Wesley Clark on the Man Cow Show...wow

[sacp81170a]

In SAC we used to recall fondly the days of Curtis LeMay. He was one of the last actual warriors who had something like political clout. Of course, he is villified and his name has become a curse word in many circles. I'm not really surprised that Wesley Clark doesn't know the difference between select fire and semi-auto in the civilian world. He never had to deal with it in the military.

 

[Aguila Blanca]

The paperwork wouldn't get done on time, I suppose. But then who would care?

The paperwork is all prepared by clerks, who are enlisted personnel. The officers just sign it. Most of the time they don't even know what they're signing.

 

[RockyMtnTactical]

He's full of crap. He's a politician and lies for a living. I don't buy it...

 

[bumm]

I think Wesley Clark knew perfectly well that the assault weapons ban didn't have anything to do with machine guns. He's a politician, and he'll say anything he thinks his audience wants to hear.
Marty

 

[spaceCADETzoom]

There's some vaguely Marxist anti-officer stuff on this thread. My 2 cents: If you haven't had both chevrons and bars on your shoulders, maybe you don't have the whole picture?

As for CLark. He's a politician. As are all General officers. Some are stand up guys. But most of us have a healthy distrust of the petty politics in the appointment of high ranking government officials (military, civilian, appointed, elected...)

 

[tamaneko]

I'm gonna have to agree with him being a liar. Clark ISN'T that stupid.

Anti-gun advocates are generally VERY ignorant of guns in general, and it wouldn't really be helping your political cause to gain their support if you happen to know a bit more than them about guns.

 

[thumper723]

I have seen many "warrior" types get pushed out because they were not good at paper pushing. The USMC seems to have less of this, (USN here).

Never worked with the Army enough to see if that is the case there, but advancement by paperwork is too common in the USN and USAF. I have seen many "true leaders" who I would have flown into the gates of hell with be passed over for some guy who can barely pass his annual NATOPS eval (think test to see how well you know/fly the aircraft). Some great leaders make it, but many get parked at LT or LCDR. Perhaps non-command CDR. (O-3, O-4 and O-5 respectively) Which means, while they may be leading in the tactical arena, they won't make it high enough to make a big picture policy difference.


And where do I get one of these enlisted clerks to do all my paperwork for me?

 

[Wheeler44]

Wes Clark supporting a ban on "Assault Rifles" without knowing what they are is as ridiculous as that McCarthy gal wanting to ban "barrel shrouds" you know the "shoulder things that go up"

 

[Cosmoline]

There's some vaguely Marxist anti-officer stuff on this thread.

LOL I wasn't aware the officer corps in the US constituted a social class like it did in old Europe. In fact, the officers and former officers I've known have no .. never mind ;-)

I just don't see that we need to pay any homage to a man because he's managed to get himself some stars as a political general. Certainly, experience in the Pentagon or even in the field is no guarantee that the man will have any sophisticated knowledge of firearms. Though certainly the press assumes otherwise.

 

[SalTx]

Only officers I've known to any extent turned out to be men who slept with their drivers (both male), cowards, lied under oath in court proceedings, were only mariginally superior in soldier skills than the average enlisted man, and nothing but politcal hacks who managed a college degree. The military would function just fine without the lot of them.