Don't Wait for the Next War

General (Ret) Wesley Clark

Wednesday, 29 Oct 2014 at 8:00 pm – Great Hall, Memorial Union

General (Ret) Wesley Clark was NATO's Supreme Allied Commander in Europe, where he led Operation Allied Force and helped put an end to the Serbian-Albanian conflict in Kosovo. A retired four-star general, he has received many military decorations, including a purple heart and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. General Clark is the author of the new book Don't Wait for the Next War: Rethinking America's Global Mission as well as Waging Modern War: Bosnia, Kosovo and the Future of Combat, Winning Modern War: Iraq, Terrorism and the American Empire, and A Time to Lead: For Duty, Honor, Country. He graduated first in his class at West Point, was a Rhodes Scholar and is currently a senior fellow at UCLA's Burkle Center for International Relations. He serves as chairman and CEO of his own strategic consulting firm and as co-chairman of Growth Energy. World Affairs Series Keynote.

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General Clark previously served in Vietnam, where he commanded an infantry company in combat and was severely wounded. His many honors and awards include the the Defense Distinguished Service Medal (five awards), silver star, bronze star, purple heart, honorary knighthoods from the British and Dutch governments and has received numerous awards from other governments, including France's Commander of the Legion of Honor.

Don't Wait for the Next War - A Summary
Can America have a real national strategy and move forward together without the focus of war? In the twentieth century, America came together to become the "Arsenal of Democracy," and emerged from World War II as the greatest power in the world. We shaped a global civilization in our own values, first with international institutions and our allies, then triumphing over our long-term adversary, the Soviet Union to emerge as the world's lone superpower. But in losing our adversary, America's leadership has foundered. We have not replaced our post-World War II strategic vision with something appropriate for a postwar role.

America's new challenges, global in scope, not amenable to military solutions, require intricate interdependence between government and the private sector. Terrorism, cybersecurity, financial system vulnerabilities, the rise of China, and accelerating climate change constitute a new class of national security challenges' and meeting these will require America to revisit hallowed mythologies and concert domestic and foreign policies in a way which has never before been achieved. All the resources are at hand, but will we have the vision and will to lead? Based on his experience at the highest levels in the military, politics and business, Wesley Clark offers a way forward, if only the American people will demand it of their elected leaders.

In the News
CNN.com (26 Aug 2014) - ISIS is forcing a 'moment of truth'
The Guardian (31 Aug 2014) - We need to tell the truth about what Russia is doing in Ukraine
CNN OutFront (10 Sept 2014) - Obama will signal planned ISIS airstrikes in Syria

Cosponsored By:

• College of Liberal Arts & Sciences
• International Studies Program
• Political Science
• Veterans Center
• World Affairs
• Committee on Lectures (funded by Student Government)