Two Detail Bolton's Efforts to Punish Dissent (WaPo)

[TacticalPeek]

Two Detail Bolton's Efforts to Punish Dissent

By Dafna Linzer
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, April 29, 2005; Page A02

A former senior Bush administration official told Senate staff members yesterday that John R. Bolton, the president's nominee for ambassador to the United Nations, sought to punish two State Department officials for disagreeing with him on nonproliferation issues, congressional sources said. And a former CIA chief, disputing Bolton, said the nominee had tried to fire a national intelligence officer who believed Bolton was exaggerating evidence on Cuba, they said.

John S. Wolf, who served as assistant secretary of state for nonproliferation and as President Bush's senior envoy to the Middle East until last year, and Alan Foley, who ran the CIA's weapons of mass destruction office, were two of six people who were interviewed by staff members on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

...

On Wednesday, the committee's Republican chairman, Sen. Richard G. Lugar (Ind.), predicted Bolton would be approved by the committee and sent to the full Senate for a successful confirmation. The Republicans dominate the panel with 10 of the 18 seats.

But yesterday, Sen. George V. Voinovich (R-Ohio), whose concerns promoted the delay in the committee's decision, told a luncheon of the Cleveland Club that he was still undecided. "I am concerned about people's interpersonal skills," he said in response to a question about Bolton.


more
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/04/28/AR2005042801874.html

[Hekate]

1. Max Boot thinks he's swell; my letter to LA Times

Max Boot's Op-Ed column in Thursday's LA Times, "Bolton's Not Nice, But He's Good," really deserved an answer. Here's mine.
Hekate


April 29, 2005
[email protected]

Editor, Los Angeles Times:

Max Boot never met a Neocon he didn’t like — including the rabid John Bolton. It’s pretty clear by now to the rest of us that as ambassador, Bolton’s effect on the United Nations would be like a wrecking ball — say, a wrecking ball applied to the first ten stories of the UN Building in New York.

As there are no accidents in the Bush Administration, this must be George Bush’s intention in nominating Bolton for the position. Any assertions to the contrary ought to be seen as more of the Orwellian constructions for which this Administration will surely go down in history (unless, of course, the unfortunate resemblance to George Orwell’s masterpiece becomes even more prophetic than it already has).

Bolton has a track record. He has repeatedly tried to fire or otherwise punish intelligence officers and analysts who give him information that disagrees with his predetermined agenda. In a post-9/11 world, this alone should be enough to disqualify him for further employment by the US government.

We have all already paid dearly for intelligence and analysis that the Bush Administration ignored or derided right up until the moment the airplanes hit the Towers and the Pentagon. Does the fact that George Bush continues to strongly back his friend John Bolton a signal that this despicable behavior continues unabated, and indeed is rewarded?

God help the United States of America.

XXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXX

[leftchick]

2. "CIA's weapons of mass destruction office"

Does Valerie Plame fit in here somewhere? Was the thug involved with that treasonous act as well?

[MontageOfFreedom]

3. John Bolton=George Bush.

Unfit to lead, unfit to govern.

Kick them out and swallow the key. Down will go John Bolton who in no way should anyone consider for a top position.

[Judi Lynn]

4. Anyone who would endorse Bolton is somone in the wrong place

He/she shouldn't be in a position of influence. NOT EVER. Bolton should have been sent packing long ago. LONG, LONG AGO.

It tells you a lot about the quality of the people around _Bush and the worthiness of their intentions. Thugs. Sly, deceitful, sneaky brutes.

From the article:

The committee also interviewed Thomas Hubbard, the former ambassador to South Korea, who reiterated earlier statements that he did not approve a controversial speech Bolton gave on North Korea, as Bolton had testified in his confirmation hearing.

Also yesterday, Democrats on the committee sent Bolton two dozen additional questions to answer. Most of them are resubmissions of previous queries he did not fully address.
(snip)

[struggle4progress]

5. Take Bolton to the vet to get his shots. He oughta be fixed, too. eom