If You Can't Appreciate Irony

then don't bother reading this article, penned by former US ambassador to the UN John Bolton (who was never confirmed by the Senate) and John Yoo (he who penned the infamous torture memos that were based on his opinion that in times of war, the executive branch is not bound by normal separation of powers limitations or international law).

In this article, they both call for the restoration of the Senate's Treaty Power.

Yes. Seriously.

It is consistent at least in the sense that they see no benefit to be gained from international law at all. But now they are worried that the executive will enter into international agreements without congressional authorization, rather than flout international law, as with questionable interrogation techniques and Guantanamo Bay.

They seem to gloss over the fact that one treaty that was signed by the president and ratified by the Senate was the Geneva Conventions; the very set of treaties that John Yoo advocated the president did not have to follow and that he could authorize alternative interrogation techniques at Guantanamo and elsewhere in contravention of those treaties.

Don't Let La Porte Hit You in the Ass on Your Way Out

Bolton Withdraws From UN Nomination Amid Opposition (Update4)

By Brendan Murray and Judy Mathewson

Dec. 4 (Bloomberg) -- John Bolton will step down this month as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, as President George W. Bush conceded that opposition from Democrats would make it impossible for the envoy to stay in the job. (full story)

Woo hoo! It's about fricking time. I mean seriously. This guy couldn't even get confirmed when the Republicans controlled the Senate. Bush is trying to fault the Democratic and Republican Senators who have opposed Bolton's confirmation by saying that this is a bad time to interrupt our foreign diplomatic corps. I think that he has a point given what's going on with Iran and North Korea, but it is Bush's stubbornness that has created this situation. It was Bush who kept Bolton at his post despite the fact that the Senate did not confirm him since his nomination in March 2005. And despite the clear message of the elections a month ago, he re-nominated this guy. You can't blame other people for the problems you create yourself. Although, from what I know about this guy's upbringing, I don't believe that he was ever taught that you are responsible for the consequences of your own actions.

Come again?

I thought Bush had seen the election results. Apparently he's trying to sneak this one under the radar. If the last Congress didn't like him, I doubt John Bolton will fare much better now.

For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
November 9, 2006

Nominations Sent to the Senate

John Robert Bolton, of Maryland, to be the Representative of the United States of America to the United Nations, with the rank and status of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, and the Representative of the United States of America in the Security Council of the United Nations.

John Robert Bolton, of Maryland, to be Representative of the United States of America to the Sessions of the General Assembly of the United Nations during his tenure of service as Representative of the United States of America to the United Nations.

Eat My Shorts, Kim Jong-Il

I was listening to NPR yesterday morning while they were reporting on the international community's reaction to the underground nuclear test that North Korea conducted. They had some brief audio of UN ambassador John Bolton's statement and his answers to a few questions posed by the media. I wasn't sure because I was wandering around my apartment, but I could have sworn that when he was asked if the US had actually provoked North Korea's nuclear ambitions by including them in the "axis of evil," he responded by saying "get a life." Surely I must have misheard.

I was looking at the news today, and lo and behold, there it was in the Guardian (full article):

Mr Bolton dismissed the notion that Pyongyang was driven to carry out a nuclear test by being labelled as part of the "axis of evil", saying those who believed this should "get a life".

Now I'm not saying that North Korea became a rogue state because Bush cavalierly included him in his now infamous "axis of evil" speech, but surely our F*CKING AMBASSADOR TO THE UN could come up with a more diplomatic, if not more relevant, response to this question than an out-of-date colloquial expression. If this is how he addresses the public, lord only knows how he speaks privately.

Bolton receiving Senate confirmation? As if! Well, maybe he'll get it. Not!