Ex-Diplomat: Bolton Lacks Needed Qualities (mini-barF Alert)

AP on Yahoo ^ | 4/25/05 | Liz Sidoti/Lolita Baldor - AP

[NormsRevenge]

WASHINGTON - A former colleague of John R. Bolton says President Bush's nominee for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations "has none of the qualities needed for that job."

Bolton "has all the qualities needed to harm the image and objectives in the U.N. and its affiliated international organizations. If it is now U.S. policy not to reform the U.N but to destroy it, Bolton is our man," Frederick Vreeland, a former U.S. ambassador to Morocco, said in an e-mail to the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

The administration stood firm Monday in its support of Bolton.

In Crawford, Texas, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said she and Bush believe Bolton is the right person for the job, particularly as the United Nations undergoes change.

"We need a strong voice at the United Nations who can participate in and indeed lead in an extremely important reform debate that is going on now in the United Nations," Rice said.

Vreeland, who worked with Bolton in the early 1990s under the first President Bush, said Bolton "dealt with visitors to his office as if they were servants with whom he could be dismissive, curt and negative."

"He spoke of the U.N. as being the enemy," Vreeland added in the e-mail sent Friday to Delaware Sen. Joseph Biden (news, bio, voting record). The e-mail was first reported by Time magazine. "It is totally erroneous to speak of Bolton as a diplomat."

Adam Ereli, a State Department spokesman, contrasted Vreeland's comments with Bolton's continued support from Rice and Bush, saying, "They know him a bit better than a retired ambassador who worked with him 15 years ago."

Bolton's nomination stalled last week. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee postponed a vote until May 12 after GOP Sens. George Voinovich of Ohio, Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island and Chuck Hagel of Nebraska expressed reservations. The delay came amid new allegations of abusive personal behavior and misuse of his government power.

Since that April 19 meeting, another committee Republican, Sen. Lisa Murkowski (news, bio, voting record) of Alaska, said she believed a delay was appropriate. "It was obvious that members needed more time to look into the nomination," said her spokeswoman, Kristin Pugh.

Murkowski has said she supports Bolton. "I have no reason to think that she'll change her vote," Pugh said.

Committee aides continuing to probe Bolton's background were preparing a list of written questions that could be submitted to him as early as Tuesday, according to a Democratic staff member who spoke on condition of anonymity.

They were also reviewing a letter sent to Sen. Barbara Boxer (news, bio, voting record), D-Calif., by Lynne D. Finney, who worked for Bolton during the early 1980s.

Finney said Bolton tried to fire her. When it was deemed illegal, he retaliated by moving her to a "shabby windowless office in the basement" to force her to quit, she said.

Another State Department spokesman, Tom Casey, said: "We've looked into this. Nobody we've spoken to ... has any recollection of these events."

Also Monday, the State Department and Britain's Foreign Office disputed a Newsweek magazine report that the tough stance of Bolton, then the United States' chief arms-control negotiator, prompted then-Secretary of State Colin Powell to go around him during talks with Iran and Libya last year. Newsweek said Powell acted after British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw complained about Bolton.

Britain's Foreign Office said Straw couldn't recall such a meeting with Powell. Adam Ereli, a State Department spokesman, said the foreign secretary wrote to Bolton when his nomination was announced to say he was looking forward to working together.

[NormsRevenge]

In this photograph provided by 'Face the Nation', Sen. Christopher Dodd (news, bio, voting record), D-Conn., talks about the nomination of John Bolton as ambassador to the United Nations during the taping of 'Face the Nation' at the CBS studios in Washington Sunday, April 24, 2005. Dodd said he believes Bolton should withdraw his nomination, adding 'I think he's going to embarrass the president.' (AP Photo/Face the Nation, Karin Cooper)

[NormsRevenge]

Undersecretary of State John Bolton speaks during a news conference at the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, in this Jan. 24, 2002 file photo. Although presidential nominees are usually approved there have been exceptions and the latest fury surrounding Bolton, picked by President Bush as the next U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, has people wondering if he may be one of those exceptions. (AP Photo/Keystone, Laurent Gillieron, File)

[Pharmboy]

There's a rule that I haved lived by since the Nixon days: the more the MSM attacks a Republican and/or conservative, the better that person turns out to be. Nixon was a patriot and a statesman and was smeared unmercilessly by the usual suspects. I remember it clearly when I was a grade schooler in the fifties (the Helen Gahagen Douglas stuff that my mother used to talk to me about). And it continues after his death.

Tailgunner Joe was perhaps the first the feel their wrath...and now DeLay and Bolton are merely the latest in a long distinguished line.

[baystaterebel]

Former US ambassador to Morocco Frederick Vreeland views the recent bombings in Casablanca as "collateral damage from the U.S. strategy designed to rid the world of terrorism." Vreeland believes that, instead of creating a "vicious circle of repressing terrorism and then being terrorized anew by the scourge this repression is meant to exterminate," the US should not only take "strong security measures but also enlightened actions giving hope for a decent future to the people of Afghanistan, Iraq, Palestine and Israel - and thus to ourselves." Article appeared in the May 20, 2003 edition of the International Herald Tribune. By Frederick Vreeland

[baystaterebel]

http://www.faithandvalues.com/tx/CGNS-7/2/

Heres the link.

[Soul Seeker]

Bolton "has all the qualities needed to harm the image and objectives in the U.N. and its affiliated international organizations. Vreeland, who worked with Bolton in the early 1990s under the first President Bush, said Bolton "dealt with visitors to his office as if they were servants with whom he could be dismissive, curt and negative."

Other people call them employees.

"He spoke of the U.N. as being the enemy," Vreeland added

Then he's a man of good sense.

Adam Ereli, a State Department spokesman, contrasted Vreeland's comments with Bolton's continued support from Rice and Bush, saying, "They know him a bit better than a retired ambassador who worked with him 15 years ago."

Ouch! LOL

Since that April 19 meeting, another committee Republican, Sen. Lisa Murkowski (news, bio, voting record) of Alaska, said she believed a delay was appropriate. "It was obvious that members needed more time to look into the nomination," said her spokeswoman, Kristin Pugh. Murkowski has said she supports Bolton. "I have no reason to think that she'll change her vote," Pugh said.

But if she did she could get a write up in the NYT's and be called a maverick by the LA Times.

Finney said Bolton tried to fire her. When it was deemed illegal, he retaliated by moving her to a "shabby windowless office in the basement" to force her to quit, she said.

The horrors! Almost as bad as having to wear underwear on her head.

Also Monday, the State Department and Britain's Foreign Office disputed a Newsweek magazine report that the tough stance of Bolton, then the United States' chief arms-control negotiator, prompted then-Secretary of State Colin Powell to go around him during talks with Iran and Libya last year. Newsweek said Powell acted after British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw complained about Bolton. Britain's Foreign Office said Straw couldn't recall such a meeting with Powell. Adam Ereli, a State Department spokesman, said the foreign secretary wrote to Bolton when his nomination was announced to say he was looking forward to working together.

Either the meeting happened and Straw wants nothing to do with Powell because he is damaged goods, or they made it up. Either way Powell has damaged himself on this one. Couldn't happen to one more deserving.

[eeriegeno]

Yep Liz and Lolita (even though that sounds like names that I would encounter at a house of horizontal recreation) I think that you may be right? Bolton does not have what it takes to be effective as the US rep to the UN but Kofi Annan is doing a wonderful job there in bringing the world together! sarc/off

[The Spirit Of Allegiance]

[Wally_Kalbacken]

Well - this one smells foul from the get go. I presume the e-mail was sent in the last few days - at least since the committee decision to refer to the full Senate was placed on hold. So - we are to believe that someone with vital information and an inside perspective n Bolton waited until the committee voted to e-mail someone on the committee and then didn't e-mail or copy the majority leader? Un-uh. Unacceptable. I'm sure this comes from one of those foreign service careerists who just wants payback for something Bolton did to him years ago. But to wait until this critical 3 week period leading up t o the committee vote and then say "I have this information which is absolutely critical to your decision and oh by the way I wasn't motivated enough to give it to you in the months since Bolton was nominated."

This is going to be the pattern - somewhere in Washington is a war room for those who are bent on stopping Bolton and you can almost see the Gannt chart of all the little arrows they will unleash, in phased fashion, in their effort to stop him.

If Bolton withdraws or is stopped - Voinovich needs to be taken out of office. Republicans see this over and over again. e.g. Arlen Specter. Need I say more? One of the virtues of conservatives used to be that they ate their young every once in a while to enforce discipline. If Bolton doesn't make it someone has to pay for this. And if Bolton doesn't make it I say leave the position vacant for the next 3 ½ years.

[Mr Ramsbotham]

Bolton "has all the qualities needed to harm the image and objectives in the U.N. and its affiliated international organizations. ..."

You could get the Marquis de Sade to head the United Nations, and he could only make their image better.

[Boazo]

[Howlin]

Listen to Lawrence Eagleburger on Brit's show when it reruns tonight; it's at about the 35 minute mark.

[The Spirit Of Allegiance]

HOWLING LAUGHING WOOOOHOOOOO!!!!!

[Victoria Delsoul]

I didn't recognize the old bugger, lol.

[longtermmemmory]

How about we set this up as Corrupt Kofi in fear of a New Sherrif in town?

Democrats hate Cowboys.

The MSM is so stupid it is beyond conception.

[WOSG]

"He spoke of the U.N. as being the enemy," Vreeland added in the e-mail sent Friday to Delaware Sen. Joseph Biden (news, bio, voting record).

Another strong endorsement for John Bolton!

I'm going to start the "John Bolton Society" We will call ourselves the JBS, and call the UN the enemy ... I never knew what John Birch did for anyone anyway. :-)

[WOSG]

"Tailgunner Joe was perhaps the first the feel their wrath...and now DeLay and Bolton are merely the latest in a long distinguished line."

YUP.

We should make an Honor Roll of those abused by the MSM thusly. Bork, Clarence Thomas, Newt Gingrich, Rick Santorum, Ronald Reagan, Nixon, VP Agnew, VP Dick Cheney, SEn John Tower, Tom Delay, John Ashcroft, ... the list goes on and on...

"I wear their scorn as a badge of honor."
- VP Dan Quayle, one of those so honored by MSM abuse

[pookie18]

Thanks...added all 6 to Today's Toons 4/26/05.