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Is Bush Bringing Democracy to the Middle East? A Debate on
U.S. Foreign Policy in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Egypt and More
Bush Nominates Fierce UN Critic and Unilateralist John Bolton
As Ambassador to United Nations
Is Bush Bringing Democracy to the Middle East? A
Debate on U.S. Foreign Policy in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Egypt
and More
We host a debate on the question: Is Bush bringing democracy
to the Middle East? We are joined by Steven Cook of the Council
on Foreign Relations, Rahul Mahajan, an independent journalist
and author and Farid Ghadry, the co-founder and current president
of the Reform Party of Syria, a U.S.-based Syrian opposition
party. [includes rush
transcript]
In a major address yesterday at the National Defense University
in Washington DC, President Bush spoke extensively about his
vision for the future of the Middle East. But as the president
spoke, more than half a million people rallied in Beirut in
a massive demonstration called by Hezbollah. That demonstration
was pro-Syria, anti-Israel and against US intervention in
all countries of the region. In his speech yesterday, Bush
renewed his threats against Syria and again indicated that
he believes that his policies are leading to an era of sweeping
change in the Middle East.
- President Bush, speaking at the National Defense University,
March 8, 2005.
President Bush speaking yesterday at the National Defense
University in Washington DC. Today, we are going to continue
our close look at the Bush administration's policies in the
Middle East and this question of democratizing the region.
- Rahul Mahajan, an independent journalist who has traveled
twice to occupied Iraq and is the author of "Full Spectrum
Dominance: U.S. Power in Iraq and Beyond." He is also
publisher of the weblog EmpireNotes.org.
- Farid Ghadry, co-founder and current president of the
Reform Party of Syria,
a US-based Syrian opposition party.
Bush Nominates Fierce UN Critic and Unilateralist
John Bolton As Ambassador to United Nations
President Bush nominated John Bolton to become the next
U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. We take a look at Bolton's
record, his criticism of the UN and why his nomination stunned
many in Washington with journalist Jim Lobe. [includes rush
transcript]
President Bush nominated John Bolton to become the next
US ambassador to the United Nations. Secretary of State Condoleezza
Rice made the announcement on Monday saying Bolton had a "track
record of effective multilateralism."
But Bolton's nomination has stunned many in Washington because
he has been one of the Bush administration's fiercest critics
of the UN. In 1994, he said, "If the UN secretariat building
in New York lost 10 stories, it wouldn't make a bit of difference."
Four years later he said, "There is no United Nations.
There is an international community that occasionally can
be led by the only real power left in the world, and that
is the United States, when it suits our interest, and when
we can get others to go along."
Bolton has worked in federal government - mostly in the State
Department - for the past 25 years. He presently serves as
the Undersecretary of State for arms control and international
affairs. The Senate confirmed his appointment to that job
in May 2001 by a vote of 57-43, with all the votes in opposition
coming from Democrats. But this time around, some Senate Republicans
have expressed concern regarding his nomination as ambassador
to the UN. Senator Chuck Hagel of Nebraska told The New York
Times "We need alliances, we need friends. To go up there
and kick the U.N. around doesn't get the job done."
After the announcement of his nomination Monday, Bolton said
this is now a time for the UN to achieve reform.
- John Bolton, United Nations Ambassador Nominee, March
7, 2005.
We are joined in our DC studio right now by Jim Lobe, journalist
with Inter Press Service. He has closely followed the rise
of the neo-conservatives in Washington.
For a copy of today’s program, call 1 (800) 881 2359.
Our website is www.democracynow.org.
Our email address is mail@democracynow.org.
Democracy Now! is produced by Mike Burke, Sharif Abdel Kouddous,
Ana Nogueira, Elizabeth Press, Jeremy Scahill and Parvez Sharma.
Mike Di Filippo is our engineer.
Thanks also to Uri Galed, Angela Alston, Orlando Richards,
Simba Russeau, Johnny Sender, Rich Kim, Joe Murgio, John Randolph,
Chris Zucker, Karen Ranucci, Denis Moynihan, Eric Rweyemamu,
Jenny Filipazzo and Isis Phillips.
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