Posted on 04/20/2005 5:57:14 PM PDT by CHARLITE
Caspar Weinberger, James Woolsey, George Shultz, Ed Meese and Max Kampelman among Powerhouse Bipartisan Group Calling for Swift Approval of President's Nominee
(Washington, D.C.): The Senate Foreign Relations Committee is scheduled to vote tomorrow on President Bush's nomination of John R. Bolton to serve as the U.S. Representative to the United Nations. The Center for Security Policy marked the occasion by releasing an updated version of an open letter to Committee Chairman Richard Lugar that it had circulated earlier this month and which has now been signed by ninety-four of America's most accomplished defense and foreign policy practitioners. The signatories' recommendation that Mr. Bolton be confirmed for this position is backed by the decades of experience in international affairs that they collectively have in service at the highest levels of the U.S. government.
The bipartisan group's joint letter makes three main points:
John Bolton is well-qualified, both by background and by temperament, to represent America at the United Nations at a critical time in the organization's history: "John Bolton['s]...tenure as the Assistant Secretary of State for International Organizations during the administration of George H.W. Bush and as Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security during this presidency have honed Mr. Bolton's indisputably impressive intellect and robust diplomatic skills in ways that will serve the nation well at the UN.
His representation will be in the tradition of two of America's best ambassadors to the United Nations: Daniel Patrick Moynihan and Jeane Kirkpatrick: "The sort of assertive representation of U.S. interests that has been the hallmark of such appointees sometimes discomfits other diplomats. History suggests, however, that it can be indispensable to catalyzing constructive change of the kind virtually everyone agrees is needed at the UN."
Criticism of Secretary Bolton lately orchestrated on behalf of a group of retired diplomats is misplaced - and wrong: His views on arms control are identical to those of George W. Bush, the man elected twice by the American people to craft U.S. security policy. They are, moreover, eminently sensible in light of hard experience with countries that cheat and use treaties to wage asymmetric warfare against us. Center President Frank J. Gaffney observed: "Serious national security practitioners from both political parties applaud President Bush?s choice of John Bolton to lead U.S. efforts to make the UN?s purpose once again what it was at its founding - to champion and protect freedom around the world. He is the right man for this tough job at a critical time. The Nation will be well served if the Senate allows him to start doing it at the earliest possible moment."
4 April 2005 (reflecting additional signatures as of 18 April 2005)
Hon. Richard G. Lugar Chairman, Senate Foreign Relations Committee 450 Senate Dirksen Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510
Dear Mr. Chairman:
In the next few days, the Foreign Relations Committee will be considering the nomination of the individual that the President has chosen to represent him and serve the interests of the United States at the United Nations. We write urging early and favorable consideration of the President's nominee, the Honorable John R. Bolton.
John Bolton has distinguished himself throughout a long and multifaceted career in public service and in the private sector. In particular, his tenure as the Assistant Secretary of State for International Organizations during the administration of George H.W. Bush and as Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security during this presidency have honed Mr. Bolton's indisputably impressive intellect and robust diplomatic skills in ways that will serve the nation well at the UN.
As Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has observed, Mr. Bolton will bring these attributes to bear in the tradition of two of the most outstanding of America's ambassadors at the United Nations: Daniel Patrick Moynihan and Jeane Kirkpatrick. To be sure, the sort of assertive representation of U.S. interests that has been the hallmark of such appointees sometimes discomfits other diplomats. History suggests, however, that it can be indispensable to catalyzing constructive change of the kind virtually everyone agrees is needed at the UN.
Some retired diplomats suggest that Secretary Bolton's positions on various controversial arms control treaties should disqualify him from serving at the UN. Their criticism is misdirected. Mr. Bolton's views about each of these accords are identical to those of President Bush. While the signatories are certainly free to oppose the Administration's positions, their differences seem to be with a man twice elected by the American people to design and execute security policies, rather than with one of his most effective and articulate officials in advancing those policies.
We believe, moreover, that the Bush Administration's stances on such treaties reflect a clear-eyed assessment of the real limits of diplomacy with nations that do not honor their commitments, that deliberately conceal their activities so as to defeat verification and that seek to use bilateral and multilateral agreements as instruments of asymmetric warfare against nations like the United States that abide by their treaty obligations. Far from being a disqualifier, this view is an eminently sensible and responsible one in light of past experience.
In short, Secretary Bolton's formidable grasp of the issues of the day, his exemplary previous service to our country and the confidence President Bush reposes in him will make him an outstanding and highly effective representative to the United Nations.
We request that you share this assessment of Secretary Bolton with your colleagues and ensure that it is reflected in the record of the Foreign Relations Committee's deliberations on his nomination.
Sincerely,
William P. Clark, former National Security Advisor to the President; former Deputy Secretary of State
Caspar W. Weinberger, former Secretary of Defense; former Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare; former Director of the Office of Management and Budget
George P. Shultz, former Secretary of State; former Secretary of Treasury; former Secretary of Labor; former Director, Office of Management and Budget
Edwin Meese, former Counselor to the President; former Attorney General
William J. Bennett, former Secretary of Education; former Director, National Office of Drug Control Policy
.....and 90 more, whose names can be read on the web page http://www.centerforsecuritypolicy.org/index.jsp?section=papers&code=05-P_08
Bolton will clean up the UN. The left and Voinvich can't let that happen.
Ping to a distinguished list of Bolston supporters.
Yes it's a distinguished list. Voinovich was bought and paid for I believe.
I doubt it. I think Voinovich is blackmailing the GOP for his vote.
I think Mr. Bolton's diplomatic skills are indeed robust, and it is a pity that some of the Republicans are wavering for reasons that seem unfathomable.
If that is true?
He lost ... because I'm sure I am not the only one who thinks Voinovich should be cut off from any benefits he could have gotten from the RNC/GOP
If Voinovich wants to act like Jim Jeffords .. Then Let Him Join with Jim Jeffords
GET OUT!!!
GET OUT!!!"
My thoughts exactly when I first saw Voinovich speaking in the committee, and then heard Rush play the tape of Jeffords' press conference remarks. Rush alluded to the buzz around Washington that Jeffords has been losing his marbles for awhile.....like wandering into the House chamber back sometime in January or February and not knowing that he wasn't in the Senate! An aide finally had to take him out of the House and point him toward the Senate.
Well .. I'm afraid I suspect that too. I think past experience demands it.
I've heard Voinvich was involved with another committee or something and that was why he couldn't be at the hearings. However, I don't remember his saying what that committee was - so how could we find out ..??
And .. even if it was legit that he couldn't be there - I wonder who suggested to him that he refuse to vote. In his statement he mentioned his good friend - Joe Biden. That's what convinced me he had been pressured by Joe.
But there was a thread - THE BOLTON "SCANDAL" [NRO - Rich Lowry] - which exposed the lady from MOB as a liar. Her boss said she was basically making it up. Evidently her boss has sent a letter to Lugar and the other committee members - so I guess we'll see what they do about that letter and if the dems will choose to support her instead of her boss.
Here's the link for THE BOLTON "SCANDAL"
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1387642/posts
Exactly. And good riddance.
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