Amy Goodman (Democracy Now!): On the Bolton appointment

[Jack Rabbit]

From Democracy Now!
Broadcast Tuesday August 2

Veteran UN Reporter: "John Bolton is to Diplomacy as Jack the Ripper was to Surgery"
By Amy Goodman

AMY GOODMAN: We're joined in our studio by Ian Williams, U.N. correspondent for The Nation magazine. We welcome you to Democracy Now! . . . Can you talk about your response to the new U.S. ambassador to the U.N.?

IAN WILLIAMS: Well, you listen -- I mean, sometimes when conservatives like him speak, it – we’re looking at a sort of really brutal view of the world. He’s saying the U.S. is number one, and what we do is in our national interests. And I think the real problem is that he takes no account of other nations' interests and, more to the point is, in the case of John Bolton, he doesn't take account of the sort of 70% or so of the American public who disagree with his view of the national interest.

As we’ve seen, he has a very peculiar view, and he’s prepared to bully people, just as he’s been up in the Senate on charges of bullying the State Department officials. He managed to sack the head of the chemical weapons inspectorate organization, because he was – because the chemical weapons inspectors wanted to go into Iraq, and he felt this would interfere. He tried to sack Mohamed El Baradei, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, because he felt he wasn't producing the results he wanted about Iran; and this is even before he’s got to the U.N. He has a long record of trying to use the organization when it suits him and to twist it to sack people, and it’s always in his own peculiar sectarian interests.

AMY GOODMAN: George Voinovich, the Republican Senator from Ohio who cast the vote that meant that the Senate Foreign Relations Committee would not be recommending John Bolton to be the next U.N. ambassador said -- Voinovich said: “I'm truly concerned that a recess appointment will only add to John Bolton's baggage and his lack of credibility with the United Nations. That said, the President has made this decision, and I’ll do everything in my power to support Mr. Bolton as he takes his new position.” What is the feeling at the U.N. right now? Already today, John Bolton is going to give his credentials to the U.N. Secretary General, Kofi Annan.

IAN WILLIAMS: I thought it was very interesting yesterday when Kofi Annan was – He said: “We welcome Mr. Bolton, as we would welcome the other 190 ambassadors.” So, he really puts him in his place. You know, I'm sorry, Mr. Bolton, you are really just the equivalent of the ambassador for -- the permanent representative for Nauru or Palau, or Liechtenstein, no bigger, no less. But, of course, in the real world, that's not true. You’ve got to -- Kofi Annan has to work with the United States. The question is just how much negotiation you can do with John Bolton, because John Bolton is to diplomacy what Jack the Ripper was to surgery.

Read more, watch or listen.

[lyonn]

1. Hopefully Bolton is one more nail

in Bush's coffin. Boxer is e-mailing people to ask them to object to this recess appointment. What Bush arrogance. It appears only a small percentage of americans have the time to see the importance of what this admin. is doing to this country. They ARE struggling. They hear sound bites and fail to hear what is truly happening in Iraq or how we are ignoring the situation in Africa (I wouldn't treat a flea bitten stray dog the way the African's are being treated, babies being denied milk because of rules/location,etc.!

Annan and others may quickly and succinctly put Bolton in his place (in the world). Ya know, fool some of the people some of the time?!

[Demeter]

3. How Many Nails Is It Going To Take?

BushCo is a Mafia of vampires and zombis--undead who require superhuman efforts to stop.

[peacetalksforall]

2. I hope there are thousands of people who will report on his every move.

There should be a world-wide watch team.

Every little 'reform' or 'overhaul' that he screams, orders, manipulates should be examined under the microscope of citizens and their leaders worldwide.

He is no longer secret if we don't want him to operate in secrecy.

Now that we can know what he is doing we will know more about what our imperialist-corporate-born again-hawk leaders are doing.

You are out there, John Bolton, and we will watch you.

This regime has caused a massive self-education movement. Because of the tricks they have played each and everyone of us has learned more about our Constitution, Bill of Rights, branches of the government, and our laws and legal system, including the not so supreme Supreme Court.

We learn every day, all day. They have been getting away with plenty, there only out is secrecy, and this is it. They have their number 1 stealth operator in a very visible position.

Long live our education and our desire for justice and peace.

I pray for a short regime for those who abuse our country, our people, and the rest of the people on this planet.

Bring it on John. Everyone is waiting for you to bring it on. You and your bosses can be stopped.