http://blogcritics.org/ A sinister cabal of superior bloggers on music, books, film, popular culture, politics, and technology - updated continuously. en Copyright 2005 by the authors Fri, 13 May 2005 02:44:35 EDT http://backend.userland.com/rss Blogcritics.org custom software http://blogcritics.org/archives/2005/05/13/013218.php#comment-152039 Good article. You know, the UN has had 60 years to try to do something worthwhile. It hasn't got a terribly good record in all that time. Maybe it's had enough of our money and enough second chances. Maybe it's time for some accountability. Dave 152039@blogcritics.org Fri, 13 May 2005 02:44:35 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2005/05/13/013218.php#comment-152031 Well, our Armed Forces are stretched pretty thin. If another regional hot spot rises up that needs troops, can we supply them all by ourselves? If you believe so, then it's true, we can pick any belligerent yahoo to any diplomatic post we want. But if there is an off chance that we might want to address a need for troops without automatically going to the draft, we might consider that we need the help of other countries. There are issues with the UN, just as their are issues with any large organization. Does it seem reasonable that the way to fix them to our liking is to put someone into the organization who is reluctant to work with others? If your kids Little League organization was dysfunctional, would you try and fix it by appointing as its commisioner the most argumentative person you could find? I am amazed how common sense seems to be so unconnected from how we consider our government. It's no crime to be an obnoxious jerk, but it's NOT a recommendation either. Is this really the best person that America can come up with? If he's not, why are we settling for less when we need to get back onto the same side as the rest of the world? If Bolton is the best person we can come up with, well, that is sad. I sometimes think that the Republicans have slipped into a heavy case of low self-esteem. They seem to believe that America doesn't deserve the best people to represent it. On a more particular point about Bolton, you dismiss the complaints about him as disgruntled underlings. But how do you address those ABOVE him who were disgruntled as well? When Bolton had to be cut out of the loop by his superiors in more than one instance, what does that say about his competence as a public servant. Voinivich is right, if Bolton was in a private company he would have been canned for insubordination to superiors AS WELL as for harrasment of those under him. Even a Republican might think we could do better (but then again, a Republican doesn't allow themselves to ask for much, just take whomever Bush sends and be quiet) . 152031@blogcritics.org Fri, 13 May 2005 02:33:24 EDT