washington | In John Bolton, the Bush administration thinks it has found someone with a track record of taking on the United Nations and rogue states.
And that is welcome news to mainstream Jewish groups and pro-Israel advocates.
Bolton, 56, was nominated this week as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Now the undersecretary of state for arms control and international security, Bolton has gained a reputation as a tough fighter against Iran and other countries that have sought nuclear weapons.
He also won the admiration of the American Jewish community in 1991, when as assistant secretary of state for international organizations he was the principal architect behind an initiative to repeal a United Nations resolution that equated Zionism with racism.
“He’s really a hero of that effort,” said Jess Hordes, Washington director of the Anti-Defamation League.
Despite Bolton’s support by major Jewish organizations, many Democratic Party leaders are dismayed by the nomination. Bolton has a reputation for minimizing the importance of the United Nations, suggesting in 1998 that the United States should not pay its U.N. dues.
Bolton could face a tough fight in the Senate, where he must be confirmed.
Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) said that Bolton’s appointment was “inexplicable.”
“If the president is serious about reaching out to the world, why would he choose someone who has expressed such disdain for working with our allies?” Kerry said in a statement.
In 2001, when Bolton was being considered as undersecretary, the late Sen. Paul Wellstone (D-Minn.) blasted Bush’s nominee, saying, “He has not supported the critically important role of the United Nations.”
Bolton’s nomination to the U.N. post comes at a time of growing anti-American and anti-Semitic sentiment around the world. Jewish leaders said they hoped Bolton would be able to take on efforts in the international forum to demonize Jews and the Jewish state.
“He’s articulate, but more importantly, he’s tough,” said Tom Neumann, executive director of the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs, who received a call from Bolton this week. “He’s no-nonsense.”
Bolton has gained fans in the pro-Israel community for his tough talk against Iran and other countries that could threaten Israel with weapons of mass destruction. He has suggested that all options are on the table to combat the Iranian threat.
In 2002, Bolton suggested that several countries beyond Bush’s “axis of evil” abetted terrorism, including Libya and Syria.