Jonah Goldberg posts this letter he received:
Take heart, your vexation at finding Wes Clark an incomparable won't last.The man is an empty suit or I should say uniform complete with four stars. My father and husband were both military officers and I have seen the likes of Wesley Clark many, many times.
Many, many times, eh? I didn't realize that there were that many 4 star generals. And that you see them all the time. Wow. (Aside: In that he achieved that rank must be exceptional, don't you think?)
He is a political officer. That means that his main objective in his career is to be promoted and he will say and do anything to achieve that objective up to and including ruining other officers careers.
Prey tell, whose careers did he ruin? Names, please. If no evidence, why should we believe it?
He was promoted up the line by others of the same ilk. These guys always look good on paper---that means, they went to the right schools (usually the Academies or one of the private military schools), they went to the right wars (known as being in the right place at the right time) and had the right sponsors.
These are supposed to be bad things? That he went to West Point? That he served his country in Vietnam? That his superiors thought he did good jobs?
Even had the right medals.
Uh... that he earned medals like the Silver Star and the Purple Heart are *bad* things?!?
But they are lousy leaders of men and real leaders can spot them a mile away.
So you, whose only qualification seems to be that your father and your husband served in the military, are one of these "real leaders" and General Clark is not?
It is somehow fitting that Bill and Hillary Clinton would sponsor him. I'm sure they see him as one of their people and he is. Vain, shallow, looks good in a uniform and easily manipulated.
Is he really vain and shallow? Where's the evidence other than he was awarded the "right medals."
You will no doubt receive plenty of e-mail from people who have had the occasion to run into or afoul of General Clark. You should also look into his record as Commander during the war in Kosovo. He almost started WWIII but thankfully a British commander wouldn't follow his orders. He didn't do it out of mendacity just good old garden variety stupidity and vanity.
Refusing to execute an order given to you by a superior? You're "thankful" about this? A military person like yourself?
Why does Goldberg repeat this tripe? Oh, yeah, I know... It's 1992, 1994, 1998, 2000 all over again.