Latest news with #WesleyClark
Yahoo
20 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Retired Army General says Trump needs to convince Putin that Russia can't win in Ukraine
Ahead of Donald Trump's summit with Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday, retired U.S. Army Gen. Wesley Clark has said it is vital for the president to convince the Russian leader that he cannot win the war in Ukraine. Speaking on The Record with Greta Van Susteren on Newsmax on Wednesday, Clark, a former Democratic presidential candidate in 2004, warned that Putin would not respond to conventional diplomatic threats. 'We've made so many threats to Russia over the last six months about consequences, and they mostly get postponed,' Clark said. 'And so, I don't know – I hope the consequences will be a restart of U.S. military assistance from the Trump administration to Ukraine. Because really, when you get right down to it, I think the only way you're going to really halt President Putin's territorial ambitions is to convince him he cannot win.' He continued: 'Administration after administration has tried sanctions. Obama tried it. Biden tried it. It hasn't stopped anything and makes it more difficult. The Russians learn to live with it. 'And so putting sanctions on again – it sounds rough and tough. It avoids the threat of use of force, but ultimately it doesn't accomplish much.' As preparations for the Anchorage summit continue, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov has stated that the meeting at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson will be a one-on-one between Trump and Putin, with translators present, and that 'sensitive matters' will be discussed. In addition to the prospect of ending the war, which has raged since February 2022, enhanced economic cooperation and trade between the U.S. and Russia will also be on the table, Ushakov said. Both leaders will take part in a news conference once the summit is concluded, he added, as well as wider talks with their delegations and a working breakfast. On Wednesday, Trump attended a virtual meeting with European leaders, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, to discuss the goals of the summit and establish red lines that cannot be crossed. According to French President Emmanuel Macron, the American emphatically ruled out the prospect of Kyiv being invited to join NATO, a step that Moscow would have interpreted as a deliberate provocation. Trump himself warned afterwards that Russia would face 'very severe consequences' if Putin does not agree to a ceasefire but hinted that a follow-up meeting could be swiftly arranged if Friday's summit proves a success. Zelensky has since joined British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer in London, with the latter reiterating: 'International borders must not be changed by force and Ukraine must have robust and credible security guarantees to defend its territorial integrity as part of any deal.' Putin said on Thursday that Washington was making 'sincere efforts' to resolve the conflict in Ukraine and suggested that a new deal on nuclear arms control between Moscow and Washington could be on the cards.
Bloomberg
4 days ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
Balance of Power Late Edition 8/14/2025
"Balance of Power: Late Edition" focuses on the intersection of politics and global business. On today's show, Retired US Army General Wesley Clark, Former NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe, discusses the potential risks that can result from President Trump's and President Putin's meeting. Kitty Richards, Senior Fellow at the Groundwork Collaborative, discusses the US producer price index showing prices climbing the most in three years as President Trump claims inflation is down to a perfect number. (Source: Bloomberg)
Bloomberg
5 days ago
- Politics
- Bloomberg
Summit Won't 'Turn the Tide' on Ukraine War: Gen. Clark
Retired US Army General Wesley Clark, Former NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe, discusses what President Trump has learned about President Putin during his second term in office, and the potential risks that can result from Friday's meeting. He also suggests that Russian President Vladimir Putin will do whatever is in his best interest while speaking with Trump. Retired US Army General Wesley Clark speaks with Joe Mathieu on the late edition of Bloomberg's 'Balance of Power.' (Source: Bloomberg)
The Independent
5 days ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Retired Army General says Trump needs to convince Putin that Russia can't win in Ukraine
Ahead of Donald Trump 's summit with Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday, retired U.S. Army Gen. Wesley Clark has said it is vital for the president to convince the Russian leader that he cannot win the war in Ukraine. Speaking on The Record with Greta Van Susteren on Newsmax on Wednesday, Clark, a former Democratic presidential candidate in 2004, warned that Putin would not respond to conventional diplomatic threats. 'We've made so many threats to Russia over the last six months about consequences, and they mostly get postponed,' Clark said. 'And so, I don't know – I hope the consequences will be a restart of U.S. military assistance from the Trump administration to Ukraine. Because really, when you get right down to it, I think the only way you're going to really halt President Putin's territorial ambitions is to convince him he cannot win.' He continued: 'Administration after administration has tried sanctions. Obama tried it. Biden tried it. It hasn't stopped anything and makes it more difficult. The Russians learn to live with it. 'And so putting sanctions on again – it sounds rough and tough. It avoids the threat of use of force, but ultimately it doesn't accomplish much.' As preparations for the Anchorage summit continue, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov has stated that the meeting at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson will be a one-on-one between Trump and Putin, with translators present, and that 'sensitive matters' will be discussed. In addition to the prospect of ending the war, which has raged since February 2022, enhanced economic cooperation and trade between the U.S. and Russia will also be on the table, Ushakov said. Both leaders will take part in a news conference once the summit is concluded, he added, as well as wider talks with their delegations and a working breakfast. On Wednesday, Trump attended a virtual meeting with European leaders, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, to discuss the goals of the summit and establish red lines that cannot be crossed. According to French President Emmanuel Macron, the American emphatically ruled out the prospect of Kyiv being invited to join NATO, a step that Moscow would have interpreted as a deliberate provocation. Trump himself warned afterwards that Russia would face 'very severe consequences' if Putin does not agree to a ceasefire but hinted that a follow-up meeting could be swiftly arranged if Friday's summit proves a success. Zelensky has since joined British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer in London, with the latter reiterating: 'International borders must not be changed by force and Ukraine must have robust and credible security guarantees to defend its territorial integrity as part of any deal.' Putin said on Thursday that Washington was making 'sincere efforts' to resolve the conflict in Ukraine and suggested that a new deal on nuclear arms control between Moscow and Washington could be on the cards.
USA Today
09-07-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
Air Force mission in Iran was successful, but we must be clear-eyed as to why
Why invest in the U.S. Air Force? Look at the Ukraine-Russia war. The fact that neither side has air superiority is a significant contributing factor to the stalemate and death toll. The world recently witnessed a visceral demonstration of technological prowess, skill and courage when the U.S. Air Force dropped GBU-57 massive ordnance bombs within inches of their aiming points on Iranian nuclear facilities. As unquestionably successful as the mission was, we must be clear-eyed in how we view the implications. Our B-2 bombers, along with other aircraft, flew deep into Iranian territory without resistance. After suppressing surface-to-air threats ahead of the strike, not a single shot was fired against any of the aircraft as they operated in another country's airspace. In modern wars against adversaries such as China, we know the threat will be much different. In those cases, we know there is no guarantee of the 'air superiority' our crews experienced during Operation Midnight Hammer without significant investment in air power. To understand what it means, and why every American should care, turn your attention to Ukraine, where neither Ukraine nor Russia has superiority in the air. When juxtaposed against the backdrop of the war in Ukraine, the Iranian strike offers an important lesson for national leaders: We never want to fight without air superiority. Despite 1.4 million casualties, Ukraine-Russia war is a stalemate The 3-year-old conflict in Ukraine has settled into a brutal slog as the two nations measure success in incremental gains on the ground and by the unfortunate data point associated with the worst part of war ‒ casualties, both military and civilian. Russia and Ukraine have failed to turn any territorial gain into a strategic victory despite a death and casualty rate approaching 1 million for the Russian military and 400,000 for Ukraine. The fact that neither side has air superiority is a significant contributing factor to the stalemate and death toll. For the United States, by contrast, almost every theory of prevailing in conflict, no matter the circumstance or scale, starts with having – and holding – absolute or near-absolute air superiority. Gen. Wesley Clark: Trump needs to push Putin hard to end war in Ukraine – now Our ability to fly around the globe, enter enemy airspace with multiple aircraft, precisely strike multiple targets and return home without injury to American personnel exists because of air superiority. However, the ability to maintain this condition over a battlefield comes at substantial cost. Built into the cost is the reality that every nation understands how essential air superiority is, which is why ensuring that the United States achieves it and holds it has never been more difficult. US aircraft fleet is the smallest and oldest it's ever been The technology associated with the B-2 stealth bomber is over 30 years old, and we are only able to maintain a fleet of 19 of them due to their cost. A strike like the one against Iran would be hard if not impossible to repeat at scale in a larger campaign, or in a fight against any of our peer or near-peer competitors. Victory would almost assuredly require multiple strike packages. Equally important is this: Technology alone is not a guarantor of success. The men and women who carried out the strike in Iran are the best trained pilots on earth. They don't get to be the best without exquisite training that includes thousands of hours in both advanced simulators and actual aircraft. Those flight hours require fuel, wear and tear on the aircraft, proven instructors and time. Technology without investment in training will nullify the advantage that tech offers. For America to truly take advantage of its hard-earned advantages in technology and training, the Air Force must also recruit the best and brightest our nation has to offer. This isn't just about coming up with trendy slogans that catch the eyes and ears of would-be aviators; it's much harder than that. It's a large organization communicating its value proposition to smart, young Americans who have career options in a competitive job market. We must continue to invest to create a quality of life that inspires those aviators, as well as their families, to continue to serve ‒ not only because it's smart human resourcing, but also because it's the right thing to do for these patriots. We want and need patriots, but patriotism alone will not earn us control of the skies. Your Turn: What is patriotism? Here's what readers told us. | Opinion Forum The Air Force, like our fellow military services, needs sufficient funding. Without enough dollars, the best people and aircraft are not enough. Unfortunately, the Air Force has been underfunded for decades. The aircraft fleet is the smallest and oldest it's ever been. This status raises obvious – and ominous ‒ questions as to whether air superiority is achievable against an advanced, determined adversary. Again, we would be wise to pay close attention to Ukraine and the horrific number of casualties in that war to get an idea of the result if the advantage the United States has historically held in the air begins to shrink. Opinion alerts: Get columns from your favorite columnists + expert analysis on top issues, delivered straight to your device through the USA TODAY app. Don't have the app? Download it for free from your app store. The latest budget released by the White House recognizes the need. It includes investment in the F-47, the Air Force's first sixth generation fighter, among other Air Force critical funding initiatives, all of which contribute to maintaining dominance in the sky. These investments are necessary even at a time of difficult budget choices. To maintain global peace and stability, the Air Force needs to own the skies in a manner that our adversaries understand ‒ like we did in Iran but against much tougher opposition. That is the foundation of deterrence. It is the operational centerpiece of a military service designed to give the president valid and credible options for any circumstance. The cost is high, but so are the risks if we fail. The war in Ukraine highlights this truth every day in a vivid way that is impossible to ignore. Brig. Gen. Allen Herritage is the director of public affairs for the Air Force and Space Force. You can read diverse opinions from our USA TODAY columnists and other writers on the Opinion front page, on X, formerly Twitter, @usatodayopinion and in our Opinion newsletter.
