Wesley Clark Admits Targeting Civilians In Yugoslavia

[not systems]

In a Democracy Now! exclusive, General Wesley Clark responds for the first time to in-depth questions
about his targeting of civilian infrastructure in Yugoslavia, his bombing of Radio Television Serbia, the use
of cluster bombs and depleted uranium, the speeding-up of the cockpit video of a bombing of a passenger
train to make it appear as though it was an accident and other decisions he made and orders he gave as
NATO's Supreme Allied Commander.


There is a long interview with Clark at:

http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=04/01/26/1632224


I thought this was a very interesting interview and found Clark
very believable and honest about what happened.

There is a transcript and a real audio stream at the above link.

[JohnKleeb]

1. I'll be damned

I am speechless. I opposed that war for the record as well.

[deminflorida]

3. That's right John Kerry you only support wars if it's politically

the right thing to do, like kissing Bush's ass just before Iraq II. Genocide would'nt move you to do anything, that's why your ass is out of politics after this election.

By the way, for the record thanks for clearing that up....

[JohnKleeb]

4. why focus on my candiate?

This is about me and me only, not John Kerry. Sorry but the Kosovo war is very touchy to me.

[seventhson]

2. Wow

thanks

[xultar]

5. Your title does not reflect the content of your post.

HE did not admit targeting civilians. He did say that the television stateion was a legitimate target if it was being used as command and control. Furthermore, he said that the droping of the bombs on the Market were an accident and the Train. HE said that this was looked at by the Hague and other leagal entities and deemed not to be war crimes. You have a misleading headline change it.

NOW.

[DuctapeFatwa]

6. What is the title of the linked article?

when you click the link to the linked article, what title did you see?

[xultar]

7. I said it didn't reflect the Content....

There is no admission in the article.

[DuctapeFatwa]

16. yes, he admits doing it, he just thinks it was the right thing to do

I think you may be looking for an admission in the sense of an admission of wrongdoing, which is not present.

He believes his actions were correct, as do most people who kill civilians, regardless of who pays them to do it.

[Toucano]

26. That's not correct.

He says that the radio station was an approved target and not a case of targeting civilians.

He concedes that it was terrible, but blames Milosovic for ordering the people to stay there when Milosovic had been told the station was an approved target.

The tribunal that investigated appears to have agreed with his position.

[DuctapeFatwa]

32. I am just stating facts, not assessing the popularity of a position

He does admit it, he does believe it was the correct thing to do.

Killing civilians is indeed popular.

There have been no credible reports of victims having returned from the dead due to either their killers' statements on why they believe it was right, or how many people agree.

[not systems]

18. He admits to bombing the TV station.

Claims it was "command and control" and that the Serbs
put the people in it.

He says it was cleared in the Hague so was not a war crime.

I think he makes a good case for point of view.

[Zuni]

34. I think Clark was correct

As a command station, civilians should not have been anywhere near it. The Serbs keeping civilians there is their fault, their wrong. If a journalist was killed while embedded in Iraq, the US Army would be at fault for allowing non combatants to be with the soldiers.

[Toucano]

13. I see people at Democracy Now! learning to write headlines

from Rupert Murcoch's journalism school.

Clark simply doesn't admit to targeting civilians in that interview.

I am glad DN! did the interview, though. I appreciate Clark's frank responses and confession of remorse for the mistakes that happened.

Who better could understand that force must be used only as a last resort.

[BlueStateGirl]

17. I thought he was candid, and admire the fact that he even took

these questions.

I think they need to be asked. But it doesn't change my support.

[not systems]

19. Agreed.

It is a rare politician who will answer questions like this.

Over all it was a positive reflection on Clark's character
that he would even speak on this subject.

[Zuni]

36. The headline wasa made to demonize Clark

and no way reflects the content of the interview.
Democracy Now is roughly the left Wing version of Limbaugh---pure biased trash.

[HootieMcBoob]

9. He also said

that Milosovic was warned that they were going to bomb the place. He said he personally called CNN to tell them. They were told to evacuate. He said they even turned the planes around once for more time. Milosovic ordered those people to stay there. Milosovic is responsible for their deaths. He was using that place to run his war from.

[Forkboy]

11. Geez,no need to get pushy

that's the damn headline on the site linked,not the posters interpretation.

[not systems]

14. That is the title of the segment.

I agree that he made a OK case defending most of it.

The one exception was the bombing of the TV station
and I thought that was not convincing and that he did
admit targeting civilians but claimed it was a "command
and control" target and set up by the Serbs.

I'm not changing the title because it is the title of the
story linked which is certainly from a non right wing site.

[in_cog_ni_to]

20. As I read that article

Milosevic ORDERED those people to stay in the station. Milosevic had been warned. CNN knew about it because CLARK himself called them to get the word out. You are blaming the wrong guy here. Look to Milosevic if you need to blame someone.

[not systems]

31. I am not blaming anyone.

Clark did a good job of defending his point of view.

[TacticalPeek]

21. How can warning the enemy to evacuate a target

possibly be construed to be "targeting civilians"?

And any person who knows what 'yellow journalism' is should recognize a sensationalist, inaccurate headline when they see one. Nowhere in the 'interview' does Clark say anything that remotely resembles 'admitting targeting civilians'. Perhaps someone could cite the sentence they would claim in evidence?


:shrug:

[xultar]

24. Don't even bother, it aint worth it. n/t

[mmonk]

8. old fodder

[not systems]

15. This was recorded this weekend.

Not really that old.

[TacticalPeek]

10. "Jeremy Scahill admits he is wrong and Clark is right."

Gimme a break.

[gWbush is Mabus]

12. WOW!!!

[digno dave]

22. Reality Check

Anyone who thinks horrible mistakes like this cannot be avoided in WAR then they are picnicing in a poppy field 7 days a week.
With that being said, the choice was to let things alone and do nothing or act and counter the "shredding" of human beings by the Serb army. Anyone content with that is free to complain about it, i guess. Just be aware of the consequences of doing nothing.

Also be aware that Kerry and Edwards have more blood on their hands that the General because of their support of the Iraq War that has killed up to 10,000 civilians.

[xultar]

27. Agreed! n/t

[girl gone mad]

23. Clark doesn't come off badly from the interview.

He's open and honest. Do you think he commited a war crime?

I don't know all of the facts of the war in Kosovo, but I know there are a lot of Milosevic apologists on both sides of the aisle.

Also, how could these people have been ordered to stay if they were civilians? Why were they taking orders from Milosevic?

[xultar]

25. No he doesn't but for people who just read the headlines it

is quite an explosive statement.

I have the Clark supporters on it calling and emailing in protest.

[TacticalPeek]

29. Count my dime dropped.

Easy to get through, too.


CONTACT DEMOCRACY NOW!

Call us:
[phone]
Fax us:
[phone]

[xultar]

28. Pics of Albanians welcoming Clark back in 2003

http://photomail.photoworks.com/sharing/album.asp?Key=1%7EFQQ4aBru.cK5TEDyq/XrbLd2K6/AKhYU

[funkyflathead]

30. Another reason not to support Clark n/t

[Zuni]

33. That is absolute nonsense

I read the transcript, and he makes it clear that his actions in the case of the television station was justified, and several other actions were the result of pilot error.
Depleted Uranium is not very dangerous and was used in small amounts in Kosovo, not in large amounts like in the Gulf War.
I think Wes Clark defended himself, answered honorably and shown himself to be correct on this issue.
A war criminal he is not.
He never said he attacked civilians. The Serbian TV station, if used as a military command station, was a legit target and the Serbs were then at fault for having civilians there.

[MoonRiver]

35. War for profit on the basis of lies vs. war to stop genocide

The war in Bosnia Kosovo was the right thing to do. It was very much like ending the near extermination of the Jews in WWII.

[Moderator]

37. Locking

It appears that the title of the article is misleading and does not accurately reflect the interview.