U.N. / U.S. square off

[PressCoverage]

Annan Deputy Criticizes U.S. Policy; Bolton Demands Apology, Says U.N. Will Be ‘the Victim’



Yesterday at a conference co-sponsored by the Center for American Progress and the Century Foundation, Mark Malloch Brown — the #2 official at the U.N. — offered a constructive critique about the way the United States treats the organization:

[T]he prevailing practice of seeking to use the UN almost by stealth as a diplomatic tool while failing to stand up for it against its domestic critics is simply not sustainable. You will lose the UN one way or another.

Brown noted that rampant U.N. bashing in the United States makes even renovating their dilapidated headquarters difficult:

[T]he only government not fully supporting the project is the U.S. Too much unchecked UN-bashing and stereotyping over too many years—manifest in a fear by politicians to be seen to be supporting better premises for what they unjustly regard as overpaid, corrupt UN bureaucrats—makes even refurbishing a building a political hot potato.

In response, U.N. Ambassador John Bolton has lashed out at Brown. He said that if Annan didn’t immediately repudiate the remarks, the United Nations would be the “victim.” From his press release:

Well, on that speech, this is a very, very grave mistake by the Deputy Secretary General…Even though the target of the speech was the United States, the victim, I fear, will be the United Nations. And even worse was the condescending and patronizing tone about the American people. That fundamentally and very sadly, this was a criticism of the American people, not the American government, by an international civil servant it’ s just illegitimate.
…But what we think the only way at this point to mitigate the damage to the United Nations is that the Secretary General Kofi Annan, we think has to personally and publicly repudiate this speech at the earliest possible opportunity.

Looks like Bolton can dish it out, but he can’t take it.

[Jimmy James]

I'm a bit disturbed by the lack of a link to Bolton's press release. That certainly may have just been an oversight on the part of the blog author. It may also not be available on the Internet. I'm going to try to find it before I react.

ETA: It's not a press release (to my understanding of that term). It looks like a transcript of a short press conference. The link is here.

Yeah, money for oil, umpteen thousand toothless resolutions Anans unethical nepotism and oh yeah....the US foots more of the bill for the UN than anyone.

But were the bad guys....


riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight

[Jimmy James]

Here is the whole answer to the question Bolton was asked. The question was, "Ambassador, could I get a few comments about, especially about Mr. Brown’s comments about my station?"

Originally Posted by Bolton

Well, on that speech, this is a very, very grave mistake by the Deputy Secretary General. We are in the process of an enormous effort to achieve substantial reform at the United Nations. And it’s a difficult effort, but it’s an effort that we feel very strongly about. And to have the Deputy Secretary General criticize the United States in such a manner, can only do grave harm to the United Nations. Even though the target of the speech was the United States, the victim, I fear, will be the United Nations. And even worse was the condescending and patronizing tone about the American people. That fundamentally and very sadly, this was a criticism of the American people, not the American government, by an international civil servant, it’s just illegitimate. So we’ve thought about this a good deal and we didn’t respond to it yesterday evening when we got a copy of the speech. But what we think the only way at this point to mitigate the damage to the United Nations is that the Secretary General Kofi Annan, we think has to personally and publicly repudiate this speech at the earliest possible opportunity. Because otherwise I fear the consequences, not just for the reform effort, but for the organization as a whole. I spoke to the Secretary General this morning. I said I’ve known you since 1989, and I’m telling you this is the worst mistake by a senior UN official that I have seen in that entire time. That’s why the only hope I think is that the Secretary General comes to the rescue of the organization and repudiates the speech.

Bolton later said:

Originally Posted by Bolton

I am concerned at this point at the very wounding effect that this criticism of the United States will have in our efforts to achieve reform. And this isn’t the first time the Deputy Secretary General has done this recently. He gave an interview a few weeks ago that criticized the United States and the other major contributors. This is very serious. This is very serious.

This looks to me like a clear attempt to take Bolton's comments out of their context. That's quite a cheap shot. The original author should be ashamed of himself. Of course, you had no way of knowing that other than digging up the press conference, PC. I'm not trying to blame you for not doing that.

[zach13]

Originally Posted by Jimmy James

Here is the whole answer to the question Bolton was asked. The question was, "Ambassador, could I get a few comments about, especially about Mr. Brown’s comments about my station?"



Bolton later said:



This looks to me like a clear attempt to take Bolton's comments out of their context. That's quite a cheap shot. The original author should be ashamed of himself. Of course, you had no way of knowing that other than digging up the press conference, PC. I'm not trying to blame you for not doing that.

Seems like an excellent reply by Bolton to me

[ch19079]

they want support... they need money to rebuild the facilities... ok.

who do you think enforces the UNs actions? do you see french tanks and planes anywhere? no. they are US soldiers, US equipment, US money. without the US the UN is just a small group of weak countries who have no real power.

several years back there was a organization similar to the UN. the US was not involved. it didnt last long.

[Penthos]

Originally Posted by Jimmy James

Here is the whole answer to the question Bolton was asked. The question was, "Ambassador, could I get a few comments about, especially about Mr. Brown’s comments about my station?"



Bolton later said:



This looks to me like a clear attempt to take Bolton's comments out of their context. That's quite a cheap shot. The original author should be ashamed of himself. Of course, you had no way of knowing that other than digging up the press conference, PC. I'm not trying to blame you for not doing that.

How is that out of context?

[Jimmy James]

Originally Posted by Penthos

How is that out of context?

It leaves out in the entirety Bolton's concern that the efforts he is heading up to achieve reform will suffer. That's what he fears will suffer. It isn't the veiled threat the selective editing makes it out to be.

[SirDrums]

The UN acts this way bc they can. They seem to have the world by the political gonads.

Because the UN is perceived to be an organization that prevents war, feeds the hungry and is a champion of human rights, They have the world brainwashed to believe that their absence would evoke the opposite. So they can do what they please and all we do is whine.