Posted 10:27 AM by Robert

Opportunism Knocks III

The circumstance occassioning the New York Times' recent upsupported slur that then-President Clinton relieved Wesley Clark of his command of NATO while "apparently unaware that [Clinton] was being deceived by Clark detractors" is heating up. General Clark's "detractors" included Joint Chiefs Chairman Henry Hugh Shelton, Defense Secretary Cohen, Gen. Eric K. Shinseki (Army chief of staff from 1999 to 2003), Gen. Dennis Reimer, and lots of other people. The big problem with assertions that one's critics are mere "deceivers" is that the critics tend to come forward to explain why they are not the deceivers. And then one really gets bogged down.

And so it is coming to pass for Wesley Clark, the Clintons and the New York Times, in the imposing form of retired General H. Hugh Shelton:

"What do you think of General Wesley Clark and would you support him as a presidential candidate," was the question put to him by moderator Dick Henning, assuming that all military men stood in support of each other. General Shelton took a drink of water and Henning said, "I noticed you took a drink on that one!"

"That question makes me wish it were vodka," said Shelton. "I've known Wes for a long time. I will tell you the reason he came out of Europe early had to do with integrity and character issues, things that are very near and dear to my heart. I'm not going to say whether I'm a Republican or a Democrat. I'll just say Wes won't get my vote."

Integrity and character issues? It doesn't seem as though General Shelton agrees with William Safire that Wesley Clark was the four-star general that Clinton fired for being a publicity hog during the Kosovo liberation. Very few people would include being a publicity hog among integrity and character issues.

So let's ask the question again: What, exactly, were the grounds for President Clinton's removal of Wesley Clark?

How about some interviews on the subject with Defense Secretary Cohen, Gen. Shinseki , Gen. Reimer and some of those people who worked for Gen. Clark? Isn't it time those questions got asked?

Link via DRUDGE.

UPDATE