On eve of Bolton re-nomination hearing, fifty-four

George Shultz, William Clark, James Woolsey, Max Kampelman, Senior Retired Military Officers among Signatories on Joint Letter to Sen. Lugar

(Washington, D.C.): As the Senate Foreign Relations Committee prepares to consider on Thursday the re-nomination of John Bolton as the U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nation’s, a joint letter signed by a large number of America’s most accomplished defense and foreign policy practitioners urged support for the nominee, the Center for Security Policy announced today.

The signatories’ recommendation that Mr. Bolton be made "permanent" in his position is backed by the decades of experience in international affairs that they collectively have in service at the highest levels of the U.S. government. It parallels the endorsement the nominee has received from former Bolton critic and Foreign Relations Committee member, Senator George Voinovich. Sen. Voinovich recently declared: "For the good of our country, the United Nations and the Free World, we must end any ambiguity about whether John Bolton speaks for the United States so that he can work to support our interests at the United Nations during this critical time."

The bipartisan group’s letter makes two key points:

-"During the nearly twelve months since Mr. Bolton assumed his present responsibilities, he has been an effective advocate for America ‘s interests. He has striven to reform the United Nations so as to make it more accountable, transparent and effective as an institution. And he has managed to forge consensus on such topics as the Syrian occupation of Lebanon , North Korea ‘s ballistic missile programs and Iran ‘s nuclear ambitions."

-"The challenges now confronting the United States at the UN make it simply unthinkable that Ambassador Bolton’s service might come within the next few months to a premature end."

Frank J. Gaffney, Jr., a former senior Pentagon official and President of the Center for Security Policy, which circulated the joint letter, observed:

If there is reason for hope that the UN will prove capable in the future of improving upon its past, generally dismal record when it comes to dealing with the world’s ills, it lies in America being represented there by an exceptionally principled, articulate and energetic advocate for our cause. Today, we have such a representative in John Bolton. It is time for the Senate to make him truly our "permanent" one, with an early and resoundingly affirmative vote for Amb. Bolton ‘s re-nomination.

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26 July 2006

Hon. Richard G. Lugar
Chairman, Senate Foreign Relations Committee
450 Senate Dirksen Office Building
Washington , D.C. 20510

Dear Mr. Chairman:

In April 2005, many of us sent you a joint letter strongly endorsing John Bolton to be the United States ‘ permanent representative at the United Nations. We did so in light of: Mr. Bolton’s past record of accomplishment; his long experience with the UN; his ability to get things done – even in difficult multilateral settings requiring considerable diplomatic skill; and the President’s confidence in his judgment and suitability for this assignment at a challenging moment for our country and the world.

We are delighted that, during the nearly twelve months since Mr. Bolton assumed his present responsibilities, he has fully vindicated this positive assessment. John has been an effective advocate for America ‘s interests. He has striven to reform the United Nations so as to make it more accountable, transparent and effective as an institution. And he has managed to forge consensus on such topics as the Syrian occupation of Lebanon , North Korea ‘s ballistic missile programs and Iran ‘s nuclear ambitions.

The challenges now confronting the United States at the UN make it simply unthinkable that Ambassador Bolton’s service might come within the next few months to a premature end. We commend President Bush for doing what he can to avoid such an unnecessary and undesirable outcome by renominating John and seeking anew his confirmation by the Senate.

We strongly concur with Senator George Voinovich’s declaration of support for Amb. Bolton ‘s re-nomination: "For the good of our country, the United Nations and the Free World, we must end any ambiguity about whether John Bolton speaks for the United States so that he can work to support our interests at the United Nations during this critical time."

We urge you and other members of the Senate to heed Sen. Voinovich’s call for the swift and decisive affirmation of John Bolton’s re-nomination. By so doing, the Senate will be ensuring that America continues to enjoy the representation it needs – and deserves – at the United Nations.

Please share this letter with your colleagues and include it in the record of the Foreign Relations Committee’s deliberations on the Bolton re-nomination.

Sincerely,

George P. Shultz, former Secretary of State; former Secretary of Treasury; former Secretary of Labor; former Director, Office of Management and Budget

William P. Clark, former National Security Advisor to the President; former Deputy Secretary of State

R. James Woolsey, former Director of Central Intelligence

Max M. Kampelman, Counselor to the Department of State; former Ambassador and Head of Delegation to the U.S.-Soviet START and Defense and Space Negotiations

Mr. Frank J. Gaffney, Jr., former Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Policy (Designate); former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear Forces and Arms Control Policy

Otto J. Reich, former Special Envoy for Western Hemisphere Initiatives; former Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs; former Ambassador to Venezuela

Richard Perle, former Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Policy

Dr. Alan L. Keyes, former Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs; former Representative to the United Nations Economic and Social Council

Jed L. Babbin, former Deputy Undersecretary of Defense

Dr. Dov S. Zakheim, former Undersecretary of Defense (Comptroller); Deputy Under Secretary of Defense, Planning and Resources; Assistant Under Secretary of Defense, Policy and Resources

Christopher D. Lay, former Special Assistant to the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy

David J. Trachtenberg, former Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (International Security Policy)

Charles M. Kupperman, former Special Assistant to the President; former Deputy Director of the Office of Administration, the White House; former Executive Director, General Advisory Committee on Arms Control and Disarmament, Arms Control and Disarmament Agency

Richard W. Carlson, former Ambassador to the Seychelles

Dr. Mark Albrecht, former Executive Secretary, National Space Council

Clark S. Judge, former Special Assistant and Speechwriter to President

Robert Turner, former Assistant Secretary of State for Legislative Affairs (Acting)

Harvey Feldman, former Ambassador to Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands; founding Director of the American Institute in Taiwan; Alternate Representative to the United Nations

Dr. Curtin Winsor, Jr., former Ambassador to Costa Rica

Douglas R. Graham, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Senate Affairs; former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Strategic Defense, Space and Verification Policy

James T. Hackett, former Acting Director of the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency

Tidal W. McCoy, former Acting Secretary of the Air Force; former Assistant Secretary of the Air Force

James B. Longley, Jr., former Member , U.S. House of Representatives

Phyllis Kaminsky, former Director, United Nations Information Center

Dr. John Lenczowski, former Director of Europe and Soviet Affairs, National Security Council

David Frum, former Speechwriter and Special Assistant to the President

Vice Admiral Robert R. Monroe USN (Ret.), former Director, Defense Nuclear Agency; former Director, Navy Research and Development

General John L. Piotrowski, USAF (Ret), former Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Space Command

Joshua Gilder, former Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Human Rights, Department of State

Dr. Dominic J. Monetta, former Assistant Secretary of Energy (designate), Office of New Production Reactors; former Director of Science and Technology, Office of the Secretary of Defense

Admiral Kinnaird R. McKee, USN (Ret), former Director of Navy Nuclear Propulsion

Richard Schifter, former Deputy Representative to the UN Security Council; former Assistant Secretary of State for Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs

Herbert Romerstein, former Director, Office to Counter Soviet Disinformation, United States Information Agency

Vice Adm. E. A. Burkhalter, Jr., USN (Ret.), former Director, Intelligence Community Staff

Jason E. Bruzdzinski, former Professional Staff Member, House Armed Services Committee

Dr. Rand H. Fishbein, former Professional Staff Member, U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee

Roger W. Robinson, Jr., former Senior Director for International Economic Affairs, National Security Council

Marlin L. "Buzz" Hefti, former Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Research and Development

Maj. Gen. Robert Eaglet, USAF (Ret.), former Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, NATO

Carl Smith, former Staff Director, Senate Armed Services Committee

Michael A. Ledeen, former Special Advisor to the Secretary of State

Andrew C. McCarthy, former Chief Assistant U.S. Attorney, Southern District of New York

Major General Paul E. Vallely, USA (Ret.), former Deputy Commanding General, U.S. Army, Pacific

Admiral Leon A. Edney, USN (Ret.), former Commander, U.S. Atlantic Command; Supreme Allied Commander, Atlantic

CSM (Ret) Steven J. Greer, Senior Fellow, National Defense Council Foundation

Midge Decter, former Executive Director, Committee for the Free World

Michael Rubin, former Political Adviser, Coalition Provisional Authority ( Baghdad )

Morris Amitay, Foreign Service Officer (Ret.)

David Keene, Chairman, American Conservative Union

Eleana Gordon, Senior Vice President, Foundation for the Defense of Democracies

Dr. Laurie Mylroie, author

Cliff Kincaid, President, America ‘s Survival, Inc.

William Greene, RightMarch.com