In a discussion in another forum about questions to pose to the new appointee as Ambassodor to the United Nations, Zamel Khalilzad, I suggested the following list.
In fact, these questions would be appropriate to ask of any appointee who comes before the Senate for the next two years.
Do any of you have other questions to add to the list? I will be glad to pass them along to my limited list of outsider contacts in Washington . . .
Given the ability of this administration to turn the meaning of commonly understood terms on their heads, I would ask the following questions, of a basic nature, rather than the usual bloviations directed at pre-scripted appointees appearing before Senate committees:
- What is your definition of diplomacy? What is the role -- if any -- of listening to what others have to say -- both in other deligations and in your own staff -- going to be in your management of relations with the U.N. and of the American staff?
- Is the so-called Bush Doctrine still valid administration policy? That is, does the U.S. government still officially claim the right to attack and invade any country it feels like?
- What is the War on Terror? What is the nature of this conflict that the administration uses as a universal excuse for all its actions, including those that violate the laws and Constitution of the United States? Who are we in conflict with, and what did this ever have to do with Iraq? What is the best means of conducting this conflict, or is this administration still committed to the one, single response of shooting people as its only solution to the conflict that it calls the WoT? Is there any prospect that economic, ideological, political, or diplomatic means can be a part of this issue?
- What is the administration's view as to the role of the United Nations in the world today? Does the administration, as senior members of the political leadership have said and written on numerous occasions, believe that the U.N. should be abolished? Does the administration believe in any form of international cooperation -- other than other countries simply doing what we tell them to?
- Have you ever, in your consultations with senior White House officials, experienced or heard of one of them listening to the opinions of others?
Now, those would be interesting questions to hear the responses to. I say responses because there is absolutely no chance that -- even if questions like this were to be asked -- which they won't -- there would be real answers coming from anyone remotely connected with the Bush Putsch Cabal.
No, I don't hate Bush. I just hate what he's doing to my country and the world.
Cheney, though, I hate with a white-hot passion.