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White House wants Bolton at UN
19/06/2005 21:58 - (SA)
Washington - US senate Republicans will make a new effort Monday to confirm John Bolton as the US ambassador to the United Nations, but Democrats are likely to renew their efforts to block the controversial nomination.
US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice said on Sunday it was time for the senate to take a vote, but top Democratic senators continued to insist that the US administration provide classified documents that they say is crucial to deciding Bolton's nomination.
Unless they get the documents, Democrats said, they will likely continue using a parliamentary manoeuvre that allows the minority to block a confirmation vote in the Republican-controlled Senate.
"Once we get it, we can have an up or down vote immediately," Democratic senator Joseph Biden told CBS television on Sunday.
Still, even with the documents, Democratic senator Chris Dodd said the senate should vote against Bolton, who has been accused of bullying staff and seeking to tailor intelligence to suit his political agenda. Bolton has also been a strong critic of the United Nations and a staunch backer of the war in Iraq.
"I believe we need someone who is strong at the United Nations. And so I'm not opposed at all to having a good, strong conservative, and there are many who can do this job," Dodd told ABC television. "Mr. Bolton is not the man to do this job."
"I've never seen in my 24 years in the Senate so many objections raised by people of his own political party and affiliation as I have about Mr. Bolton. He's a bad choice."
"The Senate ought to reject him," Dodd added.
But Rice said Bolton, currently the under secretary for arms control and international security, is the right person for the job at a time when the United Nations is eyeing reform.
"There is a very important debate that is going on in the UN about the future of the UN. We want the UN to be strong and effective," Rice told ABC on Sunday.
"But in order for America's voice to be strong and effective in that very consequential UN debate, we need a strong permanent representative to the UN. The president thinks, I believe, that John Bolton is the person to do that job," she said.
"It's time to have a vote," Rice said. "If senators wish to vote against him, then they should vote against him. If they wish to vote for him, then they should vote for him."
At least 60 votes are needed to unlock the Democrats' stall tactic, while Bush's Republican Party controls 55 of the 100 seats in the chamber.
Senate Democrats want the administration to produce classified testimony written by Bolton about Syria's alleged attempts to procure weapons of mass destruction, and efforts by Bolton to obtain the names of intelligence analysts whose identities should be kept secret.
Rice, however, said the administration and Bolton have answered "countless inquiries from the Senate."
Democrats have used parliamentary manoeuvres to block Bolton's confirmation since May 26 in a face off with the White House over the administration's refusal to release the classified documents.
The White House picked Bolton to replace John Danforth three months ago, but his confirmation has been in trouble from the start.
Democrats immediately slammed the pick as "inexplicable" at a time when new Rice is trying to patch up relations with principle allies.
Bolton's history and his volatile character have given pause even to Republicans. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee, charged with vetting his candidacy, sent his nomination to the full Senate last month without endorsing him after contentious hearings.
The Senate's majority leader, Republican Bill Frist, who has pushed for a vote, expressed frustration at the absence of a US ambassador.
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It's been 200 days that this "vacancy" sign above our UN ambassador's door in New York has been blinking. It is now a time to end that," Frist said last week.
- SAPA
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