Bolton nominated for ambassador to UN
President Bush on Monday chose John R. Bolton, a blunt-spoken conservative known for his sharp skepticism of the United Nations and international diplomacy, as the new American ambassador to the world organization…Mr. Bolton had been scathing in his criticism of the United Nations.
Kerry, the unsuccessful 2004 presidential candidate, said Bolton’s nomination “carries with it baggage we cannot afford.”…Even within the Bush administration, some said they were surprised that Mr. Bolton, who only last fall angered a room full of diplomats when he spoke disdainfully of the European effort to negotiate with Iran, was picked for such a sensitive job…During a particularly sensitive moment in talks with North Korea in August 2003, he described Kim Jong Il, the North’s leader, as a “tyrannical dictator” of a place where “life is a hellish nightmare.” North Korea then labeled him “human scum” that it would refuse to deal with…
Mindful that he, like the president, has sometimes questioned the relevance of the United Nations, Bolton said, “Working closely with others is essential to ensure a safer world.”
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