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Bush's Appointment of Bolton 'A Predictable Shame,' Duke Professor Says

The appointment may send a bad signal to U.S. allies who worry about Bolton's critical view of the U.N., but their concerns may be tempered by other gestures from the adminstration

President Bush's appointment Monday of John R. Bolton as the new U.S. ambassador to the United Nations while Congress is in recess "is a shame, but it is a predictable shame," says a Duke University international relations expert.

"Bush stands by his friends, no matter what, and he does not bow to pressure," said Judith Kelley, an assistant professor of public policy and political science at Duke. "This has been confirmed in the case of Karl Rove, and now with John Bolton."

Kelley, author of "Ethnic Politics in Europe: The Power of Norms and Incentives" (Princeton University Press, 2004), said the appointment may send a bad signal to U.S. allies who worry about Bolton's critical view of the U.N., but their concerns may be tempered by other recent conciliatory gestures from the Bush administration.

"Bush is supposedly moving more toward the European rhetoric on terrorism," Kelley said. "The term 'global war on terror' may be replaced by the 'struggle' (or 'strategy') 'against violent extremism' (SAVE). And with the soon-to-be-expected transfer of power in Germany and, eventually, France to more U.S.-friendly personnel, Bolton will not make too much of a stir."

In fact, Kelley added, "Bolton might even try to do a good job just to spite everyone."