The Rise Of War Hawk In Trump Administration

Just last week, US President Donald Trump has decided to appoint John R. Bolton as his new National Security Advisor. There are 4 reasons why we should care about it.

Appointing John R. Bolton is as dangerous as risking a new war. For those who is not familiar with his name, John R. Bolton was the former Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security (2001–2005) and the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations (2005–2006) to the previous George W. Bush administration in early 2000s. John R. Bolton's name has always been associated as a War Hawk because of his extreme view on foreign policy. National Security Advisor is one of the most important official inside US Executive Administrations because of its capability to advise the president to which action should be taken for shaping its own foreign policy.

Here are four reasons why we should be concerned about this decision:

1. Bolton was one of the key vocal on supporting US invasion to Iraq in 2004.

He was one of the key advocates to the regime change of Saddam Hussein and even until now he has not changed his mind and still believes that invasion of Iraq was a good idea.

In a 2015 article leading up to the Presidential Election of 2016, he even expressed the idea of US leaving Iraq in 2011 was a bad idea. Bolton claimed, "I still think the decision to overthrow Saddam was correct. I think decisions made after that decision were wrong, although I think the worst decision made after that was the 2011 decision to withdraw U.S. and coalition forces” … “the people who say, oh things would have been much better if you didn't overthrow Saddam miss the point that today's Middle East does not flow totally and unchangeably from the decision to overthrow Saddam alone." Bolton does not only happily admitting that Iraq war was still a good idea, he also happily denying the consequences of the 2004 illegal invasion to Iraq. The mess of that invasion can be clearly seen with the destabilization of Iraq that resulted with the emergence of ISIS.

Within his appointment as Under Secretary of State of Arms Control and International Security in 2001, he was appointed to focus on halting the proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs) and since then he has claimed that Iraq had WMDs which was the major reason why US-led coalition invaded Iraq in the first place. However, with the conclusion of Chilcot inquiries and several other finding reports, it turned out that there was no WMDs in Iraq since Iraq's capabilities on chemical and nuclear capabilities had been ransacked since the end of Persian Gulf war in 1991.

Bolton also tried to fire State Department analysts who disagreed with his claims about WMDs, which according to a later report, created a fearful effect in the State Department against anyone who might have been tempted to tell the truth about the administration's false claims.

2. Bolton wants new war with Iran and North Korea.

In March 2015, Iran, European Union, and the P5+1 (the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council—China, France, Russia, United Kingdom, United States—plus Germany) have agreed to sign the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action or commonly known as Iran Nuclear Deal. This nuclear deal has been one of the most successful diplomacy plan on easing the tension between Iran and the West with the conclusion of non-proliferation of Iran's nuclear capability with the exchange of West lifting economic sanctions against Iran. However, Bolton on the other hand has revoked the agreement with proposing that the only solution in order to stop Iran from obtaining weapon is to bomb Iran. This is clearly noted with an article in New York Times that he wrote entitled "To Stop Iran's Bomb, Bomb Iran".

On the other hand, Donald Trump has claimed that he is considering on US to withdraw from JCPOA or Iran Nuclear Deal because it was a 'bad' deal and against US interest despite most of US top officials stated that remaining in JCPOA is actually going hand in hand with US interest. 

Now that Bolton has become Trump's new National Security Advisor, there is a high chance that US will withdraw from the deal and that JCPOA might possibly collapse and resulting in the new crisis in Middle East. Moreover, with Bolton highly advocated proposal to bomb Iran, this is might be happened in the near future. 

Not only with the proposal to bomb Iran, among Bolton’s recently published opinions, he wrote an article in the Wall Street Journal entitled “The Legal Case for Striking North Korea First”. The fact that hundreds of thousands of people would die in such attack has never been a concern for Bolton just as much as he did not concern when he was advocating the invasion of Iraq in 2004.

“A close look shows he’s genuinely one of the most extreme, irresponsible, and dangerous voices in the country,” said Adam Mount, a senior fellow and nuclear weapons policy expert at the Federation of American Scientists.

Bolton claimed that the only diplomatic option for dealing with North Korea is regime change. Moreover, asked by a Fox News host if there were any "diplomatic options" remaining in the nuclear standoff with North Korea, Bolton stated "I think the only diplomatic option left is to end the regime in North Korea by effectively having the South take it over. You've got to argue with China” .... "Anybody who thinks that more diplomacy with North Korea, more sanctions, whether against North Korea, or an effort to apply sanctions against China, is just giving North Korea more time to increase its nuclear arsenal..."

4. He was rejected by Congress because of his views.

In 2005, the Bush Administration nominated Bolton as ambassador to the United Nations. However, his views were considered to be too extreme that he could not get the vote and Bush Administration had to recess apointed him for a year. In simple way, in 2005 Congress refused to confirm Bolton for a less powerful position (Ambassador to the United Nations) than what he has been chosen for now (National Security Advisor).

Democratic-majority Congress heavily criticized Bolton views because they considered it to be too dangerous as to be appointed as US Ambassador to United Nations. Bolton has been a strong critic of the United Nations for throughout his career. In a 1994 Global Structures Convocation hosted by the World Federalist Association (now Citizens for Global Solutions), he stated: “There is no United Nations. There is an international community that occasionally can be led by the only real power left in the world, and that's the United States, when it suits our interests and when we can get others to go along.”

"I'm surprised that the nominee who is famously Anti-United Nations wants the job that he's been nominated for given the many negative things he had to say about the United Nations, International Institutions, and International law." said Joe Biden, former US Vice President.

4. Bolton is opposing US joining International Criminal Court.

Bolton recalls that his 'happiest moment at State was personally 'unsigning' the Rome Statute,' which had set up the International Criminal Court. He stated that International Criminal Court was illegitimate because it violates the basic democratic theory. His opposing view to the ICC is clearly based on the interest of Bush Administration. 

The fact that US withdrew its signature from Rome Statue and the jurisdiction of ICC prosecutor is only limited to countries that signed off Rome Statute are the reason why Bush Administration cannot be held accountable for its role in the war crimes that took place in Iraq. Now with Bolton happily withdrew US from ICC, Bush administration seems have been convinced that the risk of Americans being prosecuted in the court is less than originally feared.

With all these important reasons, we could not take anything for granted in the future, but one thing that is really important to know is that both John R. Bolton and Donald Trump had one thing in common, that is less internationalist but more nationalist. 

I consider Bolton to be too naïve that his extreme hawkish view is actually much supported by nationalist conservatives in US politics. Not only he is looked upon as a strong man in security sector, he is actually carrying out the interest of US Arms Industry that in turn will be profited the most with every US engagement in military sector as he is famously engaged with NRA lobby. Moreover, with his ability to engage US with most of the war in other countries, he is actually profiting economic interest of US and also claiming the ability of US as a superpower country.

"Those who deny the past are doomed to repeat the same mistake"

This quote should be remember by John R. Bolton who will start his tenure as National Security Advisor on April 9 2018.

March 29th 2018