The Guardian 6 April, 2005
Bolton, in his own words
John Bolton, George W Bush's appointment as US Ambassador to the United Nations,
has been remarkably consistent in his contempt for international cooperation, in
particular for the United Nations. The following quotations from Bolton give a clear
picture of what we can expect from him as ambassador. They are also telling indication of
the Bush administration's thinking and global ambitions.
John Bolton on the United Nations and international cooperation:
"[M]any Republicans in Congress — and perhaps a majority — not only do not
care about losing the General Assembly vote but actually see it as a 'make my day' outcome.
Indeed, once the vote is lost… this will simply provide further evidence to why nothing more
should be paid to the UN system."
The Washington Times, 1998
"If the UN secretary building in New York lost 10 stories, it wouldn't make a
bit of difference."
1994 Global Structures Convocation, New York
"There is no such thing as the United Nations. There is an international
community that occasionally can be led by the only real power left in the world and that is the
United States when it suits our interest and we can get others to go along."
1994 Global Structures Convocation, New York
For the US to submit to the will of the UN Security Council, it would mean
that "its discretion in using force to advance its national interests is likely to be inhibited in the
future".
Weekly Standard, 1999
General Assembly Resolutions and international conference declarations,
(such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Agenda 21, and the Millennium
Declaration) are "mind-numbing".
Policy Review. Bring Back the Laxalt Doctrine, 2000
"If I were redoing the Security Council today, I'd have one permanent
member because that's the real reflection of the distribution of power in the world."
National Public Radio with Juan Williams, 2000
Bolton on international treaties and justice for perpetrators of genocide
"The Senate vote [on the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty] is also an
unmistakable signal that America rejects the illusionary protections of unenforceable
treaties."
The Jerusalem Post, 1999
Renouncing the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court "was the
happiest moment of my government service".
The Wall Street Journal, 2002
"Support for the International Criminal Court concept is based largely on
emotional appeals to an abstract ideal of an international judicial system."
Statement before the House International Relations Committee, 2000
Bolton on Human Rights and non-governmental organisations
There is no way that treaty obligations, such as those under the UN Charter,
are going to get in the way. "Treaties are law only for US domestic purposes" but "in their
international operation, treaties are simply political obligations".
The Wall Street Journal, 17 November, 1997
"We do not support the promotion of international advocacy activity by
international or non-governmental organisations, particularly when those political or policy views
advocated are not consistent with the views of all member states."
Statement to the UN Conference on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms
and Light Weapons in All its Aspects, 9 July 2001
Quotes from Citizens for Global Solutions and Scott Ritter