Clark criticizes Bush on security
Originally published in the Gainesville Sun
Clark criticizes Bush on security
By AMY REININK
Sun staff writer
Retired Gen. Wesley Clark lambasted President Bush's administration on Wednesday for its handling of homeland security in the four years after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and its response to Hurricane Katrina, calling that response "fumbling, inefficient and dangerous."
Speaking to a crowd of a few hundred people on Wednesday at the O'Connell Center, Clark drew on his 34 years of military experience to outline a new strategy for American security that focused mostly on waging a war of ideas.
"You can't win a war of ideas by killing people," Clark said. "I'm not saying you can't use military force. But the relatives of the people you killed, mostly, they don't like you after that. They bear real grudges, and these people have big families over there."
Clark, who made an unsuccessful bid for the Democratic presidential nomination last year, said to improve security at home, the country should stop relying so heavily on the military, win the war on terror ideologically, deal with Iraq "realistically" and "fix national security."
"If you think Katrina was bad, wait until you see a terror event here if we don't fix what was wrong during Katrina," Clark said.
Clark said whether President Bush heeds his advice or not, he needs to find a new course of action in Iraq.
Clark spoke for a full hour, then answered several questions from students on topics ranging from genocide in Africa to his favorite philosophers.
A student who led his question by saying he'd love to see Clark's name on the presidential ballot in 2008 drew wild applause from the audience.
Though Clark only smiled in response, he said during a news conference earlier in the day it's an idea he hadn't ruled out.
