Agents and Ambassadors

From an editorial in today's Wall Street Journal, subscription required WSJ.com - Agents and Ambassadors:

"Which brings us back to Mr. Bolton. In its wisdom, the Foreign Relations Committee could not bring itself to endorse the nominee: Alaska Republican Lisa Murkowski, whose state is within range of North Korean missiles, complained the nominee had made 'inflammatory' comments about that nation. And Ohio Republican George Voinovich described Mr. Bolton as 'the poster child of what someone in the diplomatic corps should not be.'

The same could be said about Mr. Voinovich, who didn't bother to show up to the initial hearings for Mr. Bolton. But leave that aside. Given what we have learned from the Senate subcommittee about the U.N., to say nothing of Paul Volcker's independent inquiry, just what qualities does a U.N. Ambassador need?

Here's a thought: The Oil for Food scandal is not just the product of Saddam's manipulations, or of the corruptibility of a few officials. Rather, it is what happens when America's diplomats choose to 'be diplomatic,' to speak softly, to defer to the U.N. consensus.

Mr. Voinovich may think we need more of the same. But we are reminded of the words of another Senator, who also knew something about the U.N. 'It is time that the American spokesman came to be feared in international forums for the truths he might tell.' That was Pat Moynihan, writing in Commentary in 1975, and John Bolton is his heir."

There are many of us who have been newly engaged in the political process because of Bush's foreign policy. Voters turned out in unprecedented numbers to declare their support for Bush, and to repudiate the "global test" thinking of Kerry and his fellow-multilateralists. We do not believe the U.S. ought to defer to a corrupt U.N. And, if the U.N. is going to mean anything it must be reformed.

Anyone who watched these Bolton hearings immediately realized this wasn't about Bolton. The Democrats voiced all the same talking points against Bolton they did against Bush. They're upset with his policies. Even Colin Powell's qualms about Bolton clearly reduces to a policy dispute. For a man like Biden, who admittedly smiles while ruinning the careers of his opponents spreading unfounded lies about them, to smear Bolton for being passionate and "hotheaded" is wild inversion.

Now, Voinovich is mouthing the Democrats' talking points against Bush foreign policy and its representative. Remember: this is a man who didn't even bother to show up for the hearings!