Posted on 08/25/2005 6:59:49 PM PDT by Kaslin
America's controversial new ambassador to the United Nations is threatening to torpedo 12 months of negotiations on the reform of the organisation.
With only three weeks to go before world leaders arrive in New York to agree the deal, ambassador John Bolton has tabled at least 500 amendments.
n a letter to fellow UN ambassadors, Mr Bolton said the 38-page document might have to be ditched altogether and replaced with a far less detailed alternative. The letter, which was leaked yesterday, asks other ambassadors to remain "open to alternative formats if they help us achieve consensus".
Mr Bolton's intervention has greatly raised the stakes in the search for a deal. America is now effectively asking the world whether it wants a new deal, or no deal.
The agreement was negotiated by all UN members states, but its predictably UN tone seems to have angered the no-nonsense Mr Bolton, a former senior state department official.
Large sections would commit Washington to policies with which it profoundly disagrees. America is being asked to promise 0.7 per cent of its national income for foreign aid; acknowledge the role of the International Criminal Court, which it has not joined; and cut extreme poverty and introduce primary education for all children within 10 years.
America wants the UN to back fundamental reform of the organisation's management structure; to agree measures to fight terrorism and to abolish its human rights machinery.
The ambassador's intervention is precisely what his supporters wanted. American conservatives believe the UN is corrupt and unaccountable. Congress is currently examining a Bill that would cut off American funds unless the UN makes major changes.
Nile Gardiner, an analyst at the conservative Heritage Foundation, said: "Bolton is sending a very clear message that the US is not going to go along with [the UN secretary general] Kofi Annan's definition of reform. Bolton is throwing down the gauntlet to the UN establishment."
Reform # 1. Relocate the UN to Brussels.
Reform # 2. Cut off all US aid to the UN.
Reform # 3. Withdraw from UN membership.
Mr Bolton's intervention has greatly raised the stakes in the search for a deal. America is now effectively asking the world whether it wants a new deal, or no deal....
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Go John!! Since the U.S. really picks up the tab, and does all the dirty laundry for the U.N. (eg Iraq) --- it is time this gutless body of thugs stand up and salute, or get out of the way!!!! (and hopefully out of the U.S.)
He's doing the Presidents work. Good for him. He's doing exactly what needs to be done and the UN thieves aren't going to like it.
"America is being asked to promise 0.7 per cent of its national income for foreign aid; acknowledge the role of the International Criminal Court, which it has not joined; and cut extreme poverty and introduce primary education for all children within 10 years."
No, no, where and where? Compared to the rest of the world, we don't have extreme poverty and we do have primary education for all children. We will determine foreign aid on our own, thank you, without Kofi, Jacques or anyone else telling us what to spend.
Go get 'em Bolton. This isn't a reform plan, it is putting plaster on a collapsing building.
Mr.Bush you picked the right man for the job!
And if Pr. Bush had waited for the Senate to act...who would be minding the store now at the UN?
Thank G-d there's no "President Kerry."
The corrupt little boys and girls in the U.N. were hoping they could shove their smoke and mirrors version of "reform" through before Bolton came in and called BS on the whole mess. John Bolton is DA MAN!!!!
Based on the wailing, it may be that he is putting it up somewhere. Heh, heh, heh.
Well, that's an interesting idea of what constitutes UN reform, isn't it? Is there a part in there about UN employees not allowing bloody-handed dictators to line their pockets while he murders people?
Didn't think so.
The agreement was negotiated by all UN members states, but its predictably UN tone seems to have angered the no-nonsense Mr Bolton, a former senior state department official.
If all UN member states were in on the negotiations, who was negotiating for us?
The right man for the job , no thanks to those Democrat Penisheads in the Senate.
And who was it who worked so hard to keep this man out of the UN. Joe "I want to be president" Biden with his sidekick puppet, Chris Dodd, IIRC.
Inquiring minds want to know... What was Ambassador Danforth doing while all of this nonsense was being "negotiated by all UN members states (sic)"? Did all of this mischief happen after Danforth left? (Didn't he leave early this year? Was his leaving related in some way to his not fighting this, or due to other conflicts with Bush administration policies? And, what did Anne W. Patterson, acting US Ambassador to the UN do about this in the interim?)
I think that the technical term is "Putzheads"... (thanks, Senator D'Amato)
And the democrats were trying everything to help them
John Bolton is DA MAN!!!!
Indeed he is
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