Bolton's successor (Zalmay Khalilzad)

December 9, 2006 ^ | 12-9-06 | Robert D. Novak

[veronica]

WASHINGTON -- Zalmay Khalilzad, who was announced this week as leaving as U.S. ambassador to Iraq, is the leading prospect to replace John Bolton as envoy to the United Nations.

President Bush was reported by aides as looking for someone who approximates Bolton's combination of toughness and diplomatic skill and has tentatively decided on Khalilzad. A native of Afghanistan, he has served in government posts dating back to 1985 and is the highest-ranking Muslim in the Bush administration.

Speculation on a new U.S. ambassador to the United Nations to succeed John Bolton is focusing on the current U.S. ambassador in Iraq, Khalilzad, and a former U.S. deputy ambassador at the U.N., Richard Williamson. A footnote: State Department sources have said Andrew Card, who on April 14 finished five years as White House chief of staff, was interested in the UN post and was a dark horse to get it. However, he never made any such desire known to the president and is not being considered for the UN.

[Argus]

His first official act should be a proposal to relocate UN headquarters to Mogadishu.

[sageb1]

And his second should be to renounce Islam.

[Dustbunny]

Can't we all just get along. Working toward the new tone. /sarc

[divine_moment_of_facts]

I just read that on Drudge.. Disbelief.. unless we are trying to prove how Muslim friendly we are then at the last minute nominate someone else..

[IrishCatholic]

Why? Who is this guy and why is it bad he is in the running? I would like to know all about him before I say he won't represent our interests. For all I know he will be another Bolton.
After all, Howard Dean is a right proper Vermont name and he is busy selling us out to European socialists along with the rest of his party. (See the tag line)

[Orange1998]

Bolton for Khalilzad????? Has someone lost their mind! This whole administration is a mess.

[BigFinn]

...the highest-ranking Muslim in the Bush administration.

Sorry, can't ultimately trust him.

[Gideon Reader]

You are Eff'en kidding, right? Right?

How about Synphonia McKinney? She's looking for work.
Just about as good.
Geeeeez, can't we catch a break and maybe by some weird and unusual accident get a competent spokesmodel for the USA, in there.

[processing please hold]

Bolton for Khalilzad????? Has someone lost their mind! This whole administration is a mess.

That's the same thing I said to my family.

[bill1952]

Been to Vermont lately? It would make any EU type America basher very proud. Dean is typical of the lot.

[Gunny Gene]

I guess nobody has been paying attention for the last 5 years. If I'm not mistaken, when push comes to shove his loyalties must be towards Allah and Islam first. Which makes him ineligible for public office in my mind. Ditto the other public/elected officials whose loyalties are in doubt.

[kittymyrib]

I thought for sure this was Scrappleface or the Onion...but sadly, the joke is on us....

[racing fan]

Why doesn't Bush just surrender this country to Al Queda on televison now?

Bush doesn't care about his legacy.

Obviously no one in the administration cares about the future of this country.

[traderrob6]

I see nothing in his biography at Wik to make me wary of this guy. The only thing that appears to have many on this thread hysterical is the fact that he's Muslim which in my mind is NOT by itself indicative of untrustworthiness or inability to look out for our interests.

[ClaireSolt]

What a bunch of bigots!

[flixxx]

Here is some more information....I agree with you, I need to know more than that he is a Muslim...

http://rightweb.irc-online.org/profile/1249

[veronica]

Considering how anti-Israel the UN is, this appears to be an awful choice. It is possible this man is not hostile to Israel, but I wouldn't bet the farm on it.

[Right_in_Virginia]

A native of Afghanistan, he has served in government posts dating back to 1985 and is the highest-ranking Muslim in the Bush administration.

It might be a nice change to have a Muslim standing up for American goals in the UN. Who knows, it could encourage Muslims in the U.S. to do the same.

[zarf]

Why? Who is this guy and why is it bad he is in the running?

The fact that you even ask this question proves you're an idiot.

Khalilzad has pulled this country's cookies out of the fire; he has been a single handed, one stop shop crisis manager in 2 theaters. If not for him, both Afgahnistan and Iraq would have been lost by now.

This guy should be TIME's man of the Year.

A good choice for the UN.

[freedomdefender]

the highest-ranking Muslim in the Bush administration

Now you're talking .... not.

[zarf]

Considering how anti-Israel the UN is, this appears to be an awful choice. It is possible this man is not hostile to Israel, but I wouldn't bet the farm on it.

Could you read about Mr. Khalilzad before you run your mouth? He's been a national hero since 9/11....the essential man.

[freedomdefender]

Will he take his oath on the Koran?

[processing please hold]

Is he still a Unocal consultant?

[freedomdefender]

he has been a single handed, one stop shop crisis manager in 2 theaters. If not for him, both Afgahnistan and Iraq would have been lost by now.

How, why, what? Give some details. All you offer is rhetoric. What, specifically, has he done to save Afghanistan and Iraq?

[freedomdefender]

this appears to be an awful choice.

Do you know anything about him, other than that he's Muslim? I don't.

[AmericaUnite]

He's been a national hero since 9/11....the essential man.

I'd like to know more. What have you got?

[jveritas]

What is your problem with Khalilizad? He is a tough as you can be.

[veronica]

Well, doing a Google search I see there is an article at Counterpunch that deems Khalilzad "The Neocon's Bagman to Baghdad" - so maybe he's not so bad after all...:)

[freedomdefender]

What a bunch of bigots!

You're talking about fundamentalist Muslims, right?

[sageb1]

"Who knows, it could encourage Muslims in the U.S. to do the same."

But American Muslims already think they are standing up for the U.S. That's why they voted Democrat. ;)

[mjp]

A native of Afghanistan, he has served in government posts dating back to 1985 and is the highest-ranking Muslim in the Bush administration

Can he be trusted? Where are his highest and strongest loyalties?

[KC Burke]

I am glad to see this as a possibility as well.

[zarf]

What, specifically, has he done to save Afghanistan and Iraq?

Try Google...it's a new thing the kids have just come up with.

[zarf]

What, specifically, has he done to save Afghanistan and Iraq?

Try Google...it's a new thing the kids have just come up with.

[M Kehoe]

Good afternoon. This is off topic...

May the Lord hold ambassador Kirkpatrick in the palm of His hand, as she looks down on the disaster that is called the U.N.

5.56mm

[veronica]

This may be of interest...Press Briefing by Scott McClellan and Ambassador to Iraq - Zal Khalilzad....

[TomGuy]

One paragraph from that link:

Khalilzad's close connections to Islamic extremists in South Asia and to the oil giant Unocal have been the subject of sharp criticism. As Truthout opined in a 2001 piece, "Simply put, Khalilzad's appointment means oil. Oil for the United States.

[traderrob6]

Jeane Kirkpatrick is a real hero of mine, she was John Bolton and Maggie Thatcher rolled up into one. Truely a brilliant and devoted public servant who will be missed dearly.

[traumer]

"and is the highest-ranking Muslim in the Bush administration...."

APPEASEMENT continues

[traderrob6]

"Khalilzad's close connections to Islamic extremists in South Asia and to the oil giant Unocal have been the subject of sharp criticism. As Truthout opined in a 2001 piece, "Simply put, Khalilzad's appointment means oil. Oil for the United States."

And you find what wrong with this?

[jveritas]

The man is serving now as our ambassador in the most violent part of the world, he can be killed at any moment, and he has been dealing with tough head Arabs for a long time, but some freepers do not see that he is tough enough for the job to be at the UN. If you can deal with hot headed people like the Iraqis you can definitely deal with the spineless UN.

[jveritas]

What appeasement?

[zarf]

Glad to see your quoting Truthout. Quite the source of high minded, insightful commentary.

[traumer]

Will he swear on this?

[null and void]

The only thing that appears to have many on this thread hysterical is the fact that he's Muslim which in my mind is NOT by itself indicative of untrustworthiness or inability to look out for our interests.

Still, it does cause some (including me) to be concerned about his ultimate loyalty.

It does a man no service to place him in a position where he has to deny his god to serve his country.

[johnny7]

That link sure as hell ain't reassuring...