Abstract
Retired General Wesley Clark’s keynote address will discuss broad issues around this year’s theme of Deglobalization: Threats and Opportunities. General Clark, whose Army career spanned 38-years in which he retired as a four-star general and served as Commander of US Southern Command and as Supreme Allied Commander in Europe, is uniquely qualified to discuss the disintegration of the interdependence of nations and nation states as witnessed in several Balkan wars. In addition to this discussion of deglobalization, General Clark will discuss his new initiative, Renew America Together, a non-governmental organization designed to promote and achieve greater common ground in America by reducing partisan division and gridlock. The mission is to revitalize public and political discourse by teaching and promoting civics, citizenship, and civility. This is a timely topic during this period of deglobalization.
Biography
In 38 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. Since retiring from the military in 2000, he has become an investment banker, businessman, commentator, author and teacher. 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. Clark has chaired several public and private companies, and is a progressive leader in pursuing energy solutions.
Clark graduated first in his class at West Point and completed degrees in philosophy, politics and economics at Oxford University (B.A. and M.A.) as a Rhodes Scholar. While serving in Vietnam, he commanded an infantry company in combat, where he was severely wounded and evacuated home on a stretcher. He commanded at the battalion, brigade and division level, and served in a number of significant staff positions, including service as the Director Strategic Plans and Policy (J-5). Clark finished his career as NATO commander and Supreme Allied Commander Europe where he led NATO forces to victory in Operation Allied Force, saving 1.5 million Albanians from ethnic cleansing.
His awards include the Presidential Medal of Freedom, Defense Distinguished Service Medal (five awards), silver star, bronze star, purple heart, honorary knighthoods from the British and Dutch governments, and numerous other awards from other governments, including award of Commander of the Legion of Honor (France).
The author of three books, “Waging Modern War: Bosnia, Kosovo and the Future of Combat,” “Winning Modern War: Iraq, Terrorism and the American Empire” and “A Time to Lead: For Duty, Honor, Country,” Clark also serves as Chairman/CEO of Wesley K. Clark & Associates, a strategic consulting firm, and Co-Chairman of Growth Energy.
