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Originally Posted by aceventura3
"Soft shoe" diplomacy has failed over and over and over again in regard to the Middle east. There has never been peace in the Middle East during my life, it seems you guys want more of the same, I don't. If what we have been doing hasn't worked, trying to be nice, trying to make everybody happy, I say it is time for a new day, I like Bolton and supported his nomination. I realize his days are numbered, I just hope you realize that all those former diplomats failed in regards to the Middle East and peace.
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It's not his firmness or doggedness that people reject. It's the way he seems to be a walking (sorry, swaggering) expression of American arrogance and unilateralism. He's been openly negative about the UN and its ability to do anything. We wouldn't send an ambassador to, say, Mexico who thought that Mexico was worthless and would never amount to anything. Such beliefs would seriously undermine our nation's interests there.
Of course, the Administration's interested in having a lousy relationship with the rest of the world so they can play the "Lone Defender of American Against the Forces of Evil" card. Having such a divisive presence in the UN accomplishes that nicely. But those days are over. Part of what America just communicated is that it doesn't like how the Administration has held us separate from our international allies. By way of the proxy-vote of the congressional confirmation, America just voted down on Bolton.
I hope he's replaced by a freaking pit-bull. I don't want any "soft shoe" diplomacy either. But whoever goes in there needs to be able to build consensus and work with other nations, which is a skill Bolton not only lacks, but openly scorns.