Bush’s UN Agenda Is Well Under Way

President Bush's decision to appoint John Bolton to the post of UN Ambassador during the US Senate's recess sparked ire among those who see the appointment as a sign of the administration's disdain for the UN. But these objections may be moot: Bush's plan for UN reform was in the works prior to yesterday's appointment, and is already close to fruition. Highlights of the plan include a scaling-back of the UN bureaucracy, the abolition of the United Nations Human Rights Commission, and implementation of measures dealing with poverty, terrorism, and the spread of democracy. An overhaul of the Security Council may also be on the horizon. Thus, while Bolton's nomination was being debated in Congress, the US State Department laid much of the groundwork for the administration's UN agenda. Both the State Department and Congress will keep a close watch on the progress of the reforms during Bolton's tenure. – YaleGlobal