Retired NATO Commander to Speak at Temple

Retired NATO Commander to Speak at Temple

As the United States launches its war on terrorism, Gen. Wesley K. Clark (Ret., U.S. Army), the former NATO Supreme Allied Commander, who retired as one of the nation's most highly decorated officers since Gen.Dwight D. Eisenhower, will discuss "America's Global Strategy" on Wednesday, Oct. 17, at Temple University.

Clark, author of the controversial book, Waging Modern War: Bosnia, Kosovo, and the Future of Combat, will deliver the annual lecture of Temple's Center for the Study of Force and Diplomacy at 2:30 p.m., in Kiva Auditorium, Ritter Hall Annex, 13th St. and Cecil B. Moore Ave., on Temple's Main Campus. The lecture is free and open to the public.

A four-star general, Clark's leadership experiences took him from Vietnam to Latin America and, ultimately, in 1997, to the position of Supreme Allied Commander, Europe, where he led a unified force to victory in Kosovo in NATO's first conflict.

In 1994, Clark had been the military's point man during the negotiations that produced the Bosnia Peace Accords at Dayton, OH. During his time as NATO's commander-in-chief, the Balkans were Clark's main concern, particularly because of the efforts by Serbian president Slobodan Milosevic to subvert the Dayton Accords.

Ultimately, the United States, along with its NATO allies, determined that Milosevic's actions were not only reprehensible, but also a threat to Europe's stability. Thus, in March 1999, Clark oversaw Operation Allied Force, the air war over Kosovo that constituted the first military engagement in NATO's history. After 78 days of intense bombing, Milosevic agreed to withdraw Serbian forces, ending the conflict.

Clark received a Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor, for his outstanding leadership and service in the conflict. He retired in May 2000.

Because of his unparalleled involvement during both the negotiations and war phases of the Balkan crisis, Clark provides a unique perspective on the difficulties inherent in calibrating the balance between force and diplomacy for the purpose of achieving a desirable outcome. He also provides views based on his personal experiences about other difficulties that confront modern-day military, diplomatic and political leaders. These range from the potential for acrimonious civil-military relations to inter-service rivalries to the dangers of conflicting agendas dividing the United States from its allies to the myriad difficulties that impede efforts to destroy terrorist networks.

Moreover, as Clark can attest, waging modern war may well mean placing civilians in harm's way, even as minimizing military casualties is deemed a chief priority. The candor with which Clark addresses these issues is the cause of the controversy generated by his book, and the reason the Center for the Study of Force and Diplomacy (CENFAD) is sponsoring his lecture at Temple, according to Dr. Richard Immerman, chair of Temple's history department and director of CENFAD .

One of the pioneers in leading the U.S. Army into digital technology, Clark was instrumental in developing international military and security strategy in Europe, Latin America, the Caribbean and Africa.

During his military career, Clark served as commander-in-chief of the U.S. Southern Command, Panama, and as director of Strategic Plans and Policy on the Joint Staff, where he oversaw worldwide politico-military affairs and U.S. strategic planning. He trained leaders and soldiers at the National Training Center in Fort Irwin, CA, and in the Battle Command Training Program, where he instructed forces involved in combat operations in Desert Storm.

An armor officer, Clark commanded at every level--from company to division. He was awarded five Defense Distinguished Service Medals, two Army Distinguished Service Medals, the Silver Star, four Legion of Merit Awards, two Bronze Star Medals, the Purple Heart, two Meritorious Service Medals and two Army Commendation Medals.

A native of Little Rock, ARK, Clark graduated first in his class from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and received a master's degree from Oxford University, where he was a Rhodes Scholar. Currently, he serves as a consultant for Stephens Group Inc., an investment banking firm where Clark develops emerging technology companies and brings them to the marketplace.

Founded in 1992 as a division of the history department at Temple University, the Center for the Study of Force and Diplomacy promotes research and sponsors programs designed to construct new theories of statecraft and illuminate the process whereby force and diplomacy are orchestrated to produce peace and security.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:Contact Preston Moretz, 215-204-7476[email protected]

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