General Wesley Clark "blast from the past?"

[pippin]

An interesting article from an August 3 1999 in the Guardian (a periodical oft quoted here on DU)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/Kosovo/Story/0,2763,208123,00.html

"if Nato's supreme commander, the American General Wesley Clark, had had his way, British paratroopers would have stormed Pristina airport threatening to unleash the most frightening crisis with Moscow since the end of the cold war.

"I'm not going to start the third world war for you," General Sir Mike Jackson, commander of the international K-For peacekeeping force, is reported to have told Gen Clark when he refused to accept an order to send assault troops to prevent Russian troops from taking over the airfield of Kosovo's provincial capital.

Hyperbole, perhaps. But, by all accounts, Jackson was deadly serious."

interesting.

[QC]

1. Well, it *was* a bit interesting the first 40 or 50 times it was posted.

But not so much now, after being discussed over and over and over in great detail.

Try doing a search under the word "Pristina" and you'll find literally hundreds of posts discussing this incident.

[wyldwolf]

2. Yeah, the past as in yesterday and the day before and the day before that.

... and a few more times recently.

[Pepperbelly]

3. not this AGAIN ...

Read this and then say it's "interesting".

http://antidotal.blogspot.com/2003_09_14_antidotal_archive.html#1063645172520309%5C

[KC21304]

15. Thanks, Pepperbelly, for the link.

I knew the Nation version was not the whole truth but didn't see a full explanation.

At this point I am still supporting Kerry, but am dreaming of a Kerry/Clark team.

[Another Bill C.]

4. I'd take this with a grain of salt.

Per my previous replies on this: General Michael Jackson was second in command of the British unit that killed 14 unarmed civil rights marchers in Derry Ireland in 1972. Along with the rest of the British Army, General Jackson has been lying about this event for over 30 years now. His word is worthless.

[DrBB]

5. Oh cripes do we really have to do this AGAIN???

I'd say it's been done to death. Jeez, Pippin, thanks a lot. x(

[renie408]

6. I learned last week

that Clark people get really testy when you mention Pristina.

[Another Bill C.]

7. It's not Pristina.

I get upset when a scumbag like General Michael Jackson is quoted as though his word had some credibility.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

8. I Had A Co-Worker From Northern Ireland.....

And my only exposure to Bloody Sunday was the song by U2....

My friend explained the incident to me...


It was gratuitous and a tactical and strategic debacle... It galvanized the Northern Irish opposition and radicalized heretofore moderate folks.....

[Pastiche423]

9. What Jackson did

was right and was backed up by his country. Btw, the person doing the quoting was clark.

[Pepperbelly]

10. right?

How can you say that with such assurance?

http://antidotal.blogspot.com/2003_09_14_antidotal_archive.html#1063645172520309%5C

[DemocratSinceBirth]

12. Right

The Brits opened fire on innocent people.... Killed fourteen of them.....Galvanized the resistance..... Radicalized formerly non-political people.....

Right....


Your hatred for Clark has blinded you....


In my best Joseph Welch voice"maam, have you no sense of decency?"

on edit- I can't believe anyone on a progressive bulletin board would defend the actions of the British government that day... It would be like defending American actions at My Lai...

ergo

http://www.larkspirit.com/bloodysunday/

[carpetbagger]

13. Of course what Jackson did was backed up by the UK govt.

British field commanders are given great autonomy in their sectors, unlike U.S. field commanders. That's how their command works.

Note, however, that before Jackson made his decision, the UK command supported Clark's plans. Note also that we used very similar tactics to block Russian movement of reinforcements from Bosnia to Kosovo.

[QC]

11. Yes, but Edwards is nothing more than a front for rich trial lawyers.

See how irritating it is when people mindlessly repeat right wing slanders?

[Donna Zen]

14. As in...

Attack of the Limbaugh-liberals?

Limbaugh is full of shit.

Note: The meme today said "General Sheldon wouldn't vote for Clark." Paula Von Zahn received hers, I just don't know what happened.