If I Were A Bettin' Man

Fortunately, I don't bet. I prefer to put my money in safe havens like the stock market. And dollars. John Bolton, pictured above, is the United States Ambassador to the UN. He's been stalking around there for about a year by recess appointment. This week the congressional foreign affairs committee in charge of rubber-stamping White House decisions couldn't scare up the votes to confirm Bolton's appointment, despite heavy pressure. Admittedly, this is interesting, since it means a couple Republicans were ready to vote against him. Now, there are many in the liberal blogsphere who say this means that Bolton will be sent to flamethrow greener pastures, and be replaced with someone else. Someone with less personality. Ahhh...no. Or at least, I seriously doubt it. 5-1 odds against Bolton going anywhere.

Cheney and the neo-cons sent Bolton from the future on a one-way mission to bust up the UN. Cheney (through Boosh) will tell Congress to go...sedate itself...and Bolton is going to stay right where he is, head-butting the UN building down one wall at a time. Congress-critters will run like cockroaches away from a light rather than publicly vote on the matter, and the whole thing will dangle in limbo, right like it is now. My bet is Bolton will keep going after Iran until he accidentally crawls into a car crusher.

For a full, more professional view on the particulars, go over and see Steve Clemons at The Washington Note, who has been on Bolton's case like Sarah Connor in T2. Steve's also a lot more hopeful, knowledgeable, and influential than I am.