John Bolton, ever the diplomat, attempts to derail the negotiations between Iran and the US.

Speaking to the Financial Times, John Bolton made clear many of his reservations about the current outreach to Iran, which Condoleezza Rice, US secretary of state, has persuaded President George W. Bush to endorse.

Referring to a report by the United Nations nuclear watchdog that Iran has stepped up uranium enrichment – a process that can create both nuclear fuel and weapons grade material – Mr Bolton said: “They’ve got both feet on the accelerator, which is why we have a sense of urgency that these diplomatic efforts can’t continue indefinitely . . . Each day that goes by gives Iran more time to continue to perfect its efforts for mass production.”

Mr Bolton, who describes himself as “not much a carrots man”, was quick to play down expectations of a dramatic breakthrough and highlighted many of the problems facing the diplomatic process.

“It would be a mistake to think these negotiations are a first step towards some kind of grand bargain [involving US recognition],” he said. “We are only addressing the nuclear issue and stopping their pursuit of nuclear weapons.”

He said US security guarantees for Iran were “not on the table”, and argued instead that regime change could remove a nuclear threat: “Our experience has been that when there is a dramatic change in the life of a country, that’s the most likely point at which they give up nuclear weapons.”

If George Bush has one really outstanding leadership trait, it would have to be his ability to choose the worst possible choice to fill a cabinet or adminstrative position.

From Donald Rumsfeld as the Secretary of Defense, to placing Michael Chertoff in charge of Homeland Security, he just demonstrates either a complete lack of knowledge as to what it takes to peform these tasks appropriately, or he is trying to sabotage our country.

There was a time I would have poo-poo'd that second choice, but not after he put John Bolton as out ambassador in the UN. Bolton has the wrong temperament, the wrong attitude, and the wrong goals to do this job well. He is a loose cannon that President Bush seems to have set loose to undermine and sabotage the work that the UN may be called upon to do. He is a bull in a china shop, when what we need is an intelligent, fairminded, diplomat who can protect America's interests while providing the UN with support and appropriate help in dealing with worldwide emergencies.