Reply #124: The official SOA speech from the Clark Web-site

[Tinoire]

Note the icon linking straight to DU.... So they've been sending people straight to the old DU. The one for DU under Links/Clark Coalition links straight to the new one though. How convenient.


Wesley K. Clark Speeches


1996 Command & General Staff Officer Course graduation ceremony, United States Army School of the Americas, Fort Benning, Georgia -- 16 December 1996


THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT KIND INTRODUCTION. I WISH THAT I WERE ABLE TO GIVE THIS ENTIRE SPEECH IN SPANISH, BUT I CAN'T UNFORTUNATELY. BUT LET ME TELL YOU HOW VERY PLEASED I AM TO BE HERE WITH YOU. IT IS CLEAR THAT THIS IS A VERY SPECIAL OCCASION.

WHEN I LOOK OUT AT THE FAMILIES, AND ALL OF THE FRIENDS OF THE GRADUATES...AS WELL AS OUR DISTINGUISHED BOARD OF VISITORS HERE, THE COMMANDANT OF THE SCHOOL AND ALL OF YOU WHO ARE GRADUATING, IT'S A THRILLING EXPERIENCE TO BE HERE WITH YOU -- TO EXPERIENCE THAT EMOTION AND PRIDE.



I HAVE BEEN IN MY POSITION NOW FOR SOME SIX MONTHS. I HAVE VISITED MOST OF THE COUNTRIES OF THE HEMISPHERE. I HAVE MET SCHOOL OF THE AMERICAS' GRADUATES WHO ARE AIDES TO THE HIGHEST MILITARY LEADERS, AND I HAVE MET SCHOOL OF THE AMERICAS' GRADUATES WHO ARE THE HIGHEST MILITARY LEADERS. I THINK YOU KNOW IN YOUR COMMAND STRUCTURES WHO THE SCHOOL OF THE AMERICAS' GRADUATES ARE AND YOU KNOW THAT THEY ARE RESPECTED.



AND YOU KNOW THAT THAT DEGREE OF RESPECT CARRIES WITH IT RESPONSIBILITIES AND EXPECTATIONS, NOT ALL OF THAT IS EARNED BECAUSE YOU STUDIED HERE...BECAUSE YOU WERE SPECIAL BEFORE YOU CAME HERE. YOUR COUNTRIES CHOSE THEIR BEST TO COME TO STUDY TOGETHER AT SOA. AND YOUR LEADERS WILL EXPECT A GREAT DEAL FROM YOU. BECAUSE THEY REMEMBER THE TACTICS BLOCK THEMSELVES. THEY'LL EXPECT YOU TO IMPROVE ON DOCTRINE AS MANY OF THEM HAVE. AND YOU'RE GOING TO FOLLOW IN THEIR FOOTSTEPS.



WHEN I LOOK AT, AND MEET ALL OF THESE GRADUATES OF SCHOOL OF THE AMERICAS AS I TRAVEL AROUND THE HEMISPHERE, IT REMINDS ME OF A STORY OF A COUPLE OF OLDER

GENTLEMEN:



Dos amigos hacen un pacto solemne. El primero que muera le contara al otro si en el cielo hay futbol. Fallece Jose y una noche baja a jalarle los pies a su amigo Max que despirta espantado. Jose le dice:

"Hombre, no te asustes que soy yo.

Y que quieres, Jose? Si ya estas muerto, el logico que me asuste.

Es que he venido a cumplir con nuestro pacto.

Bueno, y que dices: hay futbol or no?

Pues que te traigo una noticia buena y una mala.

Y cual es la buena?

Que si se juega futbol en el cielo.

Y la mala?

Que empiezas el domingo.



I HOPE THAT NONE OF YOU WILL BE PLAYING FOOTBALL IN HEAVEN TOO SOON, BECAUSE YOU HAVE IMPORTANT WORK TO DO.



IN THE LIBRARY HERE IN THIS BUILDING, THERE IS A SCULPTURE OF FAMOUS GENERAL ORTEGAS OF URUGUAY. AND GENERAL ORTEGAS IN 1816 USED AS HIS COUNTERSIGN "MAY THE URUGUAYANS BE AS KNOWLEDGEABLE AND EDUCATED AS THEY ARE VALIANT."

THIS YEAR YOU HAD A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE IDEAS AND INCREASE YOUR KNOWLEDGE. SOON YOU WILL BE TAKING ASSIGNMENTS THAT WILL TEST YOUR BRAVERY. I WONDER IF I COULD ASK, HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE ALREADY BEEN NOTIFIED THAT YOU HAVE BEEN PROMOTED?

CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU. AND I HOPE THAT SOA HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH THAT. AND I HOPE THAT MANY OF YOU WILL HAVE MANY MORE PROMOTIONS IN THE FUTURE.



I HAVE HIGH HOPES FOR YOUR PERSONAL FUTURES, BECAUSE I CONSIDER ALL OF US A AS A TEAM TOGETHER -- WORKING FOR THE GOOD OF EACH OF OUR NATIONS AND OUR CITIZENS. BUT I HAVE HIGH HOPES ALSO FOR THE FUTURE OF LATIN AMERICA. AND I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE THOSE HOPES WITH YOU.



I THINK THAT TOGETHER WE HAVE SHARED INTERESTS, SHARED INSTITUTIONS, AND SHARED DREAMS. OUR INTERESTS ARE PARALLELED AND EQUIVALENT. A COMMON DESIRE FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH IN OUR COUNTRIES IS STEADY AND STRONG.



TO DEAL WITH THE DEBT THAT WE FACE, EACH OF US IN OUR OWN WAYS, IN AN EFFECTIVE MANNER, TO DOWNSIZE, ECONOMIZE, CUT BUREAUCRACIES, BUT BRING PROSPERITY TO OUR PEOPLE AND NOT LEAVE OUR CHILDREN WITH A LOT OF DEBT TO PAY OFF.

WANT TO SEE OUR CHILDREN HAVE EDUCATION, JOB, A HOME, A FAMILY, AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROSPER. WE ALSO WANT TO LEAVE THEM WITH THE PATRIMONY OF GREAT COUNTRIES, WITH GREAT ENVIRONMENTS.



TODAY WE ARE WORKING TOGETHER TO BUILD THAT ECONOMIC POTENTIAL FOR OUR CHILDREN. REFINING TRADE PROCESSES, BREAKING DOWN BARRIERS, DEVELOPING NEW PRODUCTS AND SERVICES.



ALL OF US IN UNIFORM ARE THE BENEFICIARIES OF THOSE DREAMS THAT OUR NATIONS SHARE. WE ALSO HAVE AN INTEREST IN OUR HERITAGE. SCIENTIFIC, CULTURAL, AND SOCIOLOGICAL STUDIES OF OUR CONTINENT EXPAND OUR KNOWLEDGE OF OUR SHARED PAST AND PRESENT.

ART, DANCE, MUSIC AND LITERATURE SPAN THE CENTURIES TO LINK US IN THE AMERICAS TOGETHER. I THINK I ONLY HAVE TO MENTION THE NAME OF THE DANCE "MACARENA" AND YOU'LL KNOW EXACTLY WHAT I MEAN.



WE ALSO HAVE A COMMON RELIGIOUS HERITAGE, WHICH STRENGTHENS OUR NATIONS AND OUR CULTURES. AND BECAUSE WE HAVE THESE COMMON INTERESTS AND HERITAGE, I THINK WE TEND TO BUILD SIMILAR INSTITUTIONS.



INSTITUTIONS LIKE COURTS, JUDICIARIES, LEGISLATIVE BRANCHES -- AS WELL AS TRADE UNIONS, STUDENT GROUPS, PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS OF DOCTORS, TEACHERS AND LAWYERS. THE GROUPINGS OF GOOD PEOPLE WHO WORK TOWARD THE BETTERMENT OF CONDITIONS FOR EVERYBODY.



AND OF COURSE WE TEND TO BUILD SIMILAR MILITARY INSTITUTIONS COMMITTED TO SERVICE UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF DEMOCRATICALLY ELECTED GOVERNMENTS -- PROFESSIONAL, COMPETENT, PATRIOTIC AND LOYAL.



I'VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF VISITING MANY OF THE MILITARY LEADERS IN THIS REGION AND THEY'RE VERY IMPRESSIVE. I'VE BEEN PARTICULARLY IMPRESSED BY THE ENORMOUS PROGRESS THAT HAS BEEN MADE IN THE PREPARATION AND EXECUTION OF PEACEKEEPING MISSIONS.

WORKING TOGETHER WITH THE OTHER GUARANTORS ON THE BORDER BETWEEN PERU AND ECUADOR, OR SENDING SOLDIERS FROM OUR COUNTRIES FAR ABROAD, IN AFRICA TO HELP WHERE THERE IS A REQUIREMENT FOR COURAGE, PROFESSIONALISM AND SELFLESSNESS IN THE PROTECTION OF OTHERS.



WE ALSO WORK TOGETHER IN THIS REGION BUILDING ROADS, SCHOOLS, CLINICS, WELLS -- OR IN TIMES OF EMERGENCY, RESPONDING TOGETHER TO NATURAL DISASTERS TO AMELIORATE SUFFERING.



WE SHARE VITAL INTERESTS IN INSTITUTIONS WHICH CARRY ON THE FIGHT TO KEEP DRUGS AWAY FROM OUR CHILDREN. WE HAVE MUCH TO LEARN FROM LATIN AMERICA ABOUT FAMILY CLOSENESS AND VALUES -- THOSE VALUES HELP CHILDREN SAY NO TO DRUGS. BUT AS I'VE TRAVELED AROUND, I HAVE ALSO FOUND AN INCREASING RECOGNITION OF THE FACT THAT NO SOCIETY IS IMMUNE TO NARCO CRIMINALS AND THEIR GREED FOR MONEY. WE FACE A HARD FIGHT IN YOUR COUNTRIES AND MINE. WE SHARE THE FIGHT, ALONG WITH MANY OTHER INSTITUTIONS OF OUR SOCIETIES.



IN THE UNITED STATES MILITARY, WE ARE WORKING HARD ON WHAT IS CALLED "JOINTNESS," BOTH AMONG OUR SERVICES AND WITH NON-MILITARY AGENCIES. AND I'M SURE YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT DURING YOUR INSTRUCTION HERE IN THE SCHOOL. IT'S ESSENTIAL TO OUR ABILITY IN THE UNITED STATES TO WORK TOGETHER. I HOPE WE HAVE BUILT THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN MEMBERS OF OUR ARMED FORCES AND ALL OF OUR OTHER INSTITUTIONS THAT ALLOW US TO WORK TOGETHER COOPERATIVELY, SUPPORTIVELY, AT HOME AND ABROAD.



NO NATION CAN PRESCRIBE INSTITUTIONS FOR ANOTHER -- BUT WE CAN SURE LEARN FROM EACH OTHER, AND I'LL TELL YOU THAT IN THE UNITED STATES WE HAVE LEARNED THE HARD WAY THAT WE ARE MUCH MORE EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT WORKING TOGETHER. AS I VISITED YOUR COUNTRIES, I WENT BEYOND INTERESTS AND I WENT BEYOND INSTITUTIONS -- I WENT INTO DREAMS.



DREAMS ARE THE TRADITIONS OF A NEW WORLD -- A WORLD OF FREEDOM. DREAMS THAT ARE BORN OF A TRADITION OF A NEW WORLD -- A WORLD OF FREEDOM. DREAMS OF SELF-GOVERNMENT AND DEMOCRACY.



OUR FOUNDING FATHERS IN THE UNITED STATES AND IN MANY COUNTRIES IN AMERICA DREW FROM A COMMON INSPIRATION. THAT INSPIRATION WAS CLASSICAL EDUCATION. IT WAS THE DEMOCRATIC EXPERIENCE OF THE GREEK CITY-STATE, AS WELL AS THE WRITINGS OF THEORISTS OF THE TIME. MEN LIKE JOHN LOCKE AND JEAN JACQUES ROUSSEAU.



TOGETHER, WE SHARE THAT SPIRIT AND THAT DREAM OF FREEDOM. FREEDOM FROM THE OLD WORLD AND ITS QUARRELS. FREEDOM FROM FEAR. FREEDOM TO CROSS BORDERS IN FRIENDSHIP TO CONDUCT TRADE.

WE SHARE THE DREAM OF DEMOCRACY -- THAT NOT ONLY WOULD WE BE FREE, BUT WE WOULD RULE OURSELVES.



THE GREAT LIBERATOR, SIMON BOLIVAR, MORE THAN 170 YEARS AGO, DREAMED OF A DEMOCRACY ESPECIALLY CRAFTED FOR EACH COUNTRY IN SOUTH AMERICA. "SOLO LA DEMCOCRACIA, EN MI CONCEPTO, ES SUSCEPTIBLE DE UNA ABSOLUTA LIBERTAD; PERO CUAL ES LE GOBIERNO DEMOCRACTICA QUE HA REUNIDO A UN TIEMPO, PODER PROSPERIDAD Y PERMANENCIA."



ONLY DEMOCRACY COULD PROVIDE ABSOLUTE LIBERTY, BUT HE WASN'T SURE DEMOCRACY COULD LAST, CONSIDERING THE EVIDENCE OF THE TIMES. THAT'S THE CHALLENGE THAT ALL OF US ARE FACING, EACH OF US IN OUR OWN WAY.



TODAY BECAUSE DEMOCRACY HAS HELPED US RECOGNIZE TOGETHER OUR DREAMS OF SOVEREIGNTY EACH COUNTRY IS DIFFERENT, WITH ITS OWN NEEDS, CAPABILITIES, RESOURCES. AND EACH COUNTRY MUST DEAL WITH ITS CHALLENGES IN ITS OWN WAY. HOPEFULLY WE CAN RELY ON FRIENDS TO HELP US WHEN WE DEAL WITH OUR CHALLENGES. BUT IN THE PROCESS, WE MUST RESPECT OUR DIFFERENCES AND OUR SOVEREIGNTY.



IT'S DEMOCRACY THAT ALLOWS US TO REALIZE THE DREAM OF PRIDE. PRIDE IS THAT STRONG EMOTION THAT YOU AND YOUR FAMILIES ARE FEELING RIGHT NOW. THAT RESPECT THAT CIVILIANS IN YOUR COUNTRY FEEL FOR YOU IN UNIFORM. PRIDE IS THE FEELING THAT WE SHARE HEARING OUR NATIONAL ANTHEMS. PRIDE IS THE SALUTE FOR OUR FLAGS AND THE FLAGS OF OUR ALLIES.



AND IT'S DEMOCRACY THAT HELPS US FOCUS SQUARELY ON THE CENTRAL DREAM THAT I THINK EACH OF US SHARE -- THE DREAM OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND JUSTICE AS WELL AS FREEDOM. AS IT SAYS IN THE BIBLE IN PROVERBS, "KINDNESS SHOWN TO THE POOR IS AN ACT OF WORSHIP."



GENERAL JOSE SAN MARTIN TALKED OF A DEMOCRACY'S "GREAT RESPONSIBILITY: TO USE FORCE ONLY AS AN INSTRUMENT OF A FREE NATION'S SELF-DEFENSE." AND THAT'S WHY WE WORK TOGETHER SEEKING TO PROMOTE OUR DREAM OF ECONOMIC PROSPERITY.



EL SISTEMA DE GOBIERNO MAS PERFECTO, ES AQUEL QUE PRODUCE MAYOR SUMA DE FELICIDAD POSIBLE, MAYOR SUMA DE SEQURIDAD SOCIAL, Y MAYOR SUMA DE ESTABILIDAD POLITICA.



TO GIVE THEM THE ADVANTAGES THAT ONLY THE MOST PROSPEROUS CAN AFFORD IN OUR SOCIETIES TODAY, TO HELP PEOPLE ENJOY THE ULTIMATE FREEDOM, WE AS INDIVIDUALS HAVE -- THESE ARE THE DREAMS THAT WE AS MILITARY PROFESSIONALS SHARE.



SO AS I TRAVEL THROUGH THE AMERICAS, I'VE FOUND THAT THEY ARE DRAWN TOGETHER BY INTERESTS, INSTITUTIONS AND DREAMS. THEY ARE NOT BONDS OF IRON AND STEEL. THEY ARE BONDS NOT OF LAWS. THEY ARE BONDS OF RESPECT AND HUMAN RELATIONSHIPS. SO I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT AS YOU LEAVE, YOU CARRY WITH YOU THAT RESPECT AND THOSE RELATIONSHIPS IN YOUR HEARTS. I WANT TO EXPRESS OUR APPRECIATION THAT YOU HAVE COME TO THIS COUNTRY TO STUDY AND PARTICIPATE IN OUR SCHOOLS, SO THAT WE COULD LEARN FROM EACH OTHER AND LEARN FROM YOU.

I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR HONORING US BY SHARING YOUR IDEAS AND BY BEING WITH US FOR THE PAST YEAR.



I WANT TO ALSO EXPRESS A SPECIAL NOTE OF THANKS TO YOUR FAMILIES WHO HAVE SO ENRICHED THIS YEAR BY THEIR PRESENCE.



I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING EACH OF YOU AS I VISIT YOUR COUNTRIES. PLEASE TAKE A MINUTE TO SAY HELLO AND TELL ME HOW YOU'RE DOING. TELL YOUR COMMANDING OFFICERS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU BECAUSE I CONSIDER THAT YOU AND I ARE PART OF A TEAM WORKING TOGETHER FOR THE FUTURE OF EACH OF OUR NATIONS. AND I HOPE YOU WILL CONVINCE YOUR COMMANDERS THAT YOU NEED TO COME TO MIAMI AS A LIAISON OFFICER WITH SOUTHCOM.



AND NOW LET US HAND OUT YOUR DIPLOMAS SO THAT YOU CAN GET HOME IN TIME FOR CHRISTMAS.



AGAIN CONGRATULATIONS AND THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US AT THE SCHOOL OF THE AMERICAS.


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