Citizen G'kar: Musings on Earth

March 29, 2005

Bush's Slap at the UN

Bush has a way of bringing talented Americans together to denounce his policies.
At least twice, Bush has drawn criticism from former presidents. This is a dubious distinction since there is an unwritten rule for former presidents not to speak out against a seated president. Both Clinton and Carter have done so. Clinton got criticized by three former presidents for his personal behavior, but Bush drew fire for his presidential duties.
One long time friend of the Bush family said that Bush Sr disagreed with Dubya's plan to invade Iraq and gave the nod for his former National Security Advisor, Brent Scowcroft, to try to dissuade Dubya from invading Iraq.
In April of 2004, former diplomats criticized Bush's Palistinian policies. In June of 2004, former diplomats and military officials criticize Bush's policies that were isolating the US internationally. In October of 2004, security specialists called for a comprehensive review of the Iraqi military and nation building policies.
Now former diplomats criticize Bush's nomination of Bolton as UN Ambassador, a man that has made his career advocating the only purpose of the UN is to serve the US. This man is so arrogant, its only surpassed by Dubya himself.
Washington > Ex-Diplomats to Urge Rejection of Bolton as U.N. Ambassador" href="http://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/29/politics/29bolton.html?th&emc=th">The New York Times > Washington > Ex-Diplomats to Urge Rejection of Bolton as U.N. Ambassador
A group of former American diplomats plan to send a letter to urge the Senate to reject John R. Bolton's nomination to be the next United States ambassador to the United Nations.

[...]
Their criticism dwelt primarily on Mr. Bolton's stand on issues as the State Department's senior arms control official. They said he had an "exceptional record" of opposing American efforts to improve national security through arms control.
But the letter also chides Mr. Bolton for his "insistence that the U.N. is valuable only when it directly serves the United States. "That view, the letter says, would not help him negotiate with other diplomats at the United Nations.



Complete Article
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March 29, 2005
Ex-Diplomats to Urge Rejection of Bolton as U.N. Ambassador
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
ASHINGTON, March 28 (AP) - A group of former American diplomats plan to send a letter to urge the Senate to reject John R. Bolton's nomination to be the next United States ambassador to the United Nations.
"He is the wrong man for this position," the group of 59 former diplomats say in the letter, addressed to Senator Richard G. Lugar, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Mr. Lugar, Republican of Indiana, has scheduled hearings for April 7 on Mr. Bolton's nomination.
"We urge you to reject that nomination," the former diplomats said in a letter dated Tuesday that was obtained by The Associated Press.
The former diplomats have served in both Democratic and Republican administrations, some for long terms and others briefly. They include Arthur A. Hartman, ambassador to France and the Soviet Union under Presidents Carter and Reagan and assistant secretary of state for European affairs under President Nixon.
Others who signed the letter include Princeton N. Lyman, ambassador to South Africa and Nigeria under President Reagan, the elder President Bush and President Clinton; Monteagle Stearns, ambassador to Greece and Ivory Coast in the Ford, Carter and Reagan administrations; and Spurgeon M. Keeny Jr., deputy director of the Arms Control Agency in the Carter administration.
Their criticism dwelt primarily on Mr. Bolton's stand on issues as the State Department's senior arms control official. They said he had an "exceptional record" of opposing American efforts to improve national security through arms control.
But the letter also chides Mr. Bolton for his "insistence that the U.N. is valuable only when it directly serves the United States."
That view, the letter says, would not help him negotiate with other diplomats at the United Nations.
Copyright 2005 The New York Times Company

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