Bolton will decrease America's Stature and Power

Move America Forward is supporting the nomination of John Bolton as Ambassador to the UN with a couple of ad campaigns. The most recent targets Senator Voinavich for raising issues with the nominee. The first, at right shown at right, highlights what these folks believe they will achieve via a Bolton confirmation:

We are pleased to launch our national television ad campaign urging Americans to join our efforts to get the U.N. out of the U.S. and halt American funding of this corrupt and anti-American institution.

This assessment of the UN is consistent with Bolton's comments regarding the institution:

"There is no such thing as the United Nations ... There is an international community that occasionally can be led by the only real power left in the world and that is the United States when it suits our interests and we can get others to go along. And I think it would be a real mistake to count on the U.N. as if it is some disembodied entity out there that can function on its own." -Global Structures Convocation, Feb. 3 1994

The White House's insistence that Bolton is the right choice is particularly cockeyed at the most critical juncture to date in the war in Iraq. We want to hand over sovereignity, eventually, don't we? We will need allies to do that. Why is it a good idea to walk into the UN, hitch up our britches and say, "look, this is the way it's gonna be, or else." This approach will not increase US power and stature in the world. We cannot force people to cooperate via monetary or military might, not really. We cannot increase our power by holding other countries in contempt. The power of attraction is much greater than the power of promotion and coercion. Bolton's approach will result in our allies giving us a death of a thousand cuts. At every turn they will resist us, subtely, diplomatically, bureaucratically. US influence will decrease. US stature will decrease. Cooperation will decrease. The burden on all Americans, in lives and money will increase.

Bolton, by some reckoning, is a "Get-it-done" kind of guy, or a "blunt but effective" kind of guy. I like "get-it-done" kind of guys. I like them in charge of my tax dollars. Republicans consistently lay the the blame for the stalled nomination process at the feet of Democrats. That's a lie, of course. If they could convince Republicans that Bolton isn't a disaster, his confirmation would click along nicely.

But an Ambassador shouldn't be habitually undiplomatic. Republicans that haven't completely lost touch with reality know this. It creates diplomatic crisis'. Real power occurs as the result of a willing contract between leaders and those they lead. Bolton can't possibly hope to negotiate that contract on behalf of the US.