I know, I know, not another VP speculation diary, right? Yeah, it's making my head explode too. But after watching former Gen. Wesley Kanne Clark address the Russia-Georgia conflict this evening on CNN's Situation Room I was struck by how perfectly Clark's experience and knowledge match the foreign policy challenges we face today.
As the former Supreme Commander of NATO, Clark is certainly familiar with the intricacies of the dealings between eastern and western bloc countries. Moreover, as the NATO commander during the Bosnian conflict, he is uniquely aware of the regional geopolitics that play in the region that lays between traditional NATO and non NATO states.
Clark's message of multilateral engagement accentuates Obama's call for the same. Today, Clark said:
So, we need to be focusing on not just a U.S. - Russia bilateral relationship, but we need to be focusing on Transatlantic unity in- and using that Transatlantic unity to shape the behavior of Russia. That's one of the areas in which I think the administration has frankly not been as effective in the last seven years as it could've been, because there's been a lot of emphasis on U.S. unilateral relations with Russia and elsewhere and not enough emphasis on Transatlantic unity.
For one, Clark is not afraid to take on the failed policies of the current administration. Nor is he afraid to take on McCain's lack of leadership experience in military situations (as evidenced by the often-mentioned but seldom correctly reported exchange between he and Bob Schieffer earlier this year). But beyond his willingness to be a bulldog and stand up for a new sort of diplomatic foreign engagement, he also backs up his rhetoric with an keenly informed perspective of sensitive political situations and a multipronged action plan.
Well, what has to be done regardless is we've got to get the neutral observers in there. France first proposed this in the cease-fire agreement. I, I think it's absolutely essential. Barack Obama has called for it. We've got to have people on the ground. With all due respect to CNN (chuckles) and, and BBC, we got to have real observers in there who can tell us where the Russian forces are, what they're doing and help us serve as the link to say, to go right back to Moscow and say, say, 'Mr. President or Prime Minster, you said the forces were pulling out, but they've just moved to this village and that village. Get it stopped.' And you've got to have that kind of instant communication from the bottom to the top.
He continues on the economic and legal front:
...we've got to use our leverage - economic leverage, political leverage, legal leverage. Russia's done one heck of a lot of financial damage to Georgia. I think they should be held accountable. Take them to court. I mean, this is a world that has law. And we don't know what the economic consequences of this are, but they're profound.
For the full text and video of the interview, go here:CNN CLARK INTERVIEW
Obama doesn't need a dull white guy from the midwest (Bayh). He doesn't need a governor from a swing state who has only been in office for 2 years (Kaine). He needs a 4 star general with a masters degree in Economics, a former Clinton supporter, from a southern state who not only offsets any of his perceived inexperience or weakness on national security and foreign policy, but is tried, tested, and willing to stand up to the repugs who want to have a credentials battle.
Clark is the clear and obvious VP choice for Obama.
Now, to those of you who say "but I heard he's not going to be at the convention." Do you really think someone like Clark who has spent so much time on the stump for Hillary, now Obama, and numerous congressional races is going to miss this DNC convention? Hell no.
OBAMA/CLARK 08.
Wes we can. Wes Ley Kanne. You Wes A.
Update: See Clark on Fox News (barf) Sunday at 12:30 PM EST/ 11:30 Central