[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 13]
[Senate]
[Pages 18850-18851]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



   SENATE RESOLUTION 169--COMMENDING GENERAL WESLEY K. CLARK, UNITED 
                              STATES ARMY

  Mr. COCHRAN (for himself, Mr. McCain, and Mr. Stevens) submitted the 
following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Armed 
Services:

                              S. Res. 169

       Whereas General Wesley K. Clark has had a long and 
     distinguished military career, which includes graduating 
     first in the class of 1966 from the United States Military 
     Academy at West Point and serving in command positions at 
     every level in the United States Army, culminating in service 
     concurrently in the positions of Supreme Allied Commander, 
     Europe and Commander-in-Chief of the United States European 
     Command;
       Whereas General Clark was integral to the formulation of 
     the Dayton Accords;
       Whereas General Clark most recently distinguished himself 
     by his tireless, resourceful, and successful leadership of 
     the first military action of the North Atlantic Treaty 
     Organization despite severe constraints; and
       Whereas General Clark's record of exemplary and dedicated 
     service is an example which all military officers should seek 
     to emulate and is deserving of special recognition: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That (a) the United States Senate commends and 
     expresses its gratitude to General Wesley K. Clark, United 
     States Army, for his outstanding record of military service 
     to the United States of America.
       (b) The Secretary of the Senate shall transmit a copy of 
     this resolution to General Wesley K. Clark.

  Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I am submitting today a resolution which 
commends General Wesley K. Clark for his outstanding service to the 
United States. I am pleased to be joined by Mr. McCain and Mr. Stevens 
as cosponsors of the resolution.
  I was sorry to learn from the Wednesday morning's newspapers that 
General Clark would be leaving his current post, where he serves 
simultaneously as the NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe and as 
Commander-in-Chief of the United States European Command, before his 
tour was scheduled to end. When General Clark retires next year, the 
United States will be losing one of its finest officers. And I say that 
not just because of what he just accomplished in successfully leading 
NATO forces into battle for the first time, but because of the 
exemplary record General Clark compiled over 33 years of service to our 
Nation.

[[Page 18851]]

  Wes Clark graduated first in his class from West Point in 1966, and 
was selected to attend Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar. After 
graduating from Oxford General Clark distinguished himself in Vietnam, 
where he commanded a mechanized infantry company in combat. General 
Clark went on to command two other companies, as well as an armor 
battalion at Fort Carson, Colorado, a brigade in the 4th Infantry 
Division, also at Fort Carson, the National Training Center at Fort 
Irwin, California, the 1st Calvary Division at Fort Hood, Texas, and 
the United States Southern Command, headquartered in Panama.
  I won't list the numerous staff jobs in which General Clark has 
served, but I do point out that General Clark, as the Director of 
Strategic Plans and Policy on the Joint Staff, was integral to the 
formulation of the Bosnian Peace Accords, negotiated in Dayton. In 
reviewing the numerous positions General Clark has held since he 
graduated from West Point, it is beyond question that Wes Clark is an 
officer who has served our Nation well during the last 33 years.
  I recently had a chance to visit with General Clark at his 
headquarters in Brussels. Despite months of getting little sleep, I'm 
told it was about four hours per night, General Clark was able to 
explain to me clearly and in detail our military operations in Kosovo 
and Serbia. His grasp of every nuance of every plan and option, was 
evident, and only reinforced his reputation for thoroughness. Nothing 
demonstrates his reputation for thoroughness and resourcefulness. 
Nothing demonstrates this more clearly than one simple fact: In an 
environment where General Clark was operating under severe constraints, 
he led NATO forces to victory. He was tireless; he was imaginative; and 
ultimately, he was victorious.
  This resolution commends General Clark and expresses the Senate's 
gratitude to him not just because of his recent service, but because of 
his lifetime of service. General Clark deserves recognition not only 
for achieving results, but also for his personal integrity. His record 
of saying what he believes should be said without respect to whether 
that is what other people necessarily want to hear is an example that 
others should seek to emulate.
  General Wes Clark has had a career distinguished by exemplary and 
dedicated service to our Nation. I urge the adoption of the Senate of 
this resolution.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from the great State of Arkansas.
  Mr. HUTCHINSON. Mr. President, first of all, I commend the 
distinguished Senator from Mississippi for the introduction of this 
resolution. I associate myself with his remarks. I note for the Record, 
among the biographical comments that Senator Cochran made concerning 
General Clark, special emphasis on the fact that he hails from Little 
Rock, AK.
  So with my fellow Arkansans, we express our pride at General Clark 
and his exemplary career, the service he has rendered our country with 
great distinction. I commend the Senator from Mississippi for 
introducing, I think, a very important resolution.
  Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I thank the distinguished Senator from 
Arkansas for his kind remarks. We appreciate very much his 
cosponsorship of the resolution.

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