Senator Durbin on Ambassador Bolton

I recently sent my Senator, Richard Durbin (D-IL), a letter urging him to do what he could to ensure that John Bolton is confirmed. I know, it was a long shot, but, as his constituent, I felt it was my duty to inform him of my views. Here is his reply, received today:

Dear Major Reed: Thank you for letting me know of your support for the nomination of John Bolton to serve as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. As you may know, in August 2005 President Bush used his constitutional authority to bypass the Senate confirmation process while the Senate was in recess, appointing Mr. Bolton to serve as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations through the end of 2006. President Bush has resubmitted Mr. Bolton's nomination for confirmation by the full Senate in the hope of extending his term beyond 2006.

At a time when we should be strengthening our ties with our allies and the broader international community, I do not believe that John Bolton is the right person to serve in this important position. He has strongly disparaged efforts to pursue international cooperation on important global issues through the United Nations; he has brow-beaten intelligence analysts who refused to alter their findings to suit his political views; and he has belittled the value of peacekeepers in solving civil conflicts. More broadly, and most importantly, Mr. Bolton has been dismissive of the basic notion that it is frequently in our national interest to work with other nations in addressing issues of international concern. In his time as temporary ambassador to the U.N., Mr. Bolton's abrasive style has served to alienate even close U.S. allies. During his tenure, he has made little progress in forging greater international cooperation on pressing global issues such as the genocide in Darfur or Iran's nuclear program.

The United Nations is in need of reform, and the United States should be a positive influence in reshaping the U.N. for the 21st Century. Based on his public record, however, John Bolton is not the person to lead this effort as our representative to the U.N. Thank you again for taking the time to contact me, and please feel free to stay in touch.

Sincerely,
Richard J. Durbin
United States Senator

Hopefully, in the very near future, I'll be able to go through the text of his letter and examine all of his claims. Like I said, I knew it was a long shot to expect him to support Bolton's confirmation, but I had to try. I also sent a letter to Senator Obama. Haven't received a reply yet.