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Redefining the Word Diplomat

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, 3/7/05:

The United States is committed to the success of the United Nations and we view the UN as an important component of our diplomacy…President Bush has sent our most skilled and experienced diplomats to represent the United States at the UN. Today, I am honored to continue that tradition by announcing that President Bush intends to nominate John Bolton to be our next Ambassador to the United Nations.

Frederick Vreeland, former U.S. ambassador to Morocco,4/26/05:

Bolton has none of the qualities needed for that job. On the contrary, he has all the qualities needed to harm the image and objectives in the U.N. and its affiliated international organizations. If it is now U.S. policy not to reform the U.N but to destroy it, Bolton is our man. It is totally erroneous to speak of Bolton as a diplomat.

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Vreeland worked with Bolton in the early 1990s. He also said Bolton “dealt with visitors to his office as if they were servants with whom he could be dismissive, curt and negative” and once “spoke of the U.N. as being the enemy.”