[Mb-civic] [Fwd: Bush's U.N. Ambassador: "There's no such thing as the U.N."]

[William Swiggard]

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: 	Bush's U.N. Ambassador: "There's no such thing as the U.N."
Date: 	Fri, 11 Mar 2005 07:33:18 -0800
From: 	Eli Pariser, MoveOn PAC <moveon-help at list.moveon.org>
To: 	William Swiggard <swiggard at comcast.net>



Dear MoveOn member,

It's a little like nominating a felon to be police chief. Yesterday, 
President Bush nominated John Bolton, one of the most active opponents 
of U.S. multilateralism and diplomacy, to be ambassador to the U.N. But 
Bolton doesn't believe in international law, or in the U.N. In 2000, 
Bolton said, "If I were doing the Security Council today, I'd have one 
permanent member [the United States] because that's the real reflection 
of the distribution of power in the world." And he's gone on record 
saying that all international laws are invalid, meaningless attempts to 
constrict American power.

The whole idea of the U.N., of course, is that it's a place for the 
world community to work together on the problems that face us all. And 
at a time when we need other nations' goodwill and cooperation to deal 
with the mess in Iraq and to fight al Qaeda, confirming an inflammatory 
unilateralist like John Bolton as our ambassador to the rest of the 
world is a terrible idea. Even Republicans on the Foreign Relations 
committee in the Senate are nervous--according to the New York Times, 
Senator Lugar, who chairs the committee, advised Secretary of State Rice 
not to nominate Bolton.

If all the Democrats and one Republican on the Senate's Foreign 
Relations committee vote against Bolton's nomination, it'll stop there. 
But the committee will vote soon, and your Senator alone could make the 
difference. Please take a moment to call Senator Kerry at the number 
below today and ask him to oppose the nomination of John Bolton as U.N. 
Ambassador.

Here's Senator Kerry's number:

    Senator John Kerry
    DC Phone: 202-224-2742

After you call, please help us track the volume of calls by reporting 
your call here:

http://www.moveonpac.org/boltoncalls.html?id=5201-619396-omh_HYkDe8TpfwUN6psdIg

Bolton's take on foreign policy is so far out of the mainstream, he even 
makes Fox News' Bill O'Reilly look pretty good. Here's an excerpt from 
their 1999 conversation on "The O'Reilly Factor":

O'REILLY: And I find it difficult to stand by and watch another 
Cambodia, another Rwanda, unfold. And I believe the United States has a 
responsibility here.

BOLTON: Let me ask you this, Mr. O'Reilly. How many dead Americans is it 
worth to you to stop the brutality?

O'REILLY: I don't think I would quantify that because...

BOLTON: I think you have to quantify it. I think if you don't answer 
that question...

O'REILLY: ... I think if you're going to be a superpower...

BOLTON: ... you're ducking the key point that the commander in chief has 
to decide upon before putting American troops into a combat situation. 
We are now at war with Serbia. And the president has to be able to 
justify to himself and to the American people that Americans are about 
to die, or may well die, for a certain specific American interest.

[edit]

BOLTON: I believe...

O'REILLY: ... I do not believe in standing by while people are slaughtered.

BOLTON: ... Our foreign policy should support American interests. Let 
the rest of the world support the rest of the world's interests.

If John Bolton is confirmed as U.N. ambassador, he'll be one of the 
primary links with the international community. Please call your Senator 
today and ask him to vote against John Bolton as U.N. Ambassador.

Sincerely,
--Eli Pariser
  March 11, 2005
PAID FOR BY MOVEON PAC

Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.

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