John Bolton Attacks UN (again)

Our UN ambassador, John Bolton, who has no diplomatic successes that can be traced to him, is again bad-mouthing the UN. Having failed to pass muster in the Senate, Bolton is a recess appointment by President Bush and is a reflection of the Bush Administration's reluctance to engage in real diplomacy around the world. Think Progress has the story:

Yesterday, U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour sharply criticized some of the tactics being employed in the war on terror, reminding all nations — including the United States — that they are constrained by an “absolute ban on torture and the right to a fair trial.” She added, “It is vital that at all times Governments anchor in law their response to terrorism.”

U.S. Ambassador John Bolton immediately slammed Arbour’s “misplaced priorities“:

For all the human rights problems in the world in places like North Korea and Iran and so on, to go after the United States and Israel — it is business as usual from the U.N. human rights machinery.

But just a month earlier, Bolton’s own deputy stated that the “U.N. human rights machinery” exists to inform all member states — including the U.S. — of their international duties and obligations....

It's important to remember that the midterm elections are upon us and there will be no traditional waiting this year until after Labor Day. The midterm elections began the day that Bush made his photo op trip to Iraq and it's been nonstop since.

Sometimes it's not clear what John Bolton's assignment is. It's not even entirely clear who he works for. Nominally, Bolton works for Condi Rice but he frequently works at cross-purposes. So that begs the question: is Bolton working for Cheney? And who exactly is in charge of the Bush Administration these days?

However, one thing is clear: it is part of John Bolton's job to satisfy Bush's right wing base by occassionally bashing the UN.

The UN is not without real problems but it's doubtful these days that Bush has any real solutions or commitment to bring to the table. And of course the priority is misplaced. Some problems at the UN need to be fixed. But the higher priority is fixing the broken and dysfunctional foreign policy of the Bush Administration.