Bolton's Disinformation Campaign
John Bolton has apparently lost the battle in the State Department over UN funding. Now he wants a do-over in the U.S. Congress.
A New York Sun article entitled "Bolton Encourages Congress to Tie U.N. Funds to Reform" leaves little doubt about Bolton's message.
Bolton is feeding red meat to his allies on the Hill so that they might accomplish what he couldn’t: withholding U.S. dues from the United Nations. Meanwhile, his superiors are saying something different – but is Congress listening?
The Bush administration's position "has always been to pay the assessed contribution," Mr. Bolton told reporters. "The question will be whether Congress shares that perspective. And the measure, we think, for Congress will be the extent of real reform," he said.
Bolton's boss, Asst. Sec. Kristen Silverberg, has a different take:
"We welcome Congressional attention to the issues. But we oppose any mandatory [financial] withholding legislation that will prevent us from meeting our obligations."
Can we all get on the same page please?
This week, the Hill's most vocal U.N. reform pretenders, including Norm Coleman, Cliff Stearns, and Scott Garrett, made it clear that they will punish the U.N. But given all we're asking the U.N. to do, the progress we've made already on reform, and the opportunities Bolton has needlessly squandered, we're only hurting ourselves.
I'd be delighted to lead a well-dressed and well-educated delegation of right-minded citizens to Bolton's house, pound on his windows and doors and holler at him to knock his shit off.
June 30, 2006 10:51 AM | Reply | Permalink
Big surprise.
How many times have I said this: Bolton's ONLY function at the UN is to start a war with Iran, or, failing that, destabilizing the UN entirely.
Why is this asshole even still there? Because Bush and Cheney want him there, that's why.
July 1, 2006 5:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
What do either of you see in the U.N. You need to ask yourselves these following questions:
1) How much are our annual dues to the U.N.?
2) What accounting or oversight committee reports on the handling of those dues?
3) What has the U.N. EVER done for the U.S.A.?
4) What has the U.N. EVER done for any other country?
5) Who holds the U.N. accountable....themselves?
John Bolton is in the U.N. to give a hard reality check. This organization is corrupt and pointless. We've had more war and more famine and more disease and suffering in this world during the U.N.'s existence than at any other point in history. Am I blaming the U.N. for these things? No - but doesn't it make you wonder how they've been unable to lessen or eliminate at least one of those? The U.N. soldiers stand by as thousands are slaughtered in Rwanda. Tens of millions of dollars for the Food for Oil program were given to Saddam Hussein's sons (for crying out loud) who just squandered it away and basically used it to torture the people even more. Koffi Annan's own son embezzled millions of dollars for his own profit.
Yeah, John Bolton is the weirdo...John Bolton is the one who is making the U.N. suffer. You people need to grow up.
July 5, 2006 5:54 AM | Reply | Permalink
"John Bolton is in the U.N. to give a hard reality check. This organization is corrupt and pointless."
Talk about the pot calling the kettle black...
July 5, 2006 7:15 PM | Reply | Permalink
Seriously...you can do better than that. This is a political discussion board; not the third grade. Say what's on your mind or go somewhere else.
July 6, 2006 8:49 AM | Reply | Permalink
If you can't figure out what I meant, you need to go back to the third grade.
July 7, 2006 3:42 AM | Reply | Permalink