Gen. Wesley Clark (Ret.) spoke for an hour last night in a nearly-packed Hewlett Teaching Center about U.S. foreign policy since the end of the Cold War and about America’s place in the world.

The audience burst into frequent applause as Clark outlined — with candor and dashes of humor — his role in post-Cold War politics and his thoughts on the world today.

Calling the Cold War a conflict that pitted “materialism versus freedom,” the former general candidly assessed the ways the struggle affected U.S. foreign policy.

“We lost our purpose in the world,” he said.

Clark sought the Democratic nomination for president in 2004 but eventually withdrew from the race to support Senator John Kerry (D-MA). The former general is also a West Point graduate, a veteran of the Vietnam War, a Rhodes Scholar and former Supreme Commander of NATO in Europe. He retired from the military in 2000.

As the man responsible for the development of American military strategy in the 1990s, Clark anticipated modern fears of nuclear proliferation, terrorism and regional instability.

“We called it engagement and enlargement. If you got it in your email, you’d think it was a pharmaceutical product for men,” he said, drawing laughter from the crowd.

“All that came crashing down on our heads on Sept. 11, 2001,” he added. “We had no strategy.”

Clark offered a negative assessment of U.S. involvement in Iraq, saying the war has destroyed American credibility around the globe.

“Tremendous damage has been done to the United States,” he said.

Despite his harsh criticism of the Iraq war, Clark nostalgically reminisced about American ideals and was optimistic that Americans could restore their country’s reputation abroad.

“We were the party that did the right thing, not what was in our own interest,” he said. “That’s where we got our legitimacy. We have to find an honorable way out of Iraq and regain our legitimacy.”

The former general also addressed competition with developing nations like China and India, stressing the need for the U.S. to remain competitive and the need for young people to become involved in politics.

When the floor was opened to questions, one audience member identified himself as a UC-Berkeley student, earning low hisses from the crowd.

“Is there any chance you will enter in ‘08?” the Cal student asked.

“I haven’t said I won’t,” Clark replied, to loud applause.

In the question-and-answer session, Clark also addressed the humanitarian crisis in Darfur.

“In Darfur we’ve done nothing,” he said, “and it’s wrong.”