Lot's of tough fights around the globe to handle, Karen. And the people know the Dems are not up to it. I am surprised any Senator thought that Bolton was speaking for Powell. No State Spokesman makes a move without clearing it. Pritchard mouthed off, and now will "spend more time with his family"
washingtonpost.com
Powell Defends Aide's N. Korea Speech
Associated Press
Wednesday, August 27, 2003; Page A26
Secretary of State Colin L. Powell defended a controversial speech by his top nonproliferation aide in which the aide launched a series of personal attacks on North Korean leader Kim Jong Il.
Powell, in a letter yesterday to Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.), said the speech by Undersecretary of State John R. Bolton was fully cleared by the State Department and was consistent with administration policy.
The speech, Powell wrote, "did not really break new ground with regard to our disdain for the North Korean leadership and, as such, was official."
The State Department made the letter public last night.
In his speech, given four weeks ago in South Korea, Bolton said of Kim, "To give in to his extortionist demands would only encourage him and, perhaps more ominously, other would-be tyrants around the world." The speech included more than 40 personal attacks on Kim.
Kyl had written to Powell that the administration was sending "mixed messages" on its North Korea policy.
He contrasted Bolton's speech with comments by State Department official Charles "Jack" Pritchard in which he reportedly told North Korean U.N. officials that the speech reflected Bolton's views and not U.S. policy.
Powell said Kyl's information was wrong. Pritchard, Powell wrote, "did not say or imply that Mr. Bolton was speaking only in a personal capacity."
On Monday, the State Department announced that Pritchard was leaving the State Department to take a job in the private sector.
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