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Wesley K.
Clark
U.S. Army General (Retired)
Years of Service: 1966-2000
Born: December 23, 1944
(age 62)
Political Party: Democratic
Religion: Catholic
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Born in 1944 in Chicago, Illinois and raised in Little Rock, Arkansas,
Wesley Clark distinguished himself early as an athlete and a scholar,
leading his high school swimming team to a state championship and graduating
first in his class from West Point. In 1966, he was awarded a Rhodes
Scholarship to Oxford University, where he earned a Masters Degree in
Politics, Philosophy and Economics.
During thirty-four years of service in the United States Army Wesley K.
Clark rose to the rank of four-star general as NATO's Supreme Allied
Commander, Europe. After his retirement in 2000, he became an investment
banker, author, commentator, and businessman. In September 2003 he answered
the call to stand as a Democratic candidate for President of the United
States, where his campaign won the state of Oklahoma and launched him to
national prominence before he returned to the private sector in February
2004.
In his final military command, General Clark commanded Operation Allied
Force, NATO's first major combat action, which saved 1.5 million Albanians
from ethnic cleansing in Kosovo, and he was responsible for the peacekeeping
operation in Bosnia.
In previous duty, General Clark was the Commander-in-Chief, US Southern
Command, where he was responsible for all US military activities in Latin
America and the Caribbean. And from April 1994 through June 1996, he was the
Director of Strategic Plans and Policy, J-5, in the Joint Staff, where he
helped negotiate the end to the war in Bosnia. His previous assignments
include a wide variety of command and staff positions, including Command of
the 1st Cavalry Division.
General Clark's awards and honors include the Presidential Medal of Freedom,
The State Department Distinguished Service Award; the US Department of
Defense Distinguished Service Medal;(five awards), The US Army Distinguished
Service Medal(two awards), The Silver Star, the Bronze Star (two awards),
the Purple Heart, and Honorary Knighthoods from the British and Dutch
governments.
He is the author of the best selling book Waging Modern War: Bosnia, Kosovo
and the Future of Combat (Public Affairs, New York, NY 2001) and Winning
Modern War: Iraq, Terrorism and the American Empire (Public Affairs, New
York, NY 2003). General Clark graduated from the United States Military
Academy (B.S.) in 1966 and completed degrees at Oxford University B.A. and
M.A.) as a Rhodes Scholar. He is also a graduate of the Ranger and Airborne
schools.
General Clark currently serves in leadership roles with a number of
non-profit public service organizations, including the Center for Strategic
and International Studies (Distinguished Senior Adviser), the Center for
American Progress (Trustee), the International Crisis Group (Board Member),
City Year Little Rock (Board Chair), the National Endowment for Democracy
(Board Member), the United States Institute of Peace (United Nations Task
Force Member), and the General Accountability Office (Advisory Board
Member). |
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