As much as I hate to admit it, I agree with Bolton on ONE statement...

[Human Torch]

CAVEAT: This does not mean I agree with him on anything other than this statement. This does not mean I am a John Bolton fan (I'm not. Read my 1000+ posts for clues). This does not mean I am a lurking freeper (I'm not), a troll (I'm not), or anything of that nature (ditto), hence my statement in the subject line. Thanks in advance.

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=514&u=/ap/20061012/ap_on_re_as/koreas_nuclear_229

By EDITH M. LEDERER, Associated Press Writer 27 minutes ago

UNITED NATIONS - The United States on Thursday introduced a new draft resolution in the Security Council to punish North Korea for its reported nuclear test and said it wants a vote on Friday.

Russia urged the United States not to rush the vote, saying Moscow still had differences and the U.S. should wait for the results of a flurry of high-level diplomacy. China backed Russia's call, saying Beijing would welcome more talks so the Security Council can send a united and forceful message to Pyongyang condemning the test.

After formally introducing the resolution in the Security Council, U.S. Ambassador John Bolton told reporters that Washington wants a vote Friday.

"I think the council should try to respond to a nuclear test within the same week that the test occurred," he said. "We're certainly in favor of keeping all the diplomatic channels open, but we also want swift action, and we shouldn't allow meetings, and more meetings ... to be an excuse for inaction."

[napi21]

1. I'm not sure I agree with him on this one either.

I understand the point of wanting a response in the same week as the offense, but the US seems to have taken several days to write the resolution, and to allow only ONE day for the Security Council to respond seems to be a bit hastey!

I wonder if he is insisting on a FAST VOTE because HE lacks any negotiating skills to convince the Security Council in ANY number of days?

[Gatchaman]

2. I agree with the mad moustache too

Dealing with these kind of international flare-ups are the reason the UN was created in the first place.

I also think it's kinda sad that the original poster felt he had to make so many disclaimers. Bolton made a rational statement.

[babylonsister]

3. I understand your hesitation. Bolton was not confirmed to that

position so I find it hard to agree with him on anything.

[Human Torch]

4. Here's the part I agree with...

...a nation conducts a nuclear test and there's value in the UN taking a look at it. That's it.

Opinions vary on the UN and its effectiveness, but having the UN voice an opinion on these matters (versus Bush standing alone and pounding his chest and howling "BRING IT AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWN") is my preference.

:patriot:

And yeah, Kim Jong Il is a crazy son of a bitch, so I do feel that his actions need a UN review.

[babylonsister]

5. I agree we need an organization like the UN to keep tabs

on the crazies among us, and I include Bolton in that equation.

[Human Torch]

6. Bolton is "playing nice" with the UN on North Korea...

...because he...and Bush...realize that the "tough talk" aren't gonna fly here.

I mean, hell...Kim Jong Il sits around watching Daffy Duck cartoons and dreaming of nuclear superiority. That makes him at LEAST as dangerous as Bush.

:evilgrin:

[TheBaldyMan]

7. yeah, you wouldn't want to stick your head in the sand for 5 years ...

or anything like that.

Bolton throws a hissy fit when it suits him. He sees nothing wrong with obstructing the UN for years if it doesn't agree with his neo-con agenda.

btw his idea of "action" is sanctions against Iran and rubber-stamping a military strike on Iran or the latest adversaire du jour.

This has absolutely nothing to do with N Korea. Mentioning any lack of connection means you are with the terrorists.

[OllieLotte]

8. I don't see a clear way out of this.

The US doesn't have much influence with North Korea, unless of course we want to send them money to pay them off. I meant real money, I know they are counterfeiting U$D. China and Russia can be counted on to be unhelpful at least and obstructionist at most. I had hoped that China would have been afraid that Japan or Taiwan would decide that they needed nukes as well and really go lean on NK. Unfortunately, Japan announced that they weren't going nuclear, so one of the major reasons that China would want to help has disappeared. They didn't need to announce it.

One thing is certain, when dealing with eastern cultures, you don't bluff. We should decide what we are going to do and then go do it.

[AtomicKitten]

9. I turn off his 70s porn mustachioed-face the moment I see him ...

so I will have to take your word for it. IMO he's a huge part of the problem at the UN.

[Jack Rabbit]

10. Broken clock and twice a day and a;; that . . .

[leesa]

11. Right. And Bush immediately refused to talk with North Korea, right?

This is what they wanted and Bush immediately refused...so WTF is Bolton talking about? We have it within our power to stop this situation in it's tracks and the Neocon ninnies are blocking it. Bolton only wants sanctions to hurt the North Korean people.

It's BS...Bolton should be using his power to push Bush to the table where North Korea has been asking him to come.

[fujiyama]

12. Blah

Bolton is the same arrogant, idiotic and hypocritical dick he always was. It's hard to take him or anyone else in this administration seriously on NK, considering they never treated the situation with the seriousness it deserved.

And frankly, him going on about Russia and China's inaction is amusing. Wasn't it the US that turned a blind eye toward AQ Khan's proliferation of nuke technology to NK in the first place? Instead we showered a few billion dollars more in military aid to Mushy and his corrupt backstabbing cohorts in Pakistan.

Of course, the US also refused to speak to NK all throughout the last six years. They could have, at the minimum, averted a nuclear test. Maybe it wouldn't have meant much (after all, they've had the knowledge and the drive to build one for some ten years now), but it would have been better than simply ignoring the situation and hoping China would take care of this. Yeah, let's trust the Chinese, one of the only countries that has basically kept Il's regime in place.

[Bucky]

13. It's not interesting to agree with Bolton when he states the obvious

If my house was on fire and Bolton came walking down the street and said "hmmm, I really think you should get your family out of there and try and hose down that sucker" I wouldn't disagree with him. The problem with the North Korean burning house is that the fire broke out while his dumbass friend was supposed to be the world's leading building inspector.

The larger thing is, Bolton's job is to be a diplomat. Diplomats are paid to say things behind closed doors. Sometimes it works to cut thru the bullshit, but that only is effective if 99 times out of 100 you've built up the goodwill and the ethos so that people take your sense of urgency seriously. Bolton has failed to build up his base in this regard.

China and Russia are no fans of that lunatic Kim, but they also know that Kim's bomb games are specifically the neocons' failure and that he, so far, represents a very limited kind of threat to world peace. He's an ongoing, but manageable problem. China and Russia are also our rivals in the world and they have every incentive on earth to drag their feet and force the US to expend diplomatic capital to get this resolution thru.

What you're seeing from Bolton right now is a pretty solid display of how weak our diplomatic positioning is in the world because of Bush's wilfull mismanagement of all our affairs. The US is weak and our rivals are trying to drain us more. This is how geo power politics works. Bolton, being a well educated dumbass, is playing right into their plans.

[Stockholm]

14. Problem is he is making that statement with an agenda

The quicker a statement is made the less work is put into it. Something that he probably is perfectly happy with.

I disagree with everything Mr. Bolton says even if it makes sense on the surface on the grounds that he is an evil bastard - period.