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Bolton on the Road to Confirmation

By Jeralyn, Section Other Politics
Posted on Tue Apr 12, 2005 at 02:36:51 PM EST
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The AP is reporting that despite some devastating testimony against U.N. Ambassador nominee John Bolton, it appears he will be confirmed.

Bolton appeared a step closer to confirmation as ambassador to the United Nations despite scathing testimony Tuesday by a former State Department intelligence chief that he was a "serial abuser" of analysts who disagreed with his hard-line views.

A committee vote to send President Bush's nomination of Bolton, who has frequently dismissed the United Nations as irrelevant and misguided, to the full Senate could come as early as Thursday, depending on whether his Democratic foes request a few days to review State Department documents they sought to have declassified.

One witness, Carl Ford, Jr. referred to Bolton as a ""kiss-up, kick-down sort of guy."

Expressing strong opposition at the hearing were Sens. Joe Biden and Barbara Boxer. But the bottom line seems to be that the Republicans are in control and they will defer to Bush's choice:

But the pivotal Republican on the Foreign Relations Committee, Sen. Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island, said he was "still inclined" to vote to confirm Bolton, who is now undersecretary of state for arms control.

The Constitution gives Bush considerable leeway to name ambassadors and "I see the bar as very high" for rejecting his choices, Chafee told reporters after the hearing was adjourned.

War and Piece live-blogged the hearing on C-Span.

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    Bolton on the Road to Confirmation | 48 comments (48 topical)
    Re: Bolton on the Road to Confirmation (none / 0) (#1)
    by jondee on Tue Apr 12, 2005 at 03:01:18 PM EST
    "Kiss-up and Kick-down kind of guy." This seems to be the type of insider/corporate-hybrid we're getting in place of thinkers and statesmen these days-see:Cheney for prototype.

    Re: Bolton on the Road to Confirmation (none / 0) (#3)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Apr 12, 2005 at 03:11:39 PM EST
    Unless one of these morons doesn't actually end up getting appointed, the opposition from Democrats comes across as just a show to me. Now, I'm all for giving Bolton what he deserves. But blocking his appointment is part of that...

    Re: Bolton on the Road to Confirmation (none / 0) (#4)
    by Darryl Pearce on Tue Apr 12, 2005 at 03:26:09 PM EST
    Kiss-Up/Kick-Down '08 "We'll put a boot up yer ass, 'cuz it's the American way." Cheney, preaching to the choir at the Heritage Foundation in October, 2003, threatened us with "the ultimate nightmare, (one that) could bring devastation to our country on a scale we have never experienced. Instead of losing thousands of lives, we might lose tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of lives in a single day of horror." Bush, frightened us with imaginary dangers during the 2003 State of the Union address: "...chemical agents, lethal viruses and shadowy terrorist networks are not easily contained. Imagine those 19 hijackers with other weapons and other plans -- this time armed by Saddam Hussein. It would take one vial, one canister, one crate slipped into this country to bring a day of horror like none we have ever known." They like to portray themselves as cowboys. But they don't follow the cowboy codes, not the least of which is: "Never start a fight…most of ‘em will find you easy enough, But when it starts you finish it, without bein’ unduly rough."

    Re: Bolton on the Road to Confirmation (none / 0) (#5)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Apr 12, 2005 at 03:38:53 PM EST
    I don't think anyone's really surprised, are they??? It's a dog and pony show, that's all it is!! There was never any doubt Bolton would be confirmed!!

    Re: Bolton on the Road to Confirmation (none / 0) (#6)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Apr 12, 2005 at 03:49:21 PM EST
    I can't help but wonder what kind of guy Bolton thinks Ford is/was.

    Re: Bolton on the Road to Confirmation (none / 0) (#7)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Apr 12, 2005 at 03:56:32 PM EST
    "Posted by Samir: "Unless one of these morons doesn't actually end up getting appointed, the opposition from Democrats comes across as just a show to me. No, when all 8 Dems on that committee cast their NAY votes, that will still leave 10 Rebs voting YEA. So why blame the Dems? Unanimous NAY is NAY. It is not Yea, and it is not a show vote. It is oppposition, and if you watched Sen. Boxer justly revile Bolton for his abusive Rumsfeldlike carpet-chewing (she said he could put "perfume" on his statements, but it didn't change their smell), you would know that. There was never any doubt Bolton would be confirmed, because in a coup with massive vote fraud for five years, the opposition no longer has the votes to stop the REPUBLICANS from further destroying the nation. Save your blame for the real culprits.

    Re: Bolton on the Road to Confirmation (none / 0) (#8)
    by jerry on Tue Apr 12, 2005 at 04:24:26 PM EST
    Why do they even bother with this show they put on. The guy could be a Nazi war criminal and they'd all lay down and confirm him. This whole system is a joke. Sabre rattling and BS does'nt get the job done!

    Re: Bolton on the Road to Confirmation (none / 0) (#9)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Apr 12, 2005 at 04:37:09 PM EST
    So why blame the Dems?
    Its a given the R's will vote him out of committee, or nearly so. The question is the full Senate, and whether there is a filibuster.

    Re: Bolton on the Road to Confirmation (none / 0) (#10)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Apr 12, 2005 at 05:16:18 PM EST
    The question is the full Senate, and whether there is a filibuster. But according to Robert Byrd, no vote on nominations is required, meaning no opportunity for a filibuster at all.

    Re: Bolton on the Road to Confirmation (none / 0) (#11)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Apr 12, 2005 at 05:27:38 PM EST
    et al - When was the last time a Demo President had a Demo nominee shot down in committee by Demos? Anybody? I can't remember one. BTW - Is this the Carl Ford Jr referred to in the post? If so, that nasty little comment may come back to haunt him as time goes by.

    Re: Bolton on the Road to Confirmation (none / 0) (#12)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Apr 12, 2005 at 05:33:20 PM EST
    The UN is corrupt, incompetent and increasingly irrelevant. Aren't you all being a bit guilty of shooting the messenger?

    Re: Bolton on the Road to Confirmation (none / 0) (#13)
    by soccerdad on Tue Apr 12, 2005 at 05:43:04 PM EST
    Gerry owen with todays Repub talking points. Geesh

    Re: Bolton on the Road to Confirmation (none / 0) (#14)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Apr 12, 2005 at 06:23:20 PM EST
    SD - The fact that the UN is corrupt and in need of replacement is hardly "today" anything.

    Re: Bolton on the Road to Confirmation (none / 0) (#15)
    by Darryl Pearce on Tue Apr 12, 2005 at 06:46:49 PM EST
    ...sure there's corruption in government. But it's our corruption! I'm still going to vote for progressive tickets.

    Re: Bolton on the Road to Confirmation (none / 0) (#16)
    by soccerdad on Tue Apr 12, 2005 at 06:56:15 PM EST
    Sure PPJ just keep spouting your nonsense, canned lies, and right wing crappola. You're programming is complete What a bunch of tools

    Re: Bolton on the Road to Confirmation (none / 0) (#17)
    by soccerdad on Tue Apr 12, 2005 at 07:01:12 PM EST
    Of course PPJ is not worried in the slightest about this corruption
    Pentagon audits, however, which showed the overcharging was actually closer to double that, or closer to $212 million
    Re: Bolton on the Road to Confirmation (none / 0) (#18)
    by wg on Tue Apr 12, 2005 at 07:06:43 PM EST
    Given the extreme nature of this nomination I hoped that, this time at least, some Republicans on that committee would take country interest above party loyalty. Sadly looks like we will be disappointed. I'm not sure about others. It appears the international community is not longer horrified by this administration, they seem to be enjoying the ride now, the wackier the merrier. "Village idiot" wandering the halls of UN to the amusement of all. BBC which generally is heavily pro Bush calls this "barbarians at the gate". And they liked Kerik.

    Re: Bolton on the Road to Confirmation (none / 0) (#19)
    by Che's Lounge on Tue Apr 12, 2005 at 07:12:38 PM EST
    So why blame the Dems? Because they are the ones in the senate opposing these war mongers. They campaigned, made promises, and got elected. Now it's time to earn their money. But I guess they are if you're a corporate donor. Boxer put on a very nice presentation with her quotes on big posterboards for us to grade (did she pass or fail?). But it all seems like such a WOT. Bolton will be confirmed by the majority idiocy (why does he even want this job unless he wants to sabotage the UN even more). Maybe Japan can have our parking spot.

    Re: Bolton on the Road to Confirmation (none / 0) (#20)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Apr 12, 2005 at 07:54:54 PM EST
    Seriously, SD, do you not see the UN for the flawed institution it is? Frankly, I think Bolton probably has more desire to see it succeed and become viable than many of his critics. America has had a tradition of sending the occasional guy with a broom to DC to try and clean up the joint, why not send something of the same to the UN?

    Re: Bolton on the Road to Confirmation (none / 0) (#21)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Apr 12, 2005 at 08:11:27 PM EST
    I realize that the Bush people are hypocrites of the highest order. No one needs to explain that to me. But I really don't see how any organization that claims to be tough on terrorism and strong on security can nominate a guy that allowed huge amounts of fissile material to stay loose. It was Bolton's job to secure this stuff. He completely screws it up and now they're nominating him for a job upgrade.

    Re: Bolton on the Road to Confirmation (none / 0) (#22)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Apr 12, 2005 at 08:17:31 PM EST
    who cares? Why not put a right wing maniac in the UN? At least we're being consistent (see President of United States) The rest of the world knows how extreme the US is. Why put a moderate in there? they couldn't do anything anyway. right?

    Re: Bolton on the Road to Confirmation (none / 0) (#23)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Apr 12, 2005 at 10:21:52 PM EST
    The chief complaint against Bolton appears not to have held up in the hearings. In questions regarding the alleged request to remove analysts Bolton answered them by supplying a sufficient reply. Upon reviewing the transcripts, it is clear that other officials had issues with the same analysts that Bolton had issues with. The pattern that Senator Dodd was trying to imply was knocked down by the statements of Otto Reich agreeing with Bolton that "Mr. Smith" was ineffective in his position as NIO on Latin America. As the Democrats on the committee largely agree with Bolton's direct statements relative to the United Nations I'm calling an 11/7 approval vote. I think Obama votes in favor of the nominee.

    Re: Bolton on the Road to Confirmation (none / 0) (#24)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Apr 12, 2005 at 10:33:22 PM EST
    I disagree with kyle. I think the hearings did open with a couple swing votes. I think Chafee was the obvious swing vote, but throughout the hearings you can see the wavering of Feingold and Obama. Ultimately, the statements of support from Democrats regarding Bolton as just the kind of blunt spoken critic the UN requires, are those of confidence. The Committee members used the hearings to tackle the main questions -- the allegations of analyst intimidation -- and found they were just allegations. carla: Your link doesn't appear to be working.

    Re: Bolton on the Road to Confirmation (none / 0) (#25)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Apr 13, 2005 at 08:20:37 AM EST
    How you guys spin Bolton into some Right wing zealot is amazing! Bolton simply has no illusions about the UN- he understands its failings and weaknesses. Most Zealots have no use for the UN, Bolton wants it to to be efficient and effective.

    Re: Bolton on the Road to Confirmation (none / 0) (#26)
    by glanton on Wed Apr 13, 2005 at 08:31:22 AM EST
    kydd: You speak true.

    Re: Bolton on the Road to Confirmation (none / 0) (#27)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Apr 13, 2005 at 09:15:08 AM EST
    Gerry Owen, saying "Most Zealots have no use for the UN, Bolton wants it to to be efficient and effective," gets it exactly right. There can be no question from Bolton's statements that he wants the UN to be an efficient and effective tool of US power. But Bolton, unlike Owens, recognizes that any institution based in international consensus and hence in international law can never fully support US hegemony. That is why Bolton rightly said he has no use for international law: If you give any credibilty at all to the idea that there are laws that apply to all nations, some damn fool might get the idea that they apply to the US, which is categorically unacceptable. John Bolton: "It is a big mistake for us to grant any validity to international law even when it may seem in our short-term interests to do so -- because over the long term the goal of those who think that international law really means anything are those who want to constrict the United States." I just love that "those who think international law really means anything at all" part, don't you???

    Re: Bolton on the Road to Confirmation (none / 0) (#28)
    by soccerdad on Wed Apr 13, 2005 at 09:18:34 AM EST
    How you guys spin Bolton into some Right wing zealot is amazing!
    This is truly funny. All you have to do is read what he has said and the positions he has taken in the past. Now he comes up for confirmation completely changes his tune and we're supposed to buy it. You are kidding. Bolton and Bush want either the UN gone, ineffective, or a rubberstamp of US policy. Now the apologist claim that the UN is not effective after having lashed out at as being corrupt useless, etc. Not effective = impedes US hegemony

    Re: Bolton on the Road to Confirmation (none / 0) (#29)
    by desertswine on Wed Apr 13, 2005 at 09:18:35 AM EST
    Why put a moderate in there? they couldn't do anything anyway.
    I find myself agreeing with kydd. So we have a cerifiable head-case as the UN rep. So what? It's not like he'll be the first. And just look at the captain of this crew.

    Re: Bolton on the Road to Confirmation (none / 0) (#30)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Apr 13, 2005 at 10:21:02 AM EST
    HooBoy writes - "There can be no question from Bolton's statements that he wants the UN to be an efficient and effective tool of US power." Can you explain to me why a US citizen would NOT want the UN to reflect US power and foreign policy?

    Re: Bolton on the Road to Confirmation (none / 0) (#31)
    by desertswine on Wed Apr 13, 2005 at 10:42:23 AM EST
    "I'm with the Bush-Cheney team, and I'm here to stop the count." - John Bolton in Florida

    Re: Bolton on the Road to Confirmation (none / 0) (#32)
    by glanton on Wed Apr 13, 2005 at 10:45:42 AM EST
    You can't have an authentically international body on the one hand, and then on the other expect that body to operate merely as an extention of one powerful nation on the other. Bolton's the kind of fool who proudly brandishes his foolishness, like the Alabama legislator who once declared, if the English language was good enough for Jesus it's good enough for America. I say let Bolton in there. I'm amused by these mamby-pamby Kerryesque Democrats who pick these kinds of fights and then act like they stand for something. What they ought to be out there doing, is getting good candidates and running no-holds-barred campagins, fighting through the media barrier to actually get some truth into our political discourse.

    Re: Bolton on the Road to Confirmation (none / 0) (#33)
    by Bob on Wed Apr 13, 2005 at 11:25:44 AM EST
    Bolton is exactly whats needed in the U.N., some one who won't take their BS at face value, and who does'nt think the U.N. is god.

    Re: Bolton on the Road to Confirmation (none / 0) (#34)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Apr 13, 2005 at 01:08:14 PM EST
    So I can safely assume Hooboy and soccerdad want the US subjected to the whims of the UN? Of course I want the UN to reflect American interests a lot more than they do now. International Law is and will be a pipe dream as long as there is no one to enforce them independently and as long as those who follow it are disadvantaged from those who do not. I find it quite amusing to hear such concern for International Law from the same crowd who didn't care Iraq was breaking them.

    Re: Bolton on the Road to Confirmation (none / 0) (#35)
    by jondee on Wed Apr 13, 2005 at 01:26:16 PM EST
    Yeah everybody has "whims" but Der fatherland,or,more to the point, the gold-bricking robber barons running things. Gerry,your critique of international law could just as easily be applied to any body of laws, but, when might-makes-right is so obviously the bottom line as it seems to be with you, then the very concept of justice becomes "a pipe dream".

    Re: Bolton on the Road to Confirmation (none / 0) (#36)
    by soccerdad on Wed Apr 13, 2005 at 01:31:37 PM EST
    So I can safely assume Hooboy and soccerdad want the US subjected to the whims of the UN?
    Do you guys get discounts on large orders of straw men? The US is a security council member. Not much happens without our approval. The characterization, either directly or implicitly, of the UN as a completely independent entity is another strawman used by the right.
    I find it quite amusing to hear such concern for International Law from the same crowd who didn't care Iraq was breaking them.
    Yet another strawman. The debate has been whether their actions justified an invasion at the time it went forward. So in order to discredit the rest of us, Gerry and his ilk put words in our mouths and then tear us down for those words. Pretty pathetic. I would like to see a reasoned explanation of how we have been subjected to the "whims" of the UN. What Gerry and the neocons want is to silence all sources of criticism of the US by anybody, leaving the US free to do what ever it wants by whatever means it decides is appropriate. To do that you must discredit all such organizations, something that Gerry, PPJ et al have been doing.

    Re: Bolton on the Road to Confirmation (none / 0) (#37)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Apr 13, 2005 at 01:32:39 PM EST
    Quick note on Carl Ford- I'm not familiar with him personally, but he worked in the State Dept.'s Intelligence Branch, which is the sorriest excuse for an Intel agency we have (State Intel was aka "crap heard at dinner parties", State Dept Security was "crap spoonfed us by the host nation", and the State Counter Terrorisism office was "Give them a Visa!"). If Bolton hurt their feelings, they probably deserved it. These idiots make colossal errors on a daily basis. the day before Iraq jumped into Kuwait, They were reporting "high Level sources" stating that it was only Manuevers. They called about everything wrong in central america, guessed wrong on El Salvador and Nicaraguan elections, over estimated FMLN strength, etc., and from what I understand they haven't improved a whit. These guys make the post WMD CIA look brilliant.

    Re: Bolton on the Road to Confirmation (none / 0) (#38)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Apr 13, 2005 at 01:48:18 PM EST
    "What Gerry and the neocons want is to silence all sources of criticism of the US by anybody,...." Who is putting words in who's mouth now? I could care less about the existence of criticism, if it is constructive. "... leaving the US free to do what ever it wants by whatever means it decides is appropriate." Okay, you caught me. I actually DO want the US to pursue our nation's interests by whatever means it sees fit. What the hell is wrong with that? That is the real world, partner. On Iraq, the UN was inept, indecisive, and quite possibly corrupted and bribed- yet we should be beholden to their approval? That is a ridiculous assumption. jondee- "Gerry,your critique of international law could just as easily be applied to any body of laws,..." You are right, it could. All "law" only exists as long as there is an authority with the capability and will to use violence to enforce them. Those who are subjected to the laws mitigate the force required by their acquiesence and acceptance of that authority and the law. Which goes a long way toward explaining why Democracies are nicer places to live.

    Re: Bolton on the Road to Confirmation (none / 0) (#39)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Apr 13, 2005 at 01:51:38 PM EST
    Dear Gerry, isnt that what they call in England A NAzi? Are you an anarchist or what dont you believe in the rule of LAW? If not why dont you sign up and register as a terrorist you jerk.

    Re: Bolton on the Road to Confirmation (none / 0) (#40)
    by glanton on Wed Apr 13, 2005 at 02:00:44 PM EST
    How surreal to cite anything to do with the Iraq War, or the runup to it, as a signifier of UN corruption, when what those things revealed most was the corruption within our own government. Powell, remember, put on a ridiculous and embarassing performance for the UN. I'm sure they still make fun of it in the corridors, I hope they do at any rate. But they sure didn't buy it, they wouldn't give the votes, which shows how smart they were, since our justification for invading turned out to be smoke and mirrors. What's wrong with people like Gerry I'll never know. The UN badmouth's Dubya and Co. for invading under false pretenses and then somehow it's all their fault?

    Re: Bolton on the Road to Confirmation (none / 0) (#41)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Apr 13, 2005 at 02:23:43 PM EST
    I believe in the rule of law, and I never said otherwise. As long as the laws being enforced are reasonable, applied fairly, and brought about democraticly, I and most others here live by them. This nation was founded by a bunch of malcontents who didn't agree with the laws being enforced upon them- where they Nazis or anarchists? The Nazis, BTW, were extremely adept legally. They used the rule of law to do a lot of terrible things. My point is that Law only exists as long as there is a authority that can enforce it, and subjects who are willing to recognize that authority. Law is only enforced by the threat of force or violence. That is reality- congrats if you've been sheltered enough to not see or realize that.

    Re: Bolton on the Road to Confirmation (none / 0) (#42)
    by jondee on Wed Apr 13, 2005 at 02:24:04 PM EST
    Gerry, take as much time as you want to explain what, if anything, is "democratic" in your concept of the application of the rule of law in international law.

    Re: Bolton on the Road to Confirmation (none / 0) (#43)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Apr 13, 2005 at 02:35:07 PM EST
    glanton- False pretenses? Iraq was in violation of the resolutions- our scare old ladies selling point didn't hold up, but they were still in violation, and the UN didn't do squat. Rwanda, the UN didn't do squat, the UN has yet to do anything for Darfur, they did nothing effective for Bosnia, or Kosovo, and you can find incompetence and tragic outcomes in the UN's handling of crises all the way back to the Congo crisis in the 1960s. Since we are the pre-eminent hegemonic power in the world, I respectfully submit that International Law only exists as long as WE are willing to enforce it, or allow others to see it enforced. I believe we are using our power rather judiciously, and can only hope we continue to do so.

    Re: Bolton on the Road to Confirmation (none / 0) (#44)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Apr 13, 2005 at 02:41:57 PM EST
    Jondee- There is no democratic application of International Law as there is no independent democratic authority to apply it. The UN is institutionally weak, functionally inept, and riddled with corruption. A sizable portion of its membership is tinpot dictators and single party regimes that retain power by the boot and the rifle, so can it really be considered democratic?

    Re: Bolton on the Road to Confirmation (none / 0) (#45)
    by soccerdad on Wed Apr 13, 2005 at 02:51:29 PM EST
    Okay, you caught me. I actually DO want the US to pursue our nation's interests by whatever means it sees fit. What the hell is wrong with that? That is the real world, partner.
    Even if that includes torture, invasion based on lies, coups, war crimes, use of banned wepons,...... BTW thanks for proving the first item in your response.
    On Iraq, the UN was inept, indecisive, and quite possibly corrupted and bribed- yet we should be beholden to their approval? That is a ridiculous assumption.
    Care to back that up with facts. Again it sounds like the UN wouldn't automatically rubber stamp the US's agenda therefore its indecisive. Not too transparent.

    Re: Bolton on the Road to Confirmation (none / 0) (#46)
    by jondee on Wed Apr 13, 2005 at 03:05:40 PM EST
    Dont criticize "tin pot" dictators and idealize democracy out of one side of your mouth when you obviously dont mind the first - as long as the dictators the U.S - and could care less about any attempt to establish an international process modeled on the second. But then, as you yourself stated, the threat of brute force is the only thing people respect.

    Re: Bolton on the Road to Confirmation (none / 0) (#47)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Apr 13, 2005 at 06:01:19 PM EST
    Jondee- Just because we deal with regimes we may not find the most agreeable doesn't discount the fact they are not democratic. Diplomacy and Foriegn Affairs is not a zero sum, all or nothing game. Some regimes can be changed through diplomacy and interaction (military action isn't normally the answer), some regimes may be necessary partners in reaching more immediate goals. Some regimes are tolerated as the only viable and least harmful option, which is where I put Saudi Arabia at the present time. PEOPLE do not answer to brute force alone, it is an implied threat that is at the base of our legal system- we also have cultural and religious morays and tenets that help us survive and get along as a society. Even in the International arena some practices and actions can fly against the norm, the most recent change is the unacceptability of harboring and supporting international terrorist groups- It is my hope that genocidal regimes and totalitarian gov'ts will someday be eliminated and no longer tolerated by the community of nations. THEN, we can talk about some form of viable enforceable International law.

    Re: Bolton on the Road to Confirmation (none / 0) (#48)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Apr 13, 2005 at 06:24:25 PM EST
    Soccr- "Even if that includes torture," It doesn't, or it does- depending on one's definition. the Abu Ghraib losers are heading to levenworth, last I checked. "invasion based on lies," When was that? I must have missed it- one of the premises for the Iraqi war was based on misinformation- not lies. " coups," If you are going back to Allende and Mossadeqeh, that was a different era and diffent set of goals- The Cold War is over, and we won in case you hadn't heard. " war crimes," Saddam will get his due for those, I am confident. " use of banned wepons,......" We found them?? Seriously, if you buy the idiots claiming we used tactical nukes you need professional help. Fuel air explosives are part of the arsenal, and are pretty darn effective on caves. No apologies and if some idiot signed off on a ban for them, then we should at least withdraw or file a collary (unless we did already)- I admit to not keeping up with disarmament treaties. IMHO, they are pretty useless. If Britain hadn't signed away their Navy after the First World War, the may well have not been a second. The UN never did anything decisive on Iraq- umpteen resolutions and no enforcement. Kind of reminiscent of the League of Nations passing do nothing feel good statements about Italy in Ethiopia or Japan in Manchuria. The Oil for Food scandal is all I need to say as to inefficient and possibly corrupt.

    Re: Bolton on the Road to Confirmation (none / 0) (#49)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Apr 13, 2005 at 08:55:45 PM EST
    bolton rice gonzalez they won they get everything they want we should try to fight the battles that can be won. democrats are so pathetic a constitutional ban on gay marriage ,no abortion and prayer in schools is on the way . it is time to throw the radicals out of the democratic party ,time to throw the America Haters out and start over .time to get rid of these old loser Vietnam protesters ,Soros and Michael Moore on his tail. IT IS TIME TO GET CANDIDATES WHO CAN PASS a simple test CANDIDATES MUST SAY 2 things 1.america is the greatest nation on earth 2 I support and desire to have the strongest military on the face of the earth, END TEST if a candidate cant do that he cant win NOT NOW NOT EVER !!!!!!!!!!!

    Bolton on the Road to Confirmation | 48 comments (48 topical)