September 12, 2006
John Bolton's brave new world
Are the fatheads at the U.N. testing John Bolton? We haven't withheld our disproportionately large dues entirely, despite what the left might have us believe (even if we did, we'd simply be joining the ranks of perennial deadbeats Japan, China, etc.). Bolton did promise, though, that he'd withhold U.S. funding until much-needed reforms were in place, and he meant it. Bolton's being diplomatic when he says the U.N. is "severely challenged from a management and accountability point of view." What he should say, but won't, is that the U.N. is infested with criminals. If assholes could fly, the U.N. would be an airport; if the U.N. were a U.S. corporation, we'd already have convictions.
UPDATE -- Jim Kouri highlights a new study indicating Bolton's ass-kicking finds plenty of support among Americans. Then again, Democrats, for their part, might not care all that much what Americans think of John Bolton, aye?
Posted by bill at 04:44 PM | Comments (1)
July 24, 2006
Rare clarity from the Democrats
Last week, Ohio Republican George Voinovich spelled out the case for confirming UN Ambassador John Bolton for a permanent position this fall. Although Voinovich's article reads like a college reference letter ("he has demonstrated his ability, especially in recent months, to work with others and follow the president's lead by working multilaterally. In recent weeks I have watched him react to the challenges involving North Korea, Iran and now the Middle East, speaking on behalf of the United States"), his point was an important one: those purported "concerns" about Bolton's "interpersonal skills," "reputation for straying off message," and his "tendency to 'go it alone'" were, and are, nonsense. Voinovich also points out Bolton's confirmation would be "good for the country" because it would end "ambiguity" as to Bolton's standing, and his ability to speak for the U.S.
All this talk of the "good of the country" must've roiled Democrats; Yesterday Christopher Dodd promised a can of Senatorial whoop-ass in the event Bolton is nominated to a permanent spot. "This is going to be a bruising fight," he said, channeling Ted Kennedy. "The problems still persist. Many ambassadors at the U.N. feel he hasn't done a good job there."
For a moment let's look past the Dems' obstructionism because, honestly, what's left to say? The more significant point is one Dodd may not have intended to make: Democrats believe even the conduct of the US Ambassador is accountable to international approval. That is to say, as Bolton himself did last April, that the US is the only member of the UN that is expected to do anything other than advocate on its own behalf.
To borrow from Tony Snow: "Thanks, Senator Dodd, for articlulating the Syrian view."
(H/T: Gadsden Flag.)
Posted by bill at 09:53 AM | Comments (0)
May 17, 2006
Piling on
"Buck buck!" After Monday's speech I suggested the Bush presidency had jumped the shark. And as the conservative chasm widens, the media are lining up to pile on. Writes Howard Fineman: "When George W. Bush stood on the pile of rubble in New York City, many of us thought-or hoped-that we were witnessing a man growing into leadership right before our eyes. And for a while it seemed that way. After all, earlier in his life he had exhibited the ability to grow and change, jettisoning the drinking life, taking seriously the political heritage that the Bush name bestowed upon him. But the personal pattern has not become the political one, at least not so far." CBS' Dick Meyer tosses in the towel (albeit on a presidency he's rooting against): "George Bush has at his disposal none - none - of the tools presidents have used to turn bad situations around: public support, party support or skilled statecraft. He's a lame duck less than two years in to his second term. You are not being governed."
It's hard to disagree with much of it, except the part about Democrats taking advantage of the Republicans problems. Even if it's true the country craves genuine leadership, I have a hard time believing they'll look to Democrats.
Posted by bill at 10:50 PM | Comments (0)
November 14, 2005
Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain
Kofi Annan latest claptrap chastises what he calls a "chorus of misinformation" in advance of next month's World Summit on the Information Society, lecturing people like Senator Norm Coleman for raising false fears over the stated wishes of a Kofi-appointed group to put the Internet under UN's functional control. "Trust us," demands the venal Kofi.
Posted by bill at 09:00 AM | Comments (0)
November 06, 2005
And the U.N. beat goes on....
Never an organization to show any gumption, the United Nations, and more specifically the Security Council, once again showed its toothlessness despite the swirl of criticism surrounding the institution over the oil for food fiasco in Iraq. The former implacable enemies, China and Russia, which more and more resemble the China and the U.S.S.R. of the good old days of the Cold War, joined together to deny even using the word "sanctions" against the murderous Syrian regime.
No surprise here, really, since both China and Russia were knee-deep in dealing, indeed cheating--illegally and against U.N. resolutions-- with Iraq. This U.N. pusillanimity is reminiscent of the many resolutions passed and ignored by Saddam Hussein. It emboldens not only Syria but Iran which now knows, if it hadn't before, that the U.N. won't interfere with its march toward nuclear weapons in the Mideast. It's common knowledge that Israel has long been in the nuclear club but Israel at least has demonstrated some forbearance in the use of such weaponry. Iran is quite another matter. Iranian President Ahamadenejad has already threatened Israel with annihilation and what better method is there than a mushroom cloud or two to accomplish this goal? When the conflagration comes--as it no doubt will and maybe as a pre-emptive Israeli attack, once can be certain Kofi Annan will be aghast, but he shouldn't be. The U.N. will once again have failed.
Posted by Gene Blogger at 10:03 AM | Comments (0)
September 06, 2005
U.N.: Criminal and inept
Keep this on your radar for tomorrow. By the Telegraph's (UK) account, "The United Nations will today be attacked by an independent inquiry as corrupt, incompetent and wasteful in the harshest condemnation it has received since its founding."
Ouch.
Posted by bill at 08:07 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
