“Legitimacy—First Task for America’s Security”

Wesley Clark’s speech at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, May 16, 2007: “Legitimacy—First Task for America’s Security”

Joe Rothstein’s take…I agree with Mr. Rothstein, “Do yourself a big favor.”  (excerpt)

What We’ve Really Lost in Iraq: Legitimacy

By Joe Rothstein
Editor, USPolitics.einnews.comMay 18, 2007

Do yourself a big favor

Go to http://www.sais-jhu.edu and click on the speech given the other day by retired General Wesley Clark to an audience at the School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University. Clark titled his speech: “Legitimacy—First Task for America’s Security.” Here’s his core argument: For all the military power the U.S. has at its disposal, the nation’s safety and economic strength ultimately depends on maintaining our status as a nation that pursues objectives held in common by most peoples who share the planet:

–The wise and benign use of power
–Defense of human rights
–Protection of civilian populations
–Cooperation with, not intimidation of other nations
–The primacy of the rule of lawAll of that, he argues, has been put into question by our nation’s behavior in Iraq. And the result has “robbed every American” of his or her heritage and made us all less safe and secure….  

Indeed, that was the very argument General Clark made….You can listen to the speech at JU SAIS or at Securing America View a FHA from an attendee plus slide-show of the event.

Also well worth the read, Bob Guttman’s blog, “General Wesley Clark makes sense: Should he run for president?”…restoring legitimacy to the nation? What a concept! YES!