Congrats to John Bolton, new U.S. Ambassador to the U.N.!

[Imran Siddiqui]

Wow... that kool aid is pretty think, Q^3. Apparently Winston seems to think that countries don't nominate ambassadors based on the opinion of those countries where he is to serve and that nominating an ambassador that would piss off the country or organization he is assigned to is generally seen by most countries of the world to be a bad thing.

[Q Classic]

Yeah, Imran. It's pretty good ****. I think I'm going to order it at the ACS next time. Think you could be the DD for me then?

(Designated Driver, not DinoDoc. )

[Winston]

Then why not let the U.N. decide who to appoint, so you get someone who won't piss them off too much.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Originally posted by Q Cubed
Yeah, Imran. It's pretty good ****. I think I'm going to order it at the ACS next time. Think you could be the DD for me then?

(Designated Driver, not DinoDoc. )

I'll be both

[joncha]

Originally posted by Winston
Then why not let the U.N. decide who to appoint, so you get someone who won't piss them off too much.

Or better yet... The US Congress!

[Mr. Harley]

Drake - I guess I made that silly quote for no reason. "By the people, for the people, of the people." You, of all people, should see your inconsistancy of quoting "executive priviledge". It isn't in that thar constitution.

However, let's grant your premise. Note - however, it is priveledge, not a right per se. Then the Democrats can say fine, you sit on your privelidge, we sit on the nomination. So he gets blocked. Also remember that the purpose behind recess appointments was that it was added to the constituion in the days of horse and buggies. You know, to make sure that the President could get someone appointed when Congress was in recess, which could be much longer than it is today. It's also been abused from the get-go, so Bush is in fine company - yep, with Clinton, you favorite President.

Oh, and if world opinion is so unimportant - ask the US Soldiers dying over there daily, while the Bush adminstration provides new recruits for the Jihadists day after day with it's appallingly stupid and arrogant policies. Or how we have so many strong countries in the Alliance of the Willing, or whatever they call it. If we want to be a Superpower, remember than world opinion is critically important. Daddy Bush, who I voted for the first time, did a very good job on that (I just found what he did to the Kurds intolerable - good Realpolitik, given Turkey, but that's an entirely different issue).

So keep repeating the mantra World Opinion makes no difference. Like the Bush administration, you if you close your eyes and repeat it three times, it will come true.

[Winston]

The people elected him less than 9 months ago to continue the policies he laid out in his first term. Are you saying he should now do a complete reversal and all of a sudden let himself be governed by "world opinion" - a large chunk of said world having nothing in common with the United States and its way of life?

That's certainly taking popular representation to a whole new level.

[GePap]

Originally posted by Winston
The people elected him less than 9 months ago to continue the policies he laid out in his first term. Are you saying he should now do a complete reversal and all of a sudden let himself be governed by "world opinion" - a large chunk of said world having nothing in common with the United States and its way of life?

That's certainly taking popular representation to a whole new level.

Its trully sad that you think Bush's narrow re-election last year in itself justifies making an ******* UN ambassador, as opposed to plenty of non-*******s he could have chosen.

[Mr. Harley]

No Winston - I am saying he shouldn't keep doing these things that make a goodly portion of the world hostile to us, while providing grist for the anti-US propoganda mills. It's like my point about the Gonzales memos - f**k the argument about whether they were right or wrong (I do believe that is important, but this is a much more germane point) putting it in writing was STUPID. It would eventually leak, and do tremendous harm to our reputation. This is more of the same. Much less important, but still part of the entire attitude.

Most Americans DID NOT elect him to continue the policies of his first term. A small majority did vote for him, largely over security scares and laws to impose their religious views on those who do not share them, i.e. homosexuals are evil/bad. Also, he got elected because the Democrats were morons and have not learned many Americans vote on image, not issues, and that Karl Rove is a genius on the image bit. Domestically. The problem is that it is playing like crap abroad - you know, overseas where we are fighting a war, buying our oil, hell buying alot of our goods. And where American soldiers are dying. "Bring them on." Idiot.

Ask the Serbians if image isn't important, after the Croats bounced their butts in that category. Our image is what helps us get targetted by Moslem extremists - if you don't think that's important, let's look at 9-11. Why was the US targeted? Note all those policies did not start with Bush Jr., and both Bush Sr. and Clinton can take some of the blame. Reagan, for all I dislike much of what he did, had a fine command of public relations, both here and abroad. Contrast the two Republican administrations, and tell me who had better relations with the rest of the world.

[Urban Ranger]

The question is, if Bolton is such a fine choice, why did Congress block his nomination? Not just the Dems, mind you, Republicans too.

[Drake Tungsten]

Originally posted by Winston
Also, I get the feeling Bolton may actually mirror the administration's present general view of the U.N. pretty well. What an outrage, appointing a guy like that!

Indeed, and this is only the first step. The next thing you know, Bush might be appointing conservatives to the Supreme Court! I sure hope the Dems will do everything in their power to delay the nominations of those right-wing extremist Nazis if Bush does engage in such an unforseen abuse of powerâ„¢.

[Drake Tungsten]

Drake - I guess I made that silly quote for no reason. "By the people, for the people, of the people." You, of all people, should see your inconsistancy of quoting "executive priviledge". It isn't in that thar constitution.

Neither is the filibuster, slick...

Oh, and if world opinion is so unimportant - ask the US Soldiers dying over there daily, while the Bush adminstration provides new recruits for the Jihadists day after day with it's appallingly stupid and arrogant policies.

The last poll I saw showed a roughly 70% level of support for Bush's policies and the war in Iraq from US soldiers serving there. Maybe you're the one who should be listening to what they think...

So keep repeating the mantra World Opinion makes no difference.

I don't believe I ever said that.

[Alexander's Horse]

Originally posted by Drake Tungsten
Bush appointed Bolton to get rid of an unpopular but highly ranked diplomat by placing him in a dead-end position where he might at least do some good by shaking up a corrupt UN. Nothing more, nothing less.

Might be something to that. Bolton is no longer responsible for Korean peninsula issues and surprise, surprise the 6 party talks start making progress.

Does anyone else here think he looks like a walrus?

[Drake Tungsten]

Originally posted by Alexander's Horse
Does anyone else here think he looks like a walrus?

Yep. The true outrage in all this is Bolton's moustache.

[child of Thor]

i bet John Bolton is a closet neo-con