June 19, 2005

How Bolton Exposed U.N. Bias for 9/11 Attacks

Those U.S. senators, whose jolly is picking wings off flies, have President Bush’s nominee for United Nations ambassador on a stickpin.

Yet, John Bolton refuses to die. Stubborn Bush won’t end the misery by withdrawing the nomination and proposing someone else skilled in pussy foot.

For the sake of the United Nations – and maybe the world -- let us pray that both men persevere.

Bolton’s nomination has become entangled with the President’s nominations to the executive branch of government.

The weapon of choice in this epic battle is the “filibuster” -- an unconstitutional blunderbuss favored by the political party in minority. Right now, the Democrats are discomfited.

Minority Leader Harry Reid, devotee of the Dashle- Mitchell scorched earth school, is deftly guiding his stalwarts on the judicial and intelligence committees.

The big prize is the next Supreme Court justice – of which, more later. Second prize is the United Nations ambassador. Which side prevails will have precedent in the Supreme fight.

Bolton is known for straightforward dealing with big problems. The United Nations is problem Uno Numero. It is a help-yourself piggy bank for third-world countries and a grab bag for insiders on the top floor.

The oil-for-food rake off for U.N. insiders is a scandal requiring stern oversight that Bolton would provide.

The most that liberal Democrat committee members can find derogatory about Bolton is that he once raised his voice toward an insubordinate staffer. Boo hoo. You hurt my feelings!

Every senator castigating Bolton are known tyrants toward their staffers who likely need tight reins.

Bush haters have been fishing the files for a year trying to find something demeaning in Bolton’s record. Embarrassingly they keep discovering successes in high- level assignments.

Oh well. There always are the secret FBI files routinely compiled on all executive department nominees. The files consist of raw gossip gathered from people known to be closely identified with the nominee.

Respondents are assured they will not be identified, and their comments used only for further investigation if a crime is indicated. Just the chairmen and ranking members the judicial and the intelligence committees may see the files if a nominee is challenged.

Years ago I was asked twice by the FBI to comment about a presidential appointment. Such unsubstantiated disclosures are opportunities for

acquaintances to make accusations. In my cases, the nominees were approved routinely.

Bolton’s files were inspected by Intelligence Committee Chairman Pat Roberts and Ranking Member Jay Rockefeller. Both indicated nothing was damaging. Rockefeller described the files as “vanilla.”

No matter. Die-hard Dems demanded 60 White House vetting records on Bolton. This was so preposterous the demanded was whittled to six. As always -- by previous presidents responding to partisan fishing expeditions -- Bush invoked “presidential confidentiality.”

Now that the formalities are over, Bolton’s nomination will be decided tomorrow by the usual game of chicken.

The Democrats may try to filibuster 60 votes with the help of “Rinos” – Republicans In Name Only.

Majority Leader Bill Frist threatens to invoke a “constitutional option” of simple majority 51 votes.

Who blinks will be significant.

My guess (anyone who will predict politics will lie about other things also) is that Minority Leader Reid will let Bolton slip through.

An upcoming Supreme Court appointment is more important than an ambassador to a corrupt United Nations that obviously needs a thorough house cleaning.

Ion Mihai Pacepa, highest-ranking officer to defect from the Soviet regime, and author of “Red Horizons,” makes a cogent observation about Bolton.

“He not only acts forcefully, he also gets results. He single handedly brought about repeal of U.N. Resolution 3379 of 1975. This stigmatized Zionism as ‘a form of racism and racial discrimination.’

“Resolution 3379 lasted 16 years – until a little known undersecretary of sate, John Bolton, convinced the U.N. General Assembly to repeal its resolution by a margin of 111 to 25.

“Unfortunately, the same Zionism canard sprang up August 31, 2001, at a U.N. World Conference on Racism. An Arab League declaration asserted Zionism was a brutal form of racism, and the United States was its main supporter.”

The attacks on the World Trade Center towers and the Pentagon came ten days later.

Where is John Bolton when we need him?

Lindsey Williams is a Sun columnist who can be contacted at linwms@lindseywilliams.org