Monday, August 01, 2005

Bolton the Boor's first slapdown, UN style

The words of UN diplomacy are quietly spoken, subtle, and quite lethal.
Kofi Annan, as quoted in the AP story Bush names Bolton to UN, has already slapped Bolton down in just 32 polite words.
The story says "UN Secretary General Kofi Annan welcomed Bolton's appointment and steered clear of the controversy over whether Bolton would be weakened by the recess appointment. 'We look forward to working with him as I do with the other 190 ambassadors, and we will welcome him at a time when we are in the midst of major reform,' Annan said."
Yeah. Here's the actual message from Annan to Bolton:
Listen up, fella. You may think you are going to bluster and bombast your way into the UN and start telling everyone what to do. Think again, Einstein. You are just one of our 190 members, and ajunior one at that, and don't you forget it. Don't you start thinking that you are more important than anyone else. And as for that "UN reform" you think you will be in charge of, forget it -- we're already doing it, and we don't need any of your bullying. Running down the hall screaming isn't going to faze us, buddy.
I thought it was unlikely that either Bolton the Boor or his rabid supporters would even realize they have just been insulted and marginalized. But I note that a different AP story shows the reporters understood Annan's words quite clearly -- Annan: Bolton Must Cooperate with Envoys.

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