Wesley Clark Summarizes the Economic Crisisbr New America Foundation - New America Foundationbr On Wednesday, September 17 retired four-star General and former NATO Supreme Allied Commander, Wesley Clark discussed the serious economic and political challenges that the United States is facing today.Clark began his remarks with a discussion of the United States' current economic malaise. He noted that the world depends on the United States as the engine of global growth, given that the United States economy represents nearly one quarter of the world's GDP and that 70 of that consists of consumption.