Clark's 10-minute answer started with an easy-to-consume synposis of
the neocon philosophy mistakenly used by Bush et al. to justify
invasion in Iraq, part of a larger misguided strategy of cleaning up
Middle Eastern countries in the post-Soviet world. Given that strategy
was clearly a mistake, and the president's own recent strategic shifts
confirm that, leaving Iraq now would be equally a mistake, Clark said.
"Once you go in, you've changed the circumstances," he said. A civil
war now exists between Sunnis and Shi'i. The government is not
effective or supported by the Iraqi public. "We never followed through"
with post-invasion reconstruction.
"If we jerk the American troops out right now … what will happen is the
level of violenced will increase." Every nation in the Middle East
would involve itself in a post-U.S. Iraq in an ugly power struggle.
Clark said we are in a period that represents the "last, best chance
for what I call a C+/D- solution." Bush missed his A+ solution (the
Middle East rises up, as one, and thanks the U.S. for bringing western
Democracy to its borders). The only hope to pass the class at all now
is to stay long enough to build stability in Iraq, mostly by creating a
government that works and makes improvements for the vast majority of
Iraqis.
"It might work," Clark said. "It's too early to say it can't happen.
Now we are there, so we have to do what is right for America" in
protecting Middle Eastern allies and U.S. interests in that region.
That is a message of pragmatic reality, not to mention military
know-how. It is one that many on the left in the Democratic Party (even Col. Murtha, apparently) don't want to hear. They are the very same
folks who dominate in Democratic primaries, and that is why Clark will never be president.
Oh, and Clark was asked if he is running for president in 2008: "I haven't said I'm not going to."
