Loose Cannon: John Bolton

Understanding the Confirmation

Having deja-vu? Funny, so are we. Bush tapped Bolton to be U.N. ambassador in the spring of 2005, but got some nasty push-back from the Senate. So he did what any good President would do: wait until August and make a recess appointment. That means that Bolton was able to serve without Senate approval — until now. Here’s your tool kit for understanding today’s big issue: John Bolton’s confirmation hearings.

Facts For The Good Fight

ONE — BATTLE GROUND: BOLTON

Put away the white flag. The confirmation of John Bolton as ambassador to the U.N. still remains unclear. On July 25th, Hill-insider mag Roll Call reported “Despite jubilation within conservative ranks following last week’s announcement that Sen. George Voinovich (R-Ohio) would support President Bush’s nomination of John Bolton to remain U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, it remains unclear whether Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) will be able to muster enough support to break an expected Democratic filibuster, Senate aides on both sides of the aisle said.” [Roll Call]

TWO — HE’S UNDIPLOMATIC

And let’s face it: as America’s ambassador to the U.N., that’s kind of a big deal. Late last month, the New York Times reported that “many diplomats say they see Mr. Bolton as a stand-in for the arrogance of the administration itself.” Worse, Bolton’s confrontational tactics have threatened international progress. After a particularly heated discussion with Bolton, Algerian U.N. ambassador Abdullah Baali said the U.S. stance that “you take it or you leave it is not helping the Security Council, and is not helping the cause of peace in the Middle East.” [New York Times] [Jerusalem Post]

THREE — HE UNDERMINES THE U.N.

In March of this year, the U.N. passed a resolution to create a new and improved council on human rights. Only four nations voted against the measure. The U.S. was one of them. When it came to combating the violent atrocities in Sudan, Bolton dragged his feet, as well. In fact, Bolton’s actions were “responsible for failing to hold any senior member of the Sudanese regime accountable for their role in the genocide.” [Boston Globe] [TPMCafe]

FOUR — HE’S OFFENSIVE

This can’t be helpful: Bolton’s got a hot temper. And unfortunately, it flares up at inappropriate times. In 2003, Bolton — then serving as the Undersecretary of State — was asked to leave a series of six-nation nuclear talks after so deeply insulting North Korea. We’re guessing he didn’t learn that in International Diplomacy 101. [Fox News]

FIVE — HIS INFLUENCE IS WANING

Turns out that Bolton’s bullying tactics aren’t producing the desired results. In an interview last month, U.N. Deputy Secretary-General Mark Malloch Brown touched on how Bolton’s cowboy style has widened the rift between the U.S. and other countries — a move that has all but helped America’s influence: “He’s a real force here, but in a way that provokes a lot of reaction and opposition from others,” Malloch Brown said. In the wake of the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003, “what you needed was an ambassador who would heal, not deepen, rifts.” [USA Today] [Progress Report]

People Are Talking

“He is not an easy man to get close to. … Some people have the possibility to build consensus. Others operate in other ways.”

- Greece’s UN ambassador Adamantios Vassilakis [Think Progress]

“The U.S. stand that ‘you take it or you leave it is not helping the Security Council, and is not helping the cause of peace in the Middle East.”

- Algeria’s U.N. Ambassador Abdullah Baali, after a disagreement with Bolton:

“He lives in another world, with this belief that he is morally superior and the U.S. is more moral than all the countries around the world. It is a pity.”

- Peru’s U.N. Ambassador Oswaldo de Rivero:

Power Point

Policy 101: The U.N.

Sure, you know the U.N. charter was drafted in 1945 in San Francisco with the goal of promoting international law, security, development, and social justice. And sure, you know it was founded to succeed the League of Nations, which had failed (miserably) at preventing World War II. But what role does the United States play in all of this? And better yet — what’s John Bolton going to be doing if he gets there? Consider this Policy 101. And no: you won’t be tested on this. [Wikipedia]

THE BASICS

As of 2006, there were 192 nations who held seats in the U.N. Last month, Montenagro became the latest addition to the organization’s ranks. The core of the U.N. is the Security Council. China, France, the UK, Russia, and the US make up the permanent members of the Council. Every two years, 10 temporary members are elected to the council, with five replaced each year. Got it?

THE AMBASSADOR’S ROLE

Basically, he’s our go-to guy for international diplomacy. The ambassador serves as the liason between the U.S. and the United Nations. As a member of the Security Council, the UN ambassador’ works with others on the council to maintain peace and security among nations. Unfortunately, it sounds like Bolton doesn’t exactly play well with others.