Jewish World Review May 9, 2005 / 30 Nissan, 5765

The intemperance of John Bolton

By Tucker Carlson

http://www.JewishWorldReview.com | North Korea launched a missile into the Sea of Japan last week, thereby proving John Bolton right. Bolton, you'll remember, has been nominated to be the American ambassador to the United Nations. He hasn't been confirmed yet — and may never be — at least in part for his words about North Korea. Two years ago, Bolton gave a speech in which he described North Korea's leader, Kim Jong Il, as a brutal tyrant, as well as an extortionist. Bolton went on to say that the U.S. needs the help of other countries to keep Kim under control, but his pitch for multilateralism has been forgotten. What's remembered is Bolton's quote "intemperate" language.

Yes, intemperate. That's what professional diplomats call it when Americans describe a Stalinist dictatorship as a Stalinist dictatorship, rather than as, say, "an imperfect democracy." Well, North Korea is a Stalinist dictatorship, almost a parody of one, complete with a state religion that worships a demented dwarf in platform shoes.

It's worth saying this out loud from time to time, if only to remind ourselves that North Korea is not like we are. It is not an essentially benign country open to reason and moved by conventional diplomacy. It is a fundamentally evil place run by lunatics who would kill us if they could. The Clinton administration forgot this, or never wanted to believe it. The result is a nuclear armed North Korea whose missiles may soon have the capacity to reach America territory.

John Bolton may be a flawed person. He may even be, as some subordinates have alleged, hard to get along with. But about North Korea, Bolton told the unvarnished truth. And even at the United Nations, truth is a defense.