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Bolton Watch Launches Tonight
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This is great news.
Some time tonight, Bolton Watch will launch at www.BoltonWatch.TPMCafe.com. (The site is not loaded yet, so clicking now will only take you to TPM Cafe.)
Talking Points Memo and The Washington Note are jointly launching this site to keep tabs on John Bolton during the 11 months he has left in his term.
Today, the International Atomic Energy Agency referred Iran's nuclear activities to the UN Security Council. Whether people believe it's a bad step, too soon, or the right call -- I don't believe that John Bolton can be left unsupervised to manage American interests in the UN.
I have written extensively about Bolton -- and argued that the real reason Dick Cheney fought so hard to get Bolton to his UN perch was to pave the way for an Iraq-replay against Iran. It has begun.
Josh Marshall has also written much on Bolton and the consequences of his pugnacious, hyper-nationalism and what it hss done to undermine American interests.
More later, but watch for the first Bolton Watch post tonight.
-- Steve Clemons
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Congratulations!
Cheers to you - and all the folks who probably helped getting this up and running. A service to democracy. Good luck!
It's great that Josh and you are getting this site together; but Bolton needs more than watching; he needs dealing with; harshly.
This is another chapter in the evolution of cyberspace, where a body of talented, involved and motivated people elect to closely monitor a particular person or program. ad hocracy?
HI "SECRET WEAPON!"
Nice to meet you the other night, "Buddy."
Excellent. it couldn't come at a better time.
STEVE,
In view of events in Denmark and in other parts of Europe, only "Boltonesque" pugnacity can protect open societies from the great threat that is posed by religious fanaticism in the form of Islamofascism, especially if Iran acquires nuclear weapons. It would have been more politically prudent and wise, if your watch was focused on the pugnacity of Ahmadinejad instead of being focused on Bolton.
Con,
I think you miss a critical point.
Bolton is where he is so that he can make things worse. His function is not to make the UN an effective organization. Some would say that Bolton is at the UN to expose it as a useless, bureaucratic mess. That really doesn't matter. If there is anything good about the UN, Bolton's job is to destroy it. Bolton wants a world in which a unilateral U.S. can pursue its own goals without opposition buy a united international community.
John Bolton has got his 'groove' on! Bolton has FINALLY got that nasty Iranian house of defiance before the Security Council. Oh happy day, oh happy day. Bolton must have his head in the clouds of triumph and an aura of war-mongering giddyness simply shines off the face of Saint Massacre. Mercy isn't wondrous to face the prospect of endless war and democracy killing insanity in the halls of American government and American circles of diplomatic hypocrisy. Gawd, what a glorious day to be an American.
Looking forward to it.
B
Every time I picture in my mind that Reuters picture they took of Bolton showing up at exactly 10 in the morning for the Security Council, with him proceeding to pound on the gavel because NOBODY WAS THERE says it all! I bet he was purple in the face,hah!
oops,I meant to ask you Steve what will happen with it being Bolton's turn as being in charge of the Security Council now? What could the damage be to us from this?
"Some would say that Bolton is at the UN to expose it as a useless, bureaucratic mess."
It was already that long before John Bolton arrived.
"If there is anything good about the UN, Bolton's job is to destroy it."
at one time, the UN had a purpose. I have been a life-long fan of the UN, I've visited it a number of times. But it has failed on so many counts. Now it's just a debating society. It does not one thing to stop genocides.
"Bolton wants a world in which a unilateral U.S. can pursue its own goals without opposition buy a united international community."
The UN, by charter, does not prevent any nation from pursuing its own goals, nor can it prevent anyone from defending themselves. It was never intended to replace foreogn policy for any nation. And there has never, ever in the history of the world, been a "united international community". Not for a single day, not for a single hour. And the UN, in any form, cannot create a united international community. Ever. It's sheer fantasy to think it can. We must be realistic as to what the UN can and cannot do.
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