John Bolton’s recess appointment by President Bush looks better each time we hear what the ambassador has to say. In a phrase, the man gets it. Yesterday’s example:

The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations on Sunday told an influential pro-Israel lobbying group there is an urgent need to confront Iran’s “clear and unrelenting drive” for a nuclear weapons program.

John Bolton, speaking before a crowd of 4,500 gathered for an American Israel Public Affairs Committee conference, said that a failure by the U.N. Security Council to address Iran would “do lasting damage to the credibility of the council.”

“The longer we wait to confront the threat Iran poses, the harder and more intractable it will become to solve,” Bolton said.

It would be foolish to wait until Iran has the ability to produce a nuclear weapon aimed at Israel to confront them on the issue. It would be just as foolish to ignore their current posture.

But he [Bolton] said Iran has been engaging in “doublespeak” during these negotiations by saying with one voice it welcomes discussion, but with the other “flatly refusing” to give up access to technology and material to eventually develop nuclear weapons.

Iran “must be made aware that if it continues down the path of international isolation, there will be tangible and painful consequences,” Bolton said.

It is refreshing to hear a diplomat who makes his arguments from core principles instead of speaking out of both sides of their mouth meaning nothing to no one.

Linked with basil’s blog picnic.