..John Bolton..."I don't do carrots"
Posted on 05/01/2005 5:54:01 PM PDT by smoothsailing
Now, John Bolton's nomination to be United Nations ambassador is in serious jeopardy, according to the senators who oppose him, because he's not nice enough. But do we really want to add nastiness to the list of disqualifications?
If we did, America's most effective diplomatists would have been kicked out of office. Dean Acheson, Henry Kissinger, Jeane Kirkpatrick, James Baker III and Richard Holbrooke, among others, were all tough customers. Those are exactly the qualities you need in dealing with the hard cases who rule much of the world. No milquetoast need apply for the post of U.N. ambassador, or any other demanding diplomatic job.
EFFECTIVE, PRINCIPLED
Bolton has been an effective diplomat and bureaucratic operator precisely because he has not tried to win any popularity contests. He has fought for his beliefs, and usually prevailed. In 1991, for instance, he helped push for repeal of the U.N.'s infamous "Zionism is racism" resolution. More recently, he has marshaled an impressive coalition behind the Proliferation Security Initiative designed to stop the spread of nukes. And he did it not by being polite but by being forceful and persuasive.
I don't see eye to eye with Bolton on everything. His animus toward the International Criminal Court -- which led him to antagonize valuable allies because of his insistence that they sign treaties pledging never to refer U.S. soldiers for prosecutions -- seems excessive to me. And he has never been known as a fan of nation-building or humanitarian interventions, which I believe are necessary in the post-9/11 world. But he seems like a good choice to help drain the U.N. cesspool of corrupt bureaucrats and self-serving tyrants, and nothing in his confirmation hearings has led me to think otherwise.
RIDICULOUS ALLEGATIONS I'm not impressed by unverified allegations made by an anti-Bush partisan...
(Excerpt) Read more at pittsburghlive.com ...
Chuck Hagel was on one of the talk shows this morning being his usual difficult self. However, I did notice he seemed nervous when the topic of Bolton came up.
I'm inclined to view that as a positive sign.
Initally,socalled conventional wisdom was that any delay in confirmation would sink Bolton.
The delay has shown the pettiness and partisan deceit of the Democrats.
Even Hagel and other squishy Rs must feel stupid to have been so easily duped.
..John Bolton..."I don't do carrots"
Hagel is LOST at see.
SHAZZAM! PERFECT!
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