Bush uses loophole to install Bolton to UN post

[StoneMtn]

Bush uses loophole to install Bolton to UN post

CTV.ca News Staff

Updated: Mon. Aug. 1 2005 2:19 PM ET

U.S. President George Bush installed John Bolton as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations on Monday, without waiting for Senate approval.

"This post is too important to leave vacant any longer, especially during a war and a vital debate about UN reform," Bush said.

Bush appointed Bolton to the UN post using a loophole that allows him to make such appointments while Congress is on recess. Under the "recess appointment" Bolton will serve until January 2007, when a new Congress is sworn in.

The nomination process had been stalled for months by Democrats, who are concerned about Bolton's fit in the job, considering his long history of criticizing the UN.

Bush, flanked by Bolton and U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, said Bolton's appointment had been supported by many senators.

"Yet, because of partisan delaying tactics by a handful of senators, John was unfairly denied the up-or-down vote that he deserves," Bush said.

Speaking after Bush, Bolton said he is prepared to work tirelessly.

"It will be a distinct privilege to be an advocate for America's values and interests at the UN and, in the words of the UN charter, to help maintain international peace and security," he said.

Massachusetts Democratic Sen. Edward Kennedy called the move by Bush "devious."

"It's a devious maneuver that evades the constitutional requirement of Senate consent and only further darkens the cloud over Mr. Bolton's credibility at the UN," he said.

On Sunday, Connecticut Democratic Sen. Christopher Dodd called Bolton "damaged goods." He said sending an ambassador to the UN without full congressional approval sends the wrong signals.

Democrats have accused Bolton of abusing subordinates and twisting intelligence to shape his conservative ideology.

Lengthy investigations have not found proof to back these allegations. Witnesses told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that Bolton lost his temper and tried threw his weight around, but Democrats did not prove his behaviour crossed the line to out-and-out harassment.

Bolton, a 56-year-old lawyer, was the top nonproliferation official from 2001-2005. He is a strong advocate of assertive American global leadership, and led the U.S. withdrawal from the International Criminal Court jurisdiction.

© Copyright 2002-2006 Bell Globemedia Inc.

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/1122907156432_63/?hub=TopStories

[Vermontdave]

Thanks, StoneMT, for an avenue to vent.

The president of the country,

(the dude I didn't vote for twice, and, I'll not vote for when he makes a move for a third), should be impeached.

His cabal should be facing charges.

His recess appointment of Herr Bolton should send shock waves throughout the public.

It won't.

For me, personaly, I don't interact with, or really even know, anybody who supports this administration.

Even my brother-in-law, who's one of those weird Boston Irish, kind of conservative, yet liberal Ross Perot voting, first time Bush, second time Kerry voting people don't support them.

It strikes me as very funny, that this admin has succesfully achieved a (temporary) majority.

As long as rational people still think, there is an answer.

Thanks for the rant time, peace.

[Schwa.]

Luckily for you Vermontdave, 2 terms is the max for a US President. He HAS to leave after this term thank the lord!

Buck Fush.

[GWB]

Luckily for you Vermontdave, 2 terms is the max for a US President. He HAS to leave after this term thank the lord!

I don't have to do shit!!! I'm the king of the world and that's how I roll, bitch!!!

the best is yet to come.........

[KarinGarage]

You know what? We need to start a revolution. The democrats would rather sit on the sidelines bitching and moaning like a bunch of sissies about unfair elections and ridiculous nominations than play rough and actually get something done. Don't get me wrong, I believe that the elections were definitely "influenced" by the Bush Regime, but that's exactly why we can't continue to play a rigged game by the rules.

This generation of Americans needs a leader, an MLK Jr., or Gandhi or someone along those lines. Someone to motivate the people into standing up, nonviolently, against what we believe is wrong and unjust. We forget that we, the people, still hold the power, not only in our privilege to vote, but also in that we are the workforce that drives our economy, which in turn feeds the conglomerates which strongly influence, if not control, our government. Strikes and boycotts, walk-outs and sit-ins, are all still very effective ways to get a point across. Throw a wrench in the way of life for a few people and you'll get things done.

"Stop bitching, start a revolution."

[ggrtrhhrtgg]

somethins happening here,

what it is ain't exactly clear.

[d_rawk]

If the people hold the power, why does this generation of Americans need a strong (politically empowered) leader at all?

Granted, we're not a republic, but in this country we get along quite well with folks at the top who are weak on "leadership" but strong on pragmatism - with only a few exceptions once or twice in the span of the average lifetime.

[ollie]

Luckily for you Vermontdave, 2 terms is the max for a US President. He HAS to leave after this term thank the lord!

[AD]

Shouldn't you be mad at the Constitution? In the Bolton case, Bush just used a tool that was available to him. He didn't create the loophole.

Bolton is a tool though, I was kinda suprised at this news when I heard it.

AD

[d_rawk]

KarinAnnie - forget my previous post. Just re-read yours and realized that what you were saying and what I thought that you were saying, were two different things.

That'll teach me to cruise the board semi-conscious :crazy:

[KarinGarage]

No problem, D_rawk. I was exagerating the power that we hold and just venting, but I get a little upset when I look at all the changes our parents' generation was able to pull off, and, well, it just seems like our generation is afraid to get their hands dirty, so to speak. That's why I believe we need a leader, to show our generation that we can do more than merely whine about Bush administration and the atrocities it commits.

Viva La Resistance!

[timouse]

...from the web page of the Department of State, meet John Bolton.

John R. Bolton

Under Secretary, Arms Control and International Security

Term of Appointment: 05/11/2001 to 06/01/2005

John R. Bolton was sworn in as Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security on May 11, 2001.

Prior to his appointment, Mr. Bolton was Senior Vice President of the American Exterprise Institute (AEI). AEI is a nonprofit public policy center dedicated to preserving and strengthening the foundations of freedom through research education, and open debate.

Mr. Bolton has spent many years of his career in public service. Previous positions he has held are Assistant Secretary for International Organization Affairs at the Department of State, 1989-1993; Assistant Attorney General, Department of Justice, 1985-1989; Assistant Administrator for Program and Policy Coordination, U.S. Agency for International Development, 1982-1983; General Counsel, U.S. Agency for International Development, 1981-1982.

Mr. Bolton is also an attorney. From 1974-1981 he was an associate at the Washington office of Covington & Burling, where he returned as a member of the firm from 1983-1985, after public service at the U.S. Agency for International Development. From 1993 through 1999, he was a partner in the law firm of Lerner, Reed, Bolton & McManus.

Under Secretary Bolton was born in Baltimore on November 20, 1948. He graduated with a B.A., summa cum laude, from Yale University and received his J.D. from Yale Law School.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

for what it's worth, the American Enterprise Institute seems a bit on the neo-con side. Their site (link above) features articles by David Frum, and a review of Newt Gingrich's latest book.

Bolton seems to be a life long foreign affairs guy, and obviously bright enough to hold the job (unlike his boss...) but his affiliation with the AEI tells me that there's not going to be a lot of stunning breakthroughs at the UN any time soon.

thanks for posting this, stone mtn. it's been my experience that jambands tends to scoop the media on a lot of these stories

[Davey Boy 2.0]

Luckily for you Vermontdave, 2 terms is the max for a US President. He HAS to leave after this term thank the lord!

Buck Fush.

Actually the GOP is pushing to introduce legislation that would allow a handful of legislators to bypass that law (and pass any number of their own laws) in times of natural disaster or an attack by a foreign nation (including a terrorist attack). Actually this may already be a done deal...

[StoneMtn]

My favourite part of all this is the fact that Bolton:

..is a strong advocate of assertive American global leadership, and led the U.S. withdrawal from the International Criminal Court jurisdiction.

Nice! This is the guy that decided it was unwise for the USA to submit to the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court. Why would that be? Perhaps because the USA is, hands down, the biggest infringer of international criminal law on Earth?

To me, that is the reason this appointment is particularly scary. This is a guy who has already demonstrated that he doesn’t care what the USA does on a world-scale, as long as there are no legal ramifications for his country.

[Vermontdave]

The 'third term' comment was meant to mean that these bastids will stop at nothing to keep control.

[Vermontdave]

A recess appointment is perfectly justified in a legal sense. No problems there. The problem for me is that dubbleyew insists that a man who said, "There is no such thing as the United Nations...", is now given the top spot (albeit temporary) to speak for the president, the nation and me.

peace