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"There is no such thing as the United
Nations." - John Bolton

"The Secretariat building in
New York has 38 stories. If it lost ten stories, it wouldn't make a bit of
difference." - John Bolton

Sounds like a positive reform attitude!
crayz | Homepage | 04.28.05 - 10:23 pm | #

Way to be simplistic and closed-minded. The UN is an organization full of disunity right now. The UN needs to be reformed extensively. Even Kofi Annan recognizes that.
Ryan S. | Homepage | 04.28.05 - 11:52 pm | #

So lets say I said I was committed to reforming Washington, and that's why I was a legitimate candidate for President, and then you found that in the past I had said:

"There is no such thing as the United
States" and made some comment about how losing a quarter of federal bureaucrats wouldn't make any difference, you wouldn't think that reflected poorly on me?
crayz | Homepage | 04.29.05 - 3:14 pm | #

No, depending on context obviously. Many states are not quite united, especially when it comes to political polarity. I honestly don't think that losing a quarter of federal bureaucracy would make a differnce. We can start with the Depts. of Commerce, Housing and Urban Development, Education, Transportation, Labor, and Veterans Affairs, as well as the IRS.

Come on, I know you can think of a better example than that! Make my puny conservative mind work. If you're going to try to poke holes in my argument, think for once. Bring it on.
Ryan S. | Homepage | 04.29.05 - 6:41 pm | #

Well, crayz, I guess he answered your question; statements like that wouldn't make you a bad candidate, they'd make you a conservative!

My problem with Bolton (and the reason his nomination has been held up) isn't his anti-UN stance (in spite of his nomination to that institution)...it is evidence that he bullies those under him and manipulates intelligence to meet his needs. In other words, he's like every other official in the Bush administration, only worse. Nevertheless, I certainly think it is at least worth the time to look into these allegations, and if they are true (as it appears they are), they should disqualify him from the position. Is this really the face we want to show to the world?
Mike McKain | 04.29.05 - 9:11 pm | #

But if the accusations weren't enough to disqualify him the other 4 times he's been confirmed, why should they now?
Ryan S. | Homepage | 04.30.05 - 12:21 pm | #

In all honesty, they probably should have, although many of these accusations have emerged from his most recent posts. Also, this is one of the more important diplomatic positions vis-a-vis our face to the world; it is one thing to have a thug burried in a department, but it is a different issue entirely when he is representing the entire nation at a world institution. Intelligence manipulation deals with our credibility, which has already suffered severly in the eyes of the world with the Iraq invasion. Bolton certainly wouldn't help our cause any in that regard.
Mike McKain | 05.02.05 - 2:21 pm | #

You do have a point, but I doubt that Bolton can give the UN any less creditablility. I never thought he was the best choice to begin with, but not for any particular reason.
Ryan S. | Homepage | 05.02.05 - 3:04 pm | #

I have two words for ya... come on... come ooooooooon. Sorry, been watching too much Family Guy lately.
Anyway, I like Bolton, he's a bit gruff and blunt, but what kind of person do we want in the UN? John Kerry? Paul Volcker? Afraid not. Either way, the UN has been through some rough times recently, and it's because they are a corrupt institution (see African rapes, see oil for food, see Kojo Annan, see Libya and human rights). We need someone who is willing to identify the fact that there is corruption and ill will. That is the first step to reformation, and I think you have to have someone with Bolton's character to do so.
Blake | Homepage | 05.02.05 - 6:50 pm | #

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