Clark Enthusiasts please go to link and read the whole article and bookmark. :)
The authors DAN CHRISTMAN and CHUCK LARSON are former superintendents of the United States Military Academy at West Point and the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis.
They said "Clark's actions throughout the Kosovo conflict, culminating in his testimony at the Hague Tribunal, could form a chapter in manuals on modern character-based military leadership."Guest Opinion: Gen. Clark's stand vs. Milosevic praiseworthy
Tucson Citizen
snip
The goal of both Annapolis and West Point is to produce leaders of character who can stay abreast of - indeed, who are comfortable with - the many roles modern military commanders are asked to play. Our service academies are also tasked with turning out graduates who embody the highest moral and ethical standards. "Duty, Honor, Country" is the motto at West Point. "Honor, Courage, Commitment" are the core values of the Naval Academy and the Navy. These are the standards that are foremost in the minds of the men and women serving in Iraq right now.
In an age of multilateral modern warfare, it is not easy to live up to these principles. Clark is showing the way for future generations of military officers. When we were superintendents... we each called on Clark to address our students about the complex choices he made during his time as the Supreme Allied Commander of NATO - choices that were among the most delicate and morally wrenching any commander has had to make since the end of World War II. Every graduate of West Point knows the Cadet Prayer, which reads in part: "Make us to choose the harder right over the easier wrong." That is what guided Clark in Kosovo....
The easier wrong would have been to ignore the ethnic cleansing in Kosovo, as we had in Rwanda. Clark knew that the Pentagon would be reluctant to engage. He knew the prevailing military opinion was against intervention. He knew he was putting his career on the line because others opposed his judgment. But he didn't relent. He spoke up and he acted.
And Clark was right. His moral courage was instrumental in stopping another round of ethnic cleansing on the European continent. Despite opposition from the Pentagon and extraordinary restraints imposed by NATO, he held together a 19-nation coalition and brought the conflict in the Balkans to a successful end. Today, Milosevic is in the docket and the Kosovar Albanians are back in their villages.
snip
.... His career models the very values that our service academies seek to instill in 21st century leaders - duty, honor, courage, and commitment to country.
Admiral Chuck Larson, served as superintendent of the Naval Academy for seven years. Lieutenant General Dan Christman served for five years as the Superintendent of the United States Military Academy at West Point. Both men recently retired.
http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/index.php?page=opinion&story_id=010804b5_guestclark
Printer-friendly format
Email this thread to a friend
Bookmark this thread
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
