http://www.dissidentvoice.org/Articles8/DVNS_Wesley-Clark.htm
The Awful Truth About General Wesley Clark
A Dissident Voice News Service Compilation September 18, 2003 Updated: October 14, 2003
(This page will be updated regularly, so check back often)
When former cheerleaders of war, former warmongers and former war-supporting journalists suddenly become anti-war, it makes me suspicious. It often seems that, for such people, being anti-war is little more than a cynical posture, a way of scoring points by joining the critique of an unpopular war. They appear to be serving themselves, rather than serving the potential victims of war.
-- Brendan O’Neill
Editor's Note: I've long admired Michael Moore's film work and many of his writings, overlooking his often annoying tendency for self-puffery. Outside of his films, books and articles, Moore has spent a great deal of time and money working on issues kindred to progressives. That said, his recent article/letter imploring General Wesley Clark to run for the presidency on the Democratic ticket reveals that Moore has (temporarily I hope) gone plumb stupid. In the PS to his most recent piece, Moore writes: "Thanks for the astounding response to the Wesley Clark letter (and for your kind comments to me). Over 95% of the thousands of letters received favored the General tossing his helmet in the ring. All were passed on to his organization. More to come on the road to removing Bush..."
Clark announced yesterday that he is running for the presidency as a Democratic candidate.
This is even lamer than folks of liberal, progressive, or left persuasion backing the non-liberal Howard Dean this early in the campaign, when clearly there is a genuinely progressive alternative in the form of Dennis Kucinich. Kucinich is only a "long shot" because liberal and so-called progressive groups have made it a self-fulfilling prophecy by reiterating this over and over, while throwing their time and resources into Dean. Given the positions Kucinich supports that Moore would presumably agree with (single-payer health care, universal pre-kindergarten care for all children, a just peace in the Middle East, scaling back the military budget, repealing NAFTA and other investor rights treaties, principled opposition to the war in Iraq, remove US troops from Iraq, emphasis on alternative energy resources, scaling back corporate power, etc.), I would think Moore would be putting a spotlight on and rallying folks to support Kucinich. All of this shows what a pathetic state of affairs the Left is in here in the US.
As a public service, here are links to a number of articles describing the real Wesley Clark, and it ain't pretty. He's a four-star general on account of his commanding ability to kiss the asses of those above him, probably his only skill when you consider what some of his military colleagues have to say (see the CounterPunch articles), and the man is clearly a pathological egomaniac. If any of you have seen his appearances in different settings (during NATO press conferences, giving testimony to Congress, etc.), one can't fail to be struck by the arrogance and pomposity of this twit, who appears on any scene like a pasha, accompanied by a huge entourage of underlings nervously setting the stage and dusting the seats for his genteel derriere in advance of his grand entrance. Can you imagine this man on the White House throne? It makes King George II look mighty appealing by comparison.
If indeed Moore has received thousands of letters thanking him for his article and endorsing Clark to run, then the squalid state of the "opposition" here in America is worse than I imagined. I hope you folks prove 'tis ain't so. Please spread this around, especially to folks you know who think Clark is just peachy. If you agree with all of this, let Michael Moore know what you think. I think this is important given the huge audience Moore has: mike at michaelmoore.com
-- Sunil K. Sharma
DV Editor
Santa Rosa, CA
* Read Michael Moore’s follow up article: "And Now a Chance to Bid Farewell to Mr. Bush"
* Read a Reply to Michael Moore from Rustie Woods: The Bodysnatchers Have Arrived: First Casualty, Documentary Filmmaker
>From: Michael Pugliese <debsian at pacbell.net>
>Reply-To: lbo-talk at lbo-talk.org
>To: lbo-talk at lbo-talk.org
>Subject: Re: [lbo-talk] Moore reaches for the shovel
>Date: Thu, 16 Oct 2003 23:22:25 -0700
>
>On Thu, 16 Oct 2003 22:29:41 -0700, Joseph Wanzala <jwanzala at hotmail.com>
>wrote:
>
>>Michael Moore digs himself a deeper hole
>>
>>By Stephen Gowans
>
> Gowans digs himself a hole here,
>http://www.google.com/search?q=Gowans+Milosevic
>Free Slobodan Milosevic!!!
>... Krsljanin, Sloboda (Freedom Association), Yugoslavia, Coordinator of
>the Board of
>ICDSM; ... Dr. Mart Gorski, Writer, Canada,; Patricia Gowans, Canada;
>Stephen Gowans ... http://www.icdsm.org/files/signedby.htm
>
> The first name above, Vladimir Krsljanin of the SPS, once on
>marxist at yahoogroups.com he recommended reading a book I have in my
>conspiracy theory section. A book recommended by John Birch Society and
>other far right loons, full of the usual crap on the Illuminati, "The
>Unseen Hand: An Introduction to the Conspiratorial View of History."
>--
>Michael Pugliese
>
>
>
>___________________________________
>http://mailman.lbo-talk.org/mailman/listinfo/lbo-talk
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