Bolton Blasts U.N. at U.N.

NewsMax ^ | November 10, 2007 | Staff

[2ndDivisionVet]

Former U.S./U.N. ambassador John Bolton returned to U.N. headquarters in NYC on Friday to launch his new book "Surrender Is Not An Option" (Threshold Editions- Simon & Schuster - 486 pgs.)

The controversial U.S. diplomat quit his U.N. post in November 2006 when the Senate Foreign Relations Committee stalled a vote on his nomination. For the preceding 18 mos. Bolton served as UN ambassador under a temporary Congressional recess appointment that was to expire on January 1, 2007. With a Democratic Congress taking office and a rejected nomination likely, Bolton asked President Bush to withdraw his name rather than face an embarrassing defeat on the Senate floor.

Now free from his White House shackles, Bolton pulled no punches as he lectured reporters.

When asked about the chief of the International Atomic Energy Agency (the U.N. atomic watchdog) , Mohamed ElBaradei, who has been actively trying to head off U.S. moves to impose new sanctions on Iran for its refusal to halt its atomic "research" program Bolton said:

"He is an apologist for Iran. His actions have been contrary to Security Council resolutions. He may not think he is a secular Pope, but he thinks he is a secular cardinal who is over and above the member governments. This is a fundamental perversion of the way the IAEA ought to work. I think he is discrediting the IAEA and harming a very important UN agency."

On the potential of U.S. military strike on Iran:

"I always used to say when the President said it was unacceptable for Iran to have nuclear weapons that he was a man of his word. When he said unacceptable, I thought what he meant was unacceptable. What that means is that you have to use military force if there is no other option."

The veteran political operative who grew famous for leading Republican forces in the 2000 Florida presidential vote recount, spoke to an audience mixed with press, U.N. staffers and a sprinkling of diplomats eager to hear his take on U.N. issues and Washington machinations.

He explained that his book was an "effort to describe what happens behind the scenes at the United Nations and the U.S. State Dept. To try and tell the story about how policy is developed on some critical issues," but Bolton insisted that the book is not a "kiss and tell."

While the book has drawn mixed reviews inside the U.N., (the U.N. book store refuses to carry it), outside the world body, critiques seem to fall along partisan lines, republicans generally like it, democrats have called it a "waste of time."

Bolton confessed that on many issues he really does not have a current pipeline into the White House, but he did not shy away from commenting on several key issues confronting the Bush administration.

On turmoil in Pakistan:

"I think that the United States has contributed to some of the instability by implying less than robust support of (President) Musharraf, not because we think he is a Jeffersonian democrat, but because of the strategic interest of insuring that the nuclear weapons don't get out of control."

On Israel's recent strike on a suspected secret Syrian nuclear facility:

"This was some kind of Syrian-North Korean joint venture in the nuclear field....So, it would not surprise me that to avoid inspection at Yongbyon (North Korea) they decided to recreate (a clone) near the Euphrates River (in Syria)....So, I could even see this as a three-way joint venture with Iran, North Korea and Syria."

Bolton chastised the White House for maintaining a "gag" order on any comments pertaining to the Israeli strike:

" The administration, I think, has made a real mistake in not allowing more facts to come out. Because, I think it is undercutting its own argument about North Korea's commitment to giving up its nuclear weapons program."

Neither the office of UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon, nor the State Department would offer any reaction to the Bolton comments though several officials from the US/UN mission did accompany the former ambassador during his United Nations visit.

[2ndDivisionVet]

If Ambassador Bolton isn't the next Secretary of State, there's something wrong in Washington.

[kinoxi]

Hunter/Bolton ‘08.

[Mr. Mojo]

If Ambassador Bolton isn't the next Secretary of State, there's something wrong in Washington.

Something is more than a little wrong in Washington, and has been for a long time.

But yep, watching Bolton fumigate Foggy Bottom would be incredibly satisfying.

[rockinqsranch]

“If Ambassador Bolton isn’t the next Secretary of State, there’s something wrong in Washington.”

I thought there was something wrong in Washington now ;.)

Couldn’t resist. I know what you meant.

Thompson/Bolton ‘08

[canuck_conservative]

... Bolton asked President Bush to withdraw his name rather than face an embarrassing defeat on the Senate floor.

Apparently, surrender WAS an option for John Bolton in that instance.

[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

Now, this is the man who ought to be our leading candidate for 2008! ;)

[lesser_satan]

I like it.

Thompson/ Hunter '08

Secretary of State: John Bolton

SecDef: Congressman John Kline

Secretary of Education (to abolish the department and oversee the transition back to the States being responsible for educaion):Congresswoman Michelle Bachmann

[JoeSixPack1]

...Bolton asked President Bush to withdraw his name rather than face an embarrassing defeat on the Senate floor.

Not for the span of half a heart beat would I entertain the thought that John Bolton phrased that sentence.

[infowarrior]

But yep, watching Bolton fumigate Foggy Bottom would be incredibly satisfying.

I'm not at all sure even *he* can "fumigate" Foggy Bottom sufficiently to render it safe... It might be perhaps better to nuke it, and start over again...

the infowarrior

[cowdog77]

Hunter/Bolton ‘08.”
______________________
What a dream ticket that would be!

[matthew fuller]

"Now, this is the man who ought to be our leading candidate for 2008! ;)"

I agree- I had Draft John Bolton as my tagline for a while, Still think he would be a great candidate and president. When the MoveOns scream and screech about someone, you know it's the right choice! I believe that with the publicity from his book, more conservatives might just come around to a Bolton run.

[kinoxi]

Start using the ‘big stick’ a little bit more IMO. Walking softly has us tiptoeing into a corner.

[freekitty]

Now that would be sweet.

[freekitty]

No, because it would cause real unecessary and false problems for him. He didn’t surrender at all. It anything; it made him a stronger voice.

[kinoxi]

Bolton is good. He seems like an informed straight shot. I like the guy.

[353FMG]

“Start using the ‘big stick’ a little bit more IMO.”

We threw our big stick away right after WWII and replaced it with a cooked noodle.

[Wiz]

We need Bolton to replace Rice for the head of the Department of State.

[kinoxi]

We’ve still got all the advantages we need. We don’t use them adequately in my opinion.

[DoughtyOne]

"I always used to say when the President said it was unacceptable for Iran to have nuclear weapons that he was a man of his word. When he said unacceptable, I thought what he meant was unacceptable. What that means is that you have to use military force if there is no other option."

Well John, all of us heard Bush state that there wouldn't be safe haven for a single terrorist on this planet, but somebody keeps telling Condi Rice to act as if Hamas and Fatah are not terrorist groups.

I guess that's why they seem to be safe.

Smoke and mirrors Mr. Bolton... smoke and mirrors.