Bolton to Leave UN

John Bolton will not be America’s Ambassador to the UN for much longer. His recess appointment lapses when Congress adjourns, most likely Friday. Unable to muster the support needed to get an up-or-down vote for Senate confirmation, he and the White House have yielded to the inevitable. While he was never quite as bad as some of his critics made out (who could be?), his departure from the UN can only improve America’s image.

The president was less than honest about the situation when he stated, “I am deeply disappointed that a handful of United States Senators prevented Ambassador Bolton from receiving the up or down vote he deserved in the Senate. They chose to obstruct his confirmation, even though he enjoys majority support in the Senate, and even though their tactics will disrupt our diplomatic work at a sensitive and important time. This stubborn obstructionism ill serves our country, and discourages men and women of talent from serving their nation.” A recess appointment is specifically designed to avoid an up-or-down vote in committee, a filibuster and a full Senate vote. It was he who chose this path.

His Excellency the Ambassador, however, was an undiplomatic fellow, who more often than not said unpleasant things as unpleasantly as he could. For example, “There’s no such thing as the United Nations. If the UN secretary building in New York lost 10 stories, it wouldn’t make a bit of difference.” Perhaps not, but if one is going to be a representative to the UN, one might be more effective were one to keep such an opinion private.

This attitude, a swaggering America that barely tolerates other nations, is the hallmark of Bush the Lesser’s administration, and Ambassador Bolton fit right in. Unfortunately for the neo-con-artists, the American people have taken away the administration’s hold over Congress. In so doing, they have made Ambassador yesterday’s man. Then again, he’s the man who announced in Florida in 2000, “I’m with the Bush-Cheney team, and I’m here to stop the count.” Having America represented by a man who helped stop a vote count is bad public relations.

The president could have made another recess appointment and kept John Bolton where he was. However, the law clearly states it would be without a salary. To suggest that the ambassador was only in it for the money would be unfair. More likely, he and the president merely agreed that this isn’t the issue over which to fight the Democrats. Had they demonstrated similar wisdom with regard to attacking Iraq, the entire Bush presidency might have been saved.

© Copyright 2006 by The Kensington Review, Jeff Myhre, PhD, Editor. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent. Produced using Fedora Linux.

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