Question of Legitimacy

Bolton in America’s Decline and Fall

Many men creep into, through and out of Yale, Princeton and Harvard holding a collection of high-powered connections but no substantive credentials, common sense, or human sensibility. They seem to feel themselves entitled to demonize and kill other people and nations and wrap their crimes in clever words and out and out lies. 

And many Americans swallow line by line without mumbling a question or dissenting ugh.

S

erial appointee and U.S. executive office adviser John Robert Bolton holds a Yale law degree with no studies, credentials or awards in the field of international affairs/international relations; and no significant experience in the field.

 

In his successive appointments, John Bolton has earned a reputation for “rudeness” and an “undiplomatic” demeanor. 

• Bolton’s resume

Assistant administrator USAID (program/policy coordinator 1982-1983, R Reagan admin); Assistant secretary for international organization affairs U.S. Department of State (1989-1993, George HW Bush admin); Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Affairs (2001-2005, George W. Bush admin); U.S. ambassador to the United Nations (1 year, 2005-2006, George W. Bush admin); National Security Advisor (April 2018, DJ Trump admin)

 

I

ran’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammad Javad Zarif 

• Service

August 5, 2002 – July 25, 2007 Iran’s Ambassador to the United Nations

September 6, 2013 – July 14, 2015 Iran’s Chief Nuclear Negotiator

August 15, 2013 – present Iran’s Minister of Foreign Affairs

• Profession, Fields of study, work

International law, International relations, International studies

Graduate Thesis “Self-Defense in International Law and Policy” (1988)

Academics:

San Francisco State University (baccalaureate and master’s)

University of Denver (master’s and doctorate)

Other Institutions: School of International Relations

University of Tehran

Islamic Azad University

Mohammad Javad Zarif’s reputation and popularity have received high marks among the Iranian people. March 2016: Rated “the most popular political figure in Iran” (approval rating: 76%; source: Information and Public Opinion Solutions LLC/iPOS).

Recipient of the Royal Institute of International Affairs (aka Chatham House) Prize (2016); and “‘Champion of Champions of Diplomacy’ by 9th Festival of National Industry Champions (Iran1392 SH)

National orders:

Order of Merit and Management First Class (Iran February 2016); Grand Cross of Order of the Condor of the Andes (Bolivia August 2016); Order of Friendship (Kazakhstan September 10, 2018  

J

ohnny’s illegitimacies enabling America’s Decline and Fall

Cowardice incapable of withstanding Independent Judiciary Tribunal

• Palestine and ICC “illegitimate”

Bolton’s Trump administration slashes “$25 million earmarked for the care of Palestinians in East Jerusalem,” funding for a United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees and hospitals.

Palestinian official Saeb Erekat (statement): “We reiterate that the rights of the Palestinian people are not for sale”; we will not succumb to U.S. threats and bullying…. We continue to call upon the International Criminal Court to open its immediate investigation into Israeli crimes.”

U.S. (Bolton) responds: “The United States will use any means necessary to protect our citizens and those of our allies from unjust prosecution by this ‘illegitimate’ (italics added) court….

“We will not cooperate with the ICC. We will provide no assistance to the ICC. We will not join the ICC. We will let the ICC die on its own. After all, for all intents and purposes, the ICC is already dead to us.”

The aim of the International Criminal Court “is to bring to justice the perpetrators of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.” The United States is not a signatory to the Rome Treaty that established the ICC in 2002.

Hostility toward Difference, National Sovereignty, Self Determination

• Venezuelan presidency “illegitimate”

John Bolton (repeating the earlier threat by U.S. special envoy Elliott Abrams) reported March 2019:

“The United States is putting foreign financial institutions on notice that they will face sanctions for being involved in facilitating ‘illegitimate’ (italics added) transactions that benefit Nicolas Maduro and his corrupt network.”

Hostility toward, Intolerance of Independent Thought

• Iran’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammad Javad Zarif  “illegitimate”

The Minister warns:

“‘Refuse to bow to #B_Team ‘s whims, [and] you can’t even possess peaceful nuclear energy. It apparently matters not that ‘Iran is killing ISIS’ while US’ clients arm it’ … echoing accusations that Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states have been directly and indirectly supporting Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS).

And this:

“‘Kill 3,000+ Americans but remain a US client and you can have nuclear weapons—even get help in acquiring them.” [Fifteen of the 19 alleged hijackers accused of carrying out the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks (in the United States) were Saudi nationals]

John Bolton’s Royal “We” outburst:

“We consider Javad Zarif an illegitimate spokesperson for Iran.”

W

hose Illegitimacy, indeed!  Let thinkers be independent thinkers who appraise and decide for themselves.

Perhaps they might assist in averting the United States of America’s further decline and fall.

Sources

The Hill “Bolton to label International Criminal Court ‘illegitimate’: report” by Emily Birnbaum September 10, 2018 https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/405818-bolton-to-label-international-criminal-court-illegitimate-report

Reuters “Trump administration takes aim at International Criminal Court, PLO”

Steve Holland September 9, 2018

“The Trump administration on Monday threatened tough action against the International Criminal Court should it try to prosecute Americans for alleged war crimes in Afghanistan and said the PLO’s office in Washington would be closed for seeking to punish Israel through the court. ‘The United States will use any means necessary to protect our citizens and those of our allies from unjust prosecution by this illegitimate court,’ national security adviser John Bolton told the Federalist Society, a conservative group, in his first major address since joining President Donald Trump’s White House in April. The U.S. response could include sanctions against ICC judges should such prosecutions proceed, Bolton warned.”

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-icc/trump-administration-to-take-tough-stance-against-international-criminal-court-idUSKCN1LQ076

The Guardian “John Bolton threatens war crimes court with sanctions in virulent attack:

John Bolton, the hawkish US national security adviser, has threatened the international criminal court (ICC) with sanctions and made an excoriating attack on the institution in a speech in Washington.” September 10, 2018 https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/sep/10/john-bolton-castigate-icc-washington-speech

Financial Times “John Bolton threatens US sanctions against ‘illegitimate’ ICC: Trump national security adviser says Washington will act if court investigates Americans” https://www.ft.com/content/484182aa-b513-11e8-bbc3-ccd7de085ffe

RT “US puts foreign financial institutions on notice of sanctions if they deal with Maduro – Bolton” March 6, 2019 https://www.rt.com/news/453182-bolton-threaten-foreign-institutions/

RT “‘Kill 3,000+ Americans but remain a US client state’: Zarif shreds hypocrisy of US-Saudi partnership” July 31, 2019 https://www.rt.com/news/465482-zarif-iran-saudis-client-us/

Yahoo/Fox Business Videos July 31, 2019 https://finance.yahoo.com/video/john-bolton-consider-javad-zarif-233304676.html

Fox Business by Nick Giampia July 31, 2019 https://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/john-bolton-we-consider-iranian-foreign-minister-zarif-an-illegitimate-spokesman-for-iran

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