Dispute Over UN Division of Authority Grows (Bolton: US will go elsewhere)

[DeepModem Mom]

NYT: Dispute Over Division of Authority at the U.N. Grows
By WARREN HOGE
Published: November 20, 2005


UNITED NATIONS, Nov. 20 - A growing dispute over the future division of authority at the United Nations has prompted showdown talk among diplomats and a warning from John R. Bolton, the American ambassador, that the United States may look elsewhere to settle international problems.

What is at issue is how management-reform proposals that would broaden the power of the secretary general's office are being pressed assertively by Mr. Bolton and aggravating tensions between the 191-member General Assembly, with its entrenched bureaucracy, and the office of the secretary general....

***

Mr. Bolton turned down repeated requests over four days to be interviewed on the subject, which he has identified as the priority of American policy at the United Nations.

Distrust has deepened in the current debate over reform because many governments believe the secretary general's office has been tacking too close to the United States in its effort to repair relations with Washington that were damaged over the war in Iraq and the scandal-ridden oil-for-food program....

***

Mr. Bolton has raised the stakes in the debate with off-premises statements saying that if thwarted, the United States will snub the United Nations and pursue its interests in other international forums....


http://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/20/international/20cnd-nations.html

[aquart]

1. Bolton needs to go elsewhere.

Creedmoor. Under restraints.

[dchill]

20. My thought exactly...

He should go elsewhere, the rest of us will stick with the U.N.

[applegrove]

26. Has he had any narcissistic explotions and chased staffers down

the hall because their understanding of policy was conflicting with his desire to rule the world?

[IndianaGreen]

2. Bolton still acting like a bully, except that now everyone sees

that the US is mortally wounded by its folly in Iraq.

[Oversea Visitor]

3. Oh yeah Bolton

You go elsewhere. Already did that with Iraq haha what need change or you trying to legitimate Iraq hahaha.

[Erika]

4. Yosemite Sam Bolton thinks anyone pays attention

to his right wing radicalism?

[PurityOfEssence]

17. I'm thinking he may be more like Nasty Canasta or the Shropshire Slasher..

Still, the sheer raging violence of Yosemite Sam is a hell of a good comparison, along with the venerable Tasmanian Devil.

What a total asshole. Fuck the weak and smash anyone who gets in the way of the extremely powerful. Rage endlessly and deliberately obstruct the mechanisms of a sincere organization. He's one of the ugliest organisms in a seat of power today.

[stillcool]

5. What a shmuck..

The newspaper also said that when asked by its reporter what he enjoyed most at the United Nations, Mr. Bolton replied, "It's a target-rich environment."

William H. Luers, the current president of the United Nations Association of the United States, offered a dark assessment of the current clash.

"I think that there is a morning-after effect that's resulted in polarization between the U.S. on the one hand and the Group of 77 on the other," he said. "This is a time for diplomacy, and we don't have the diplomatic capacity to do it."

[54anickel]

15. Well, diplomacy was never a strong point of ANY member of Bushco

The closest thing they had that even half resembled a diplomat was Powell, and he had to check his diplomacy at the door when he checked in.

No diplomatic skills needed or desired to play on Bushco's team. You just need to be able to lie like there's no tomorrow.

[tanyev]

6. Tell ya what, John. Why don't you start up a Federation?

Maybe you can get some Vulcans and Klingons to help you.

[Demeter]

27. God Forbid!

All Bolton would attract are the Ferengi and the Borg! Klingons are too smart to swallow that codswallop, after all: only a fool fights in a burning house!

[pinto]

7. (more) Bolton: "It's a target-rich environment."

The newspaper (Sunday Telegraph, Britain) also said that when asked by its reporter what he enjoyed most at the United Nations, Mr. Bolton replied, "It's a target-rich environment."

William H. Luers, the current president of the United Nations Association of the United States, offered a dark assessment of the current clash.

"I think that there is a morning-after effect that's resulted in polarization between the U.S. on the one hand and the Group of 77 on the other," he said. "This is a time for diplomacy, and we don't have the diplomatic capacity to do it."

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/20/international/20cnd-nations.html

[acmavm]

8. The US may go Elsewhere? Where the hell is Elsewhere.

.

[0007]

9. Yeah, let's go check out Mars! Are we a pariah yet?

[Lithos]

10. Won't happen

The US spends far too much money buying UN votes to throw it away.

L-

[Theduckno2]

12. I 'm not so sure! Remember the Coalition of the Willing?

Even though Bush maintained that he was upholding a UN resolution, it seems clear to me that he was leaving the UN behind by invading Iraq.

It may be that Bushco views the UN as "throwing good money after bad". I think this bears continued watching though.

:popcorn:

[pengu1n]

11. go where?

(Bolton: US will go elsewhere)

Just where is the US going? To hell perhaps. Or they could set up a little union of bastard warmongering regimes. Like the UK, China and Australia. The "Cunts Club" they could call it.

When the US quits the UN, will there be a sigh of relief? Happy days when the Bush cabal are out of power.
I am sure the next Democratic administration (assuming one is "allowed") - would be welcomed back to the UN with open arms.

Bolton is managing to live up to his full potential these days.. Made for the job.

[spindrifter]

13. So we don't accept the World Court and

if we reject the U.N., we have what left that has any clout? Bolton is totally unacceptable and needs to be pulled out of his posting.

[Hyernel]

14. The U.N should unite AGAINST Bolton

It will make them stronger.

[dchill]

21. Also, the U.S. should unite against Bolton.

[ThePopulist]

16. We don't exactly have a lot of leverage any more in our moral authority...

This war has totally bankrupted our moral authority and any admiration that the 3rd World had for us. We were once viewed as a beacon on the hill but now we are viewed as the evil bullies pushing our weight around and telling others what to do.

And you wonder why China has a better PR stance than we do right now in the world. Expect us to lose more and more friends and more and more trade partners as time goes on.

[ngGale]

18. JMO, but I thought Bolton was sent to the UN just to...

cause trouble and shut it down.

[daleo]

19. Bolton's job is to wreck the U.N.

Or at least precipitate a crisis so that the neo-cons can pull out of the U.N. But, I think the tide has turned on their madness.

[MiniMe]

22. He's doing a heckofa job nt

[agincourt]

23. It would have been simpler,

if Bush had just picked Michael Savage for UN ambassador. Same difference.

[freethought]

24. What John Bolton really needs is

1) straightjacket
2) A padded room
3) And just about any drug you can think of.

[applegrove]

25. What a creep.