Bolton - early returns Posted by Suzanne Nossel

The early signs on John Bolton's behavior at the UN are none too encouraging.  It seems as if, perhaps frustrated by his delayed confirmation, Bolton is trying to make up for lost time by weighing in very heavily at the last minute on the reform package set to be presented at a Summit meeting of world leaders just two weeks from now.   True to form Bolton's ticking people off in all corners, and potentially jeopardizing what could be a major step forward in terms of UN reform.

Bolton's proposed changes have been criticized for being too numerous (he proposed 750 amendments to the draft), for being oblivious to the concerns of the developing world (he proposed deleting references to the Millennium Development Goals, a signature UN initiative for the last 5 years), for being impervious to the environment (he's proposed excising a reference to "respect for nature from the draft, prompting criticism from Sen. Patrick Leahy) and for being aimed at torpedoing the process so that no substantive agreement will be reached (he's proposed either opening line-by-line negotiations among the UN's 190+ member states or reverting to a much shorter summary text).  Many of his proposed changes are unpalatable even to close allies like the Brits.

A coalition of women's groups said this: 

At the eleventh hour US Ambassador John Bolton is proposing last minute changes to the draft plan, which would undermine the draft Outcome Document. Bolton’s proposed changes would weaken proposals for development, debt relief, Official Development Assistance (ODA), disarmament, and the environment . . . This latest move by U.S. Ambassador Bolton puts us back on the merry go round once again just as we were about to cross the finish line. This tired tactic by the United States to wait until the eleventh hour of a year long negotiation to demand drastic revisions is simply a subterfuge for undermining the entire process. Clearly, they don't want reform that will result in a stronger UN.

A couple of observations:

1.   No adult supervision:  Contrary to what some believed might happen, it does not appear as though Condi Rice is keeping Bolton on a tight leash.  She and her reform adviser, Shirin Tahir-Kheli, have been working on the UN package for months.  Just weeks ago they were boasting that reform was well on its way.   Is the Administration playing good-cop, bad-cop with the UN?  Doubtful, since Bolton's public salvos are seen within the UN community as out of sync with the approach prevailing up until his arrival.

2.  No Kinder Gentler John:  Contrary to other speculation, the very public Congressional inquiry into Bolton's style and his penchant for antagonizing others does not appear to have prompted any change in approach.  Bolton has come out swinging.  If his goal was to build support for American positions, Bolton would have worked to quietly build consensus around a handful of the issues considered most important.  Instead he's launched a broadside against the whole enterprise of reform, targeting head-on matters that are hot-buttons to most of the membership. 

3.  UN Reform in the Balance:  The next few weeks will be crucial in terms of the UN's future.  Bolton will be an essential player.  We here at DA will follow it all closely.

Comments

[Jay.Mac]

Maybe in the Democrats hadn't screwed around with Bolton's confirmation for so long this wouldn't be an "eleventh hour" action.

That should also factor into your analysis.

[Northern observer]

Jesus Jay,
Talk about missing the point. Let me underline it for you: (Comment from Reed Hundt)
I know John Bolton; I went to school with him; I like him personally; his views are sincerely and passionately held....He is the champion of long-held deeply sincere views of the right about the United Nations. The goal is the extinction of the organization;second place is its near-death; third is undermining it so severely as to make its existence irrelevant. The constitutionally permitted time for this ambassador is adequate to make a lot of progress toward these goals given the intelligence, zeal, and energy of the ambassador. Those in the Senate who favor the continuation of the United Nations and a constructive role for the United States in the UN had better act very soon.

Reed Hundt
Reed Hundt graduated from Yale College and Yale Law School, practiced law for 18 years, and served as chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, 1993-97. Since that date, he has written and lectured about information sector politics, as well as served on various technology company boards.

[Sleeper]

One can only hope that on some windy day in the City, Bolton's mustache will be blown into his eyes, blocking his vision and causing him to be run down by a vehicle. This pig doesn't deserve to be a municipal dog catcher, let alone a high-level "diplomat". According to sources in the UN, he is already thoroughly despised by everyone, including the maintainence staff.

[Stygius]

Sorry about the double trackbacking.

[Dan Kervick]

I understand that Bolton is a loose cannon. And I also realize that in his first term, Bush presided over two distinct foreign policies. The president looked on with his thumb in his mouth as his underlings battled it out for control of the ship of state, in a very public and embarrassing fashion. The country yawed this way and that as Colin Powell, George Tenet, Condoleeza Rice, Donald Rumsfeld, Paul Wolfowitz, Dick Cheney, Douglas Feith ... and Bolton himself ... fought over the rudder. The President called this "creative tension", which is Bushspeak for "too stupid and gutless to lead".

But it is simply impossible for me to believe that Bolton is off by himself in New York, offering 750 amendments designed to crash the reform process, without benefit of White House direction and concurrence.

Face it: there is no reason to believe that the Bush administration has changed its basic attitude and policy toward the UN, or that they have scuttled the plans they brought into office. They want to destroy any remaining power the UN has, and turn it into a very modest relief agency and student debating society, under the direction of the US principally, with no real policy-making influence to speak of.

[John Penta]

Dan...Isn't that what it is already?

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