively pursuing nuclear capabilities, though he doesn't have nuclear warheads yet. If he were to acquire nuclear weapons, I think our friends in the region would face greatly increased risks as would we.” IfsThinkingKnowsLongDifferentStatesFacesUnitedUnited StatesRiskRight NowWeaponsLong TimeThreatNuclearAcquireRegionsChemicalsCapabilityNuclear WeaponsSeptemberSaddamHusseinSeptember 11PostureNuclear WarWmdSeptember 11thBiological Weapons Author:Wesley Clark
“I think there's no question that, even though we may not have the evidence as Richard (Perle) says, that there have been such contacts (between Iraq and al Qaeda). It' s normal. It's natural. These are a lot of bad actors in the same region together. They are going to bump into each other. They are going to exchange information. They're going to feel each other out and see whether there are opportunities to cooperate. That's inevitable in this region, and I think it's clear that regardless of whether or not such evidence is produced of these connections that Saddam Hussein is a threat.” ThinkingFeelsMayHas BeensTogetherActorsOpportunityNaturalClearInformationNormalEvidenceConnectionsThreatIraqContactInevitableRegionsAlsSaddamHusseinBumpsAl Qaeda Author:Wesley Clark
“I think we should be very clear on this. You know, this country was founded on the principles of the Enlightenment... It was the idea that people could talk, reason, have dialogue, discuss the issues. It wasn't founded on the idea that someone would get struck by a divine inspiration and know everything right from wrong. I mean, people who founded this country had religion, they had strong beliefs, but they believed in reason, in dialogue, in civil discourse. We can't lose that in this country. We've got to get it back.” PeopleThinkingKnowsShouldMeanIdeasCountryReasonInspirationBeliefStrongLosesPrinciplesIssuesClearDivineEnlightenmentDialogueDiscourseMean PeopleDivine Inspiration Author:Wesley Clark
“I think we're at risk with our democracy. I think we're dealing with the most closed, imperialistic, nastiest administration in living memory. They even put Richard Nixon to shame.” ThinkingMemoriesDemocracyRiskShameAdministrationNasty Author:Wesley Clark
“I like Hilary Clinton. I think she's - she's a fantastic leader.” ThinkingLeaderClintonFantasticHilary Clinton Author:Wesley Clark
“Veterans have had a long record of leaning towards the Republican Party. I think that's changing. I think that President Obama has the strongest record with veterans among any president in my lifetime.” ThinkingLongPresidentPartyRecordsRepublicanLifetimeStrongestPresident ObamaRepublican PartyVeteran Author:Wesley Clark
