Blackburn Institute

Wesley Clark

US Army General (Ret.)

2006 Frank A. Nix Lecturer

During 34 years of service in the United States Army, 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 entered politics as a Democratic candidate for president of the United States. His campaign won the state of Oklahoma before he returned to the private sector in February 2004.

In his final military command, Clark commanded Operation Allied Force, NATO’s first major combat action, which saved 1.5 million Albanians from ethnic cleansing in Kosovo. He was also responsible for the peacekeeping operation in Bosnia.

Clark’s awards and honors include the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the State Department Distinguished Service Award, the U.S. Department of Defense Distinguished Service Medal, the U.S. Army Distinguished Service Medal, the Silver Star, the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, and Honorary Knighthoods from the British and Dutch governments.  He is the author of two books: Waging Modern War: Bosnia, Kosovo and the Future of Combat (Public Affairs, New York, 2001) and Winning Modern War: Iraq, Terrorism and the American Empire (Public Affairs, New York, 2003).

Clark graduated from the U.S. Military Academy in 1966 and completed two degrees at Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar. He is also a graduate of the Ranger and Airborne schools.  He currently serves in leadership roles with a number of non-profit public service organizations, including the Center for Strategic and International Studies, the Center for American Progress, the International Crisis Group, City Year Little Rock, the National Endowment for Democracy, the United States Institute of Peace, and the General Accountability Office. More information can be found on the website of WesPAC (http://www.securingamerica.com), the political action committee formed by Clark in 2004.