John Bolton's firing brings cautious hope for improved foreign relations - Rand

RT
Wed, 11 Sep 2019 17:35 UTC

© Reuters/Kevin Lamarque/File

Ivanka Trump (L) John Bolton (C)

Firing National Security Advisor John Bolton gives US President Donald Trump a chance to move foreign policy in a more peaceful direction - as long as he's not replaced with another hawk, former congressman Ron Paul told RT.

Bolton has "been a monkey-wrench in Donald Trump's policies of trying to back away from some of these conflicts around the world," Paul observed on Tuesday, after news of Bolton's dismissal from the White House.

"Every time I think Trump is making progress, Bolton butts in and ruins it," Paul added. Negotiations with Afghanistan and talks with North Korea and Iran have reportedly been scuttled by his aggressive tendencies, with Pyongyang declaring him a "defective human product."

Foreign leaders weren't the only ones who had a problem with Trump's notoriously belligerent advisor, either.

"A lot of people here didn't even want his appointment, because he was only able to take a position that did not require Senate approval," Paul said, suggesting that perhaps the "Deep State" pressure had forced the president to keep Bolton around long past his sell-by date.

While the uber-hawk's firing came "later than it should be," Paul hoped it would clear the way for Trump to follow through on the America First, end-the-wars promises that won him so much support in 2016. "Those of us who would like less intervention, we're very happy with it."

As for whether Bolton's departure would change the White House's policy line significantly, though, Paul was less certain. "I don't think it will change a whole lot," he said, pointing out that "we have no idea" who will replace Bolton. Trump said he would make an announcement next week.

Comment: Iran was quick to comment on war hawk Bolton's departure:

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammed Javad Zarif criticised Washington for new sanctions against Tehran on Wednesday, stating that the American "thirst for war" should've gone along with the resignation of John Bolton, who is known for being hawkish and an advocate of hardline policies against the Islamic Republic.

In the meantime, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has released a similar statement, calling on the US to stop its "aggression" against the country.

"America must understand that sticking to warmongers and war-mongering policies is no good and they must abandon warmongers and war-mongering policies and maximum pressure", he said, according to President Rouhani's official website, President.ir

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo earlier reiterated that Donald Trump could meet with his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani at the UN without preconditions. Tehran, however, stated it wouldn't engage in talks with the US even though Bolton had stepped down.

Iran announced it would suspend its obligations under the 2015 nuclear deal (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA) on 8 May 2019 - exactly one year after the US pulled out of the accord and re-imposed economic restrictions against the Islamic Republic - a step, backed by Bolton, who also supported a massive military build-up by US forces in the Persian Gulf.

The Iranian government later said it would continue abandoning its obligations every 60 days if the European countries that signed the JCPOA failed to shield Iran from US sanctions.