All Hands on Deck to Defeat John Bolton's Re-nomination to the United Nations |
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By: Open Society Policy Center Posted: 2006-09-06 23:33:55 |
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Diverse organizations are taking a stand to stop the re-nomination of John Bolton as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. On Thursday, September 7 the Senate Foreign Relations Committee will vote whether to recommend Bolton's consideration by the full Senate. Senator Frist announced early last week that Bolton's confirmation is among his top priorities for the short September Senate session. However, the re-confirmation process is proving controversial as various campaigns highlight Bolton's failures during his short tenure.
Recognizing Bolton's failures and the importance of the top UN post to advance U.S. interests, groups as diverse as Catholics United for the Common Good and Citizens for Global Solutions have launched campaigns to stop the nomination. These efforts include but are not limited to: * More than 60 former diplomats opposed the nomination in a statement that asserts, "On many occasions Mr. Bolton's hard core, go-it-alone posture prevented an outcome that would have better served US interests." * Catholics United for the Common Good has also called on the Senate to oppose the nomination. In a campaign that includes a website, petition and paid media, Catholics United for the Common Good asserts, "Mr. Bolton is a champion of a failed foreign policy in Iraq, North Korea, and Iran, which puts our nation's strategic and moral authority at risk. This approach of arrogance, unilateralism and militarism is also incompatible with Catholic teaching on global community and war." * Nearly 12,000 concerned individuals joined the movement to oppose Bolton by signing a petition to reject his nomination. The petition asserts, "It is time to tell the world that the U.S. needs the U.N. -- and the U.N. needs the U.S.! By stopping this re-nomination, we will make way for a new Ambassador that will advance U.S. foreign policy, improve the U.N., and respect America's time-honored tradition of working with others to solve global problems." * Twenty organizations joined a letter to Senators Lugar and Biden (and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee) urging them to vote "no" on Bolton. The letter asserts that, "The United States needs someone at the U.N. who can work diplomatically with allies and neighbors to share the burden of resolving conflicts. As revealed in the New York Times and the Washington Post, Amb. Bolton has lost the trust and support of other envoys. His inability to build consensus and broker agreements will continue to undercut U.S. foreign policy objectives. Ambassador Bolton has repeatedly failed to accomplish what he set out to do." The letter was signed by such diverse groups as Africa Action, Americans for Informed Democracy, Arms Control Advocacy Collaborative, Center for American Progress, Citizens for Global Solutions, the Open Society Policy Center, The Washington Note and Union of Concerned Scientists. * Over 15 organizations joined the Stop Bolton campaign's September 6th National Day of Action sending e-alerts urging constituents to contact their Senators and/or to take other grasssroots actions. * A series of documents outlining Bolton's record of failure at the UN can be found, Quotes from over 20 diplomatsthat have served beside Bolton at the UN, scholars, former colleagues, and media outlets Background Last August, President Bush granted Bolton a recess appointment after the Administration and Senate leadership was unable after many months of deliberation to persuade 60 Senators to allow an up or down vote on Bolton -- twice, Senator Frist called for a vote to end a filibuster, and twice Frist was defeated. Many of the Senators that blocked Bolton's confirmation last year normally allow the President his choice of political appointees. Nevertheless, Democrats and Republicans alike agreed that the top UN post was too important to U.S. foreign policy and Bolton's record was too questionable to cede their constitutional responsibility of advise and consent. Much of the opposition surrounded concerns about Bolton's disregard for the United Nations and his bullying, go-it-alone style that has been known to undermine fragile negotiations. Bolton's year-long tenure has borne-out the Senate's concerns. Bolton has been unable to work with U.S. allies to meet U.S. objectives on North Korea, Iran, Sudan and UN reform. Instead, Bolton has further isolated the United States. |
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