More on John Bolton

Yesterday I passed on to you two articles about the appointment of John Bolton as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Today I offer you a third. This one by veteran White House reporter Helen Thomas. Her point is made clear by the simple headline, "Bush makes wrong choice for U.N." She writes:

What can Bush have been thinking?

The president and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice made recent trips to Europe to extend an olive branch to old allies and friends who have become estranged because of the administration's belligerent policies.

Bolton's appointment makes me wonder if the administration's recent peace-making was merely a line touted strictly for public consumption....

Bolton's style is to flaunt U.S. superpower military status and to lay down the law to other nations: Our way or the highway. A diplomat he is not. The old cliche "A bull in a china shop" comes to mind.

North Korean officials have been so angered by Bolton's high-handed rhetoric that they refuse to negotiate with him. Former Secretary of State Colin Powell tried to ease the situation by sending other envoys to the Asian negotiations.

I shudder to contemplate the consequences.