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00:01:294 min.	Shays, Christopher - U.S. Representative, [R] Connecticut A quorum being present, the Subcommittee on Na- tional Security, Emerging Threats, and International Relations hearing entitled, ‘‘U.N....
00:06:2346 sec.	Kucinich, Dennis - U.S. Representative, [D] Ohio Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman, for holding this hearing. I want to acknowledge the presence of our ranking Democrat for the full...
00:07:09	Shays, Christopher - U.S. Representative, [R] Connecticut Without objection, so ordered.
00:07:092 min.	Kucinich, Dennis - U.S. Representative, [D] Ohio We’re at a critical moment for U.S. policy at the United Nations, particularly regarding Iran. Just last Friday marked the Security Council’s...
00:10:06	Shays, Christopher - U.S. Representative, [R] Connecticut We will insert them in the record without objection.
00:10:062 min.	Kucinich, Dennis - U.S. Representative, [D] Ohio We also note from the reports that the United States is supporting military activity in Iran by Iranian antigovernment insurgent groups,...
00:12:3830 sec.	Shays, Christopher - U.S. Representative, [R] Connecticut I’d like to thank the gentleman. I think, Ambassador, you know that you’re here for the Oil-for- Food Program and the United Nations,...
00:13:08	Waxman, Henry - U.S. Representative, [D] California I just welcome Ambassador Bolton. Good to see you.
00:13:088 sec.	Shays, Christopher - U.S. Representative, [R] Connecticut And at this point, the Chair would recognize Mr. Lynch from Massachusetts. Welcome, Mr. Lynch.
00:13:162 min.	Lynch, Stephen F. - U.S. Representative, [D] Massachusetts Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I want to thank you. I know this is the fourth hearing we’ve had on this issue. I also want to thank Ranking...
00:16:077 sec.	Shays, Christopher - U.S. Representative, [R] Connecticut Thank you. I thank the gentleman. At this time, the Chair would recognize Mr. Van Hollen. Welcome, Mr. Van Hollen.
00:16:142 min.	Van Hollen, Christopher - U.S. Representative, [D] Maryland Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I want to thank you for holding this hearing, and also thank Mr. Kucinich and Mr. Waxman for their leadership. Welcome,...
00:18:1649 sec.	Shays, Christopher - U.S. Representative, [R] Connecticut I thank the gentleman. At this time, seeing no other Members, we will invite the Honor- able John R. Bolton to give testimony. As...
00:19:057 sec.	Bolton, John R. - Ambassador Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. I would ask that my prepared statement be submitted for the record, and perhaps I could try and make...
00:19:1220 sec.	Shays, Christopher - U.S. Representative, [R] Connecticut Well, with that in mind, then, let me just take care of this business right now and ask unanimous consent that all members of the subcommittee...
00:19:3212 min.	Bolton, John R. - Ambassador Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. Let me begin, if I could, by thanking you and the subcommittee for holding this hearing. I think, Mr....
00:32:2017 sec.	Shays, Christopher - U.S. Representative, [R] Connecticut Thank you, Ambassador. I think the entire sub- committee appreciates your statements and is happy that you had the time to make the points...
00:32:378 sec.	Kucinich, Dennis - U.S. Representative, [D] Ohio And thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would like to defer to the head of our Democratic side, the ranking member on the full committee, Mr. Waxman.
00:32:4513 sec.	Shays, Christopher - U.S. Representative, [R] Connecticut And as I stated earlier, Mr. Waxman, we’re putting down 8 minutes, not 5. Hopefully, we’ll have a chance to do a little bit of a second...
00:32:581 min.	Waxman, Henry - U.S. Representative, [D] California Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman, Mr. Kucinich. Ambassador Bolton, I’m pleased that you are here. The hearing today is about the...
00:34:5411 sec.	Bolton, John R. - Ambassador I have no idea. I’m not a member or was not a member of the Intelligence Community. NIEs were drafted by the Intelligence Community; I...
00:35:051 min.	Waxman, Henry - U.S. Representative, [D] California OK. Let’s take a closer look at the facts. The CIA clearly didn’t accept the Niger claim. Appearing on 60 Minutes last week, Tyler Drumheller,...
00:36:189 sec.	Bolton, John R. - Ambassador I’m not aware of any. I think the people read the NIE, and that was the information that was available.
00:36:279 sec.	Waxman, Henry - U.S. Representative, [D] California You were the top arms control official in the ad- ministration. Are you saying you don’t know of a single person who supported one of...
00:36:3622 sec.	Bolton, John R. - Ambassador I’m saying, Congressman, that there are people responsible for the abrogation and presentation of intel- ligence information; that was...
00:36:58	Waxman, Henry - U.S. Representative, [D] California So the claim came——
00:36:58	Bolton, John R. - Ambassador Could I just finish, please.
00:36:58	Waxman, Henry - U.S. Representative, [D] California Yes.
00:36:5812 sec.	Bolton, John R. - Ambassador I don’t have a separate—and didn’t in my previous job—have a separate intelligence capability; so the infor- mation that was provided...
00:37:101 min.	Waxman, Henry - U.S. Representative, [D] California The NIE was supposed to gather information from all the relevant agencies. Let me turn to the United Nations. On December 7, 2002, Iraq submitted...
00:38:178 sec.	Bolton, John R. - Ambassador I have no idea. I didn’t participate in the drafting of the fact sheet. I first saw it, for the first time I believe, last year during...
00:38:2528 sec.	Waxman, Henry - U.S. Representative, [D] California Well, the fact sheet was created from a draft of the speech to the Security Council by Ambassador Negroponte. I under- stand that Ambassador...
00:38:53	Bolton, John R. - Ambassador None.
00:38:5313 sec.	Waxman, Henry - U.S. Representative, [D] California If you were the top arms control official in the U.S. Government, Iraq’s nuclear program was the No. 1 arms control issue in the administration. Are...
00:39:06	Bolton, John R. - Ambassador That’s correct.
00:39:06	Waxman, Henry - U.S. Representative, [D] California Did you put the claim into the speech prepared for Ambassador Negroponte?
00:39:0612 sec.	Bolton, John R. - Ambassador I certainly did not. I just said twice I had no role in the preparation of the speech.
00:39:18	Waxman, Henry - U.S. Representative, [D] California OK. Did you have access to the transcript, a re- cording of Ambassador Negroponte’s speech?
00:39:1811 sec.	Bolton, John R. - Ambassador Did I have access to it? Probably. Did I read it? I don’t think so.
00:39:297 sec.	Waxman, Henry - U.S. Representative, [D] California Could you provide to the subcommittee, as well, the drafts of the speech that form the basis for the fact sheet? Do you have that available?
00:39:36	Bolton, John R. - Ambassador I don’t have that available.
00:39:3647 sec.	Waxman, Henry - U.S. Representative, [D] California I’d like to ask you one final set of questions. On April 9th of this year the Washington Post issued a story en- titled, ‘‘A Concerted...
00:40:236 sec.	Bolton, John R. - Ambassador I don’t know whether I received it at the time or not. I don’t have any recollection of it. I certainly don’t have a copy of it today.
00:40:291 min.	Waxman, Henry - U.S. Representative, [D] California The article says that the memo was distributed widely, including to the White House, yet it was during this exact same timeframe that the...
00:41:31	Shays, Christopher - U.S. Representative, [R] Connecticut Your answer will be your last response.
00:41:31	Bolton, John R. - Ambassador I think you would have to ask them.
00:41:3113 sec.	Waxman, Henry - U.S. Representative, [D] California Do you accept any responsibility for having failed these officials for allowing them to repeat these falsehoods? This is my last question.
00:41:4411 sec.	Bolton, John R. - Ambassador I don’t think anybody ever asked me whether I thought they ought to say it or not. I’m sorry to disappoint you, Congressman; I had no...
00:41:55	Waxman, Henry - U.S. Representative, [D] California You didn’t speak out against it——
00:41:55	Shays, Christopher - U.S. Representative, [R] Connecticut With all due respect, the gentleman’s time is——
00:41:558 sec.	Waxman, Henry - U.S. Representative, [D] California Well, could I just get an answer? You didn’t speak out for it; did you speak out against it?
00:42:03	Shays, Christopher - U.S. Representative, [R] Connecticut The gentleman’s time is over. Thank you.
00:42:039 sec.	Bolton, John R. - Ambassador I would like to answer. I don’t recall this being an issue that I spent any time on. Sorry.
00:42:12	Waxman, Henry - U.S. Representative, [D] California It’s amazing.
00:42:12	Bolton, John R. - Ambassador Sorry.
00:42:1235 sec.	Shays, Christopher - U.S. Representative, [R] Connecticut Mr. Bolton, obviously we’re going to have questions about a lot of issues. One of the things I find rather refreshing, usually when wit- nesses...
00:42:471 min.	Bolton, John R. - Ambassador I think there is a complex of reasons there. I think, first, they’re concerned about the potential loss of programs and jobs in the U.N....
00:44:3113 sec.	Shays, Christopher - U.S. Representative, [R] Connecticut Can you tell me, though, how are you going to be able to convince the bulk of these nations to allow these reforms to go forward? I mean,...
00:44:441 min.	Bolton, John R. - Ambassador Well, I am hoping that the vote on Friday will be perceived by a good chunk of the G–77 to be a Pyrrhic vic- tory; that is to say, although...
00:46:07	Shays, Christopher - U.S. Representative, [R] Connecticut When you talk about depoliticizing the Security Council, what are you making reference to?
00:46:0750 sec.	Bolton, John R. - Ambassador Well, I think the question of reform of the Security Council has taken up a great deal of oxygen in the U.N. system over the past year or...
00:46:571 min.	Shays, Christopher - U.S. Representative, [R] Connecticut Let me make a point and then have you respond to it. In the Volcker report he said, no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, but he...
00:48:123 min.	Bolton, John R. - Ambassador Well, I think your point about the role of sanctions is critical. If you look at the other two ends of the spec- trum, one is the application...
00:51:2848 sec.	Shays, Christopher - U.S. Representative, [R] Connecticut Thank you. Before recognizing Mr. Kucinich—I don’t usually do this, but two people you know that actually work in this hearing are recorders, and...
00:52:161 min.	Kucinich, Dennis - U.S. Representative, [D] Ohio Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you for in- jecting a note of humanity into these hearings because it is always good to get the personal...
00:53:2123 sec.	Bolton, John R. - Ambassador Well, U.N. doesn’t impose law, and in any event, it is not appropriate to comment in a public session on any- thing related to intelligence...
00:53:448 sec.	Kucinich, Dennis - U.S. Representative, [D] Ohio If the United States has combat troops in Iran, would that be a violation of the U.N. charter?
00:53:5220 sec.	Bolton, John R. - Ambassador Congressman, I have no knowledge of that subject at all, and I just don’t think it is helpful to speculate on that matter. If there are...
00:54:1210 sec.	Kucinich, Dennis - U.S. Representative, [D] Ohio And what would be a legal justification for one sovereign country to insert its military forces into another sov- ereign country under U.N....
00:54:2210 sec.	Bolton, John R. - Ambassador Article 51 of the U.N. Charter provides for the inherent right of individual and collective self-defense. That is a pretty good basis.
00:54:3211 sec.	Kucinich, Dennis - U.S. Representative, [D] Ohio I will ask that again, for one sovereign country to insert its military forces into another sovereign country? This is not self-defense.
00:54:4315 sec.	Bolton, John R. - Ambassador Well, I think the self-defense defense, as the Secretary General’s high level panel a few years ago recog- nized, comes in a multitude...
00:54:58	Kucinich, Dennis - U.S. Representative, [D] Ohio Hypothetically it is preemption self-defense.
00:54:588 sec.	Bolton, John R. - Ambassador It certainly can be. Absolutely, as the Sec- retary General’s own high-level panel recognized.
00:55:06	Kucinich, Dennis - U.S. Representative, [D] Ohio Then is Iran an imminent threat to the United States?
00:55:0636 sec.	Bolton, John R. - Ambassador Congressman, you know, the President has made it clear that his purpose and his priority is to achieve a peaceful and diplomatic resolution...
00:55:42	Kucinich, Dennis - U.S. Representative, [D] Ohio Do you know of a Presidential National Security Directive on regime change in Iran?
00:55:42	Bolton, John R. - Ambassador I do not.
00:55:4212 sec.	Kucinich, Dennis - U.S. Representative, [D] Ohio When did you become aware that regime change in Iran was U.S. policy?
00:55:5431 sec.	Bolton, John R. - Ambassador I don’t think that is an accurate statement of the policy. I think Secretary Rice testified before Congress I guess it was some months...
00:56:2513 sec.	Kucinich, Dennis - U.S. Representative, [D] Ohio We have seen a report in the New Yorker by Sey- mour Hersh that a U.S. source told him that U.S. Marines were op- erating in the Baluchis,...
00:56:38	Bolton, John R. - Ambassador I have never heard of the report. I have never read the article, nor do I intend to.
00:56:3815 sec.	Kucinich, Dennis - U.S. Representative, [D] Ohio Do you have an interest as to whether or not— as the U.S. Ambassador, you don’t have any interest as to whether or not U.S. Marines...
00:56:537 sec.	Bolton, John R. - Ambassador I said I had not heard of the report, and I didn’t intend to read the article in the New Yorker.
00:57:00	Kucinich, Dennis - U.S. Representative, [D] Ohio If I give you this article right now and walked it over right now, would you look at it?
00:57:008 sec.	Bolton, John R. - Ambassador I don’t think so honestly, Congressman, be- cause I don’t have time to read much fiction.
00:57:088 sec.	Kucinich, Dennis - U.S. Representative, [D] Ohio Well, you know, now if it wasn’t fiction, Mr. Bolton, would that be of interest to you?
00:57:1626 sec.	Bolton, John R. - Ambassador Congressman, it is of interest to me to be as fully informed on matters affecting my responsibilities in the government as I can. I have...
00:57:429 sec.	Kucinich, Dennis - U.S. Representative, [D] Ohio Well, wait a minute, Mr. Ambassador. We know U.S. troops are in Iran. How does this affect your negotiations?
00:57:51	Bolton, John R. - Ambassador Well, Congressman, you know more than I do. That is all I can say.
00:57:517 sec.	Shays, Christopher - U.S. Representative, [R] Connecticut Here’s what we are going to do. We are going to go to Mr. Lynch. Mr. Lynch.
00:57:58	Lynch, Stephen F. - U.S. Representative, [D] Massachusetts I am sorry, Mr. Chairman?
00:57:58	Shays, Christopher - U.S. Representative, [R] Connecticut You have the floor. Thank you.
00:57:582 min.	Lynch, Stephen F. - U.S. Representative, [D] Massachusetts Thank you. Thank you. Mr. Ambassador, if I could followup, first on Mr. Waxman’s ques- tions. As he has stated, prior to becoming the...
00:59:5822 sec.	Bolton, John R. - Ambassador No, I don’t think I was excluded from any- thing. I think that the questions that Congressman Waxman was asking dealt with issues of intelligence...
01:00:2042 sec.	Lynch, Stephen F. - U.S. Representative, [D] Massachusetts Well, I beg to differ, sir, with all due respect. And I think this goes to Mr. Kucinich’s questions as well, that with re- spect to the...
01:01:02	Bolton, John R. - Ambassador I agree.
01:01:021 min.	Lynch, Stephen F. - U.S. Representative, [D] Massachusetts And I don’t think that you should, on an issue of such great importance and given your position, that you should deny the opportunity...
01:02:142 min.	Bolton, John R. - Ambassador Well, I think one of the difficulties with the sanctions regime on Iraq in the aftermath of the cease-fire in 1991 was that attention, international...
01:04:52	Shays, Christopher - U.S. Representative, [R] Connecticut Just a quick followup.
01:04:5228 sec.	Lynch, Stephen F. - U.S. Representative, [D] Massachusetts Just one very quick followup. Based on what the Sec- retary General is recommending in his reform package that was de- feated last Friday,...
01:05:2020 sec.	Bolton, John R. - Ambassador In terms of what he recommended in his report, ‘‘Investing in the United States,’’ I can say this roughly, I think between 80 and...
01:05:40	Lynch, Stephen F. - U.S. Representative, [D] Massachusetts OK, thank you very much.
01:05:40	Shays, Christopher - U.S. Representative, [R] Connecticut Thank the gentleman. Mr. Van Hollen.
01:05:401 min.	Van Hollen, Christopher - U.S. Representative, [D] Maryland Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you, Mr. Ambassador, for your testimony. I believe that the fact that the United States thumbed its nose at...
01:07:361 min.	Bolton, John R. - Ambassador Well, first, I don’t think it is accurate to say that the United States thumbed its nose at the Security Coun- cil before launching the...
01:09:29	Van Hollen, Christopher - U.S. Representative, [D] Maryland Mr. Ambassador, I promise I have limited time. And listen—listen——
01:09:29	Bolton, John R. - Ambassador I will give an answer.
01:09:2910 sec.	Shays, Christopher - U.S. Representative, [R] Connecticut Let me say this to you, I will let you have more time.
01:09:39	Van Hollen, Christopher - U.S. Representative, [D] Maryland Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
01:09:391 min.	Bolton, John R. - Ambassador Iraq was required to make a declaration of WMD assets that they had. And one of the declarations that Sad- dam made in 1991 was declaration...
01:11:21	Van Hollen, Christopher - U.S. Representative, [D] Maryland Mr. Chairman, with all due respect, I had a specific question.
01:11:217 sec.	Shays, Christopher - U.S. Representative, [R] Connecticut We haven’t forgotten your question yet. The gen- tleman has 2 minutes. Go for it. You have time.
01:11:282 min.	Van Hollen, Christopher - U.S. Representative, [D] Maryland Let me quickly respond. I asked, the President himself has acknowledged in statements that our failure to find WMD in Iraq has created more...
01:13:31	Bolton, John R. - Ambassador The purpose of invoking——
01:13:31	Van Hollen, Christopher - U.S. Representative, [D] Maryland I would appreciate if you answer the questions directly related to your duties as our Ambassador.
01:13:311 min.	Bolton, John R. - Ambassador That is why I like to get it straight what Chapter 7 does. And I would refer to you Article 39 of the U.N. Charter which states that it...
01:14:5736 sec.	Van Hollen, Christopher - U.S. Representative, [D] Maryland Mr. Chairman, if I could just get an answer to the question, which is—look, I referenced the earlier resolution, U.N. resolutions the...
01:15:3319 sec.	Bolton, John R. - Ambassador Your question contains a non sequitur which is why it is not possible to answer, but I would say what is significant in the Council today...
01:15:5212 sec.	Van Hollen, Christopher - U.S. Representative, [D] Maryland I am certainly not suggesting that, Mr. Ambas- sador. I am asking you if that is the element that is making it more difficult to get consensus...
01:16:04	Shays, Christopher - U.S. Representative, [R] Connecticut And thank you, Mr. Ambassador, you have been here about an hour and 20 minutes. Do you have 10 more minutes?
01:16:0410 sec.	Bolton, John R. - Ambassador I am having fun, Mr. Chairman. I can spend a few more minutes.
01:16:1413 sec.	Shays, Christopher - U.S. Representative, [R] Connecticut Why don’t we do this, Mr. Kucinich, why don’t I give you 3 minutes, and then, I am following the order, I am trying to be respectful...
01:16:277 sec.	Kucinich, Dennis - U.S. Representative, [D] Ohio I would certainly yield to Mr. Waxman in a heart- beat.
01:16:341 min.	Waxman, Henry - U.S. Representative, [D] California Thank you, Mr. Kucinich, and Mr. Chairman. Mr. Bolton, it was interesting, your response to Congressman Van Hollen’s question, because...
01:17:5716 sec.	Bolton, John R. - Ambassador They may well have been. I should explain to you, Congressman, that when I was under secretary, I had four separate bureaus reporting to...
01:18:131 min.	Waxman, Henry - U.S. Representative, [D] California So you had no involvement in the draft of a speech to the United Nations claiming that the reason we need to be con- cerned about Iraq was...
01:19:16	Shays, Christopher - U.S. Representative, [R] Connecticut Without objection so ordered.
01:19:1611 sec.	Waxman, Henry - U.S. Representative, [D] California Your testimony in response to my initial round of questions was that you had no involvement, but this Inspector General review finds that...
01:19:2724 sec.	Bolton, John R. - Ambassador The question that was put to me by Rich- ard Boucher was, should this fact sheet be drafted by the Bureau of International Organization...
01:19:51	Waxman, Henry - U.S. Representative, [D] California That wasn’t the question I asked. I asked you if you were involved at all——
01:19:518 sec.	Bolton, John R. - Ambassador I had no involvement. I had no involve- ment myself in the preparation of the fact sheet.
01:19:59	Shays, Christopher - U.S. Representative, [R] Connecticut The gentleman’s time has expired, but if some other Member wants to yield.
01:19:598 sec.	Waxman, Henry - U.S. Representative, [D] California May I say one concluding comment, Mr. Chairman, you have been generous——
01:20:076 sec.	Shays, Christopher - U.S. Representative, [R] Connecticut Would the gentleman suspend a second? I am happy to have one of your other colleagues lend you their 3 minutes. I have no problem with that.
01:20:13	Waxman, Henry - U.S. Representative, [D] California Mr. Chairman, I would like to make one conclud- ing comment.
01:20:13	Shays, Christopher - U.S. Representative, [R] Connecticut OK, if that is all it is.
01:20:1319 sec.	Waxman, Henry - U.S. Representative, [D] California It isastounding to me that you were in charge of this job, and you said before that you take that responsibility to be fully informed on...
01:20:32	Bolton, John R. - Ambassador Seymour Hersh.
01:20:32	Waxman, Henry - U.S. Representative, [D] California Seymour Hersh wrote. But you are in charge of your own duties. When you are in charge of arms control and the biggest issue is whether we...
01:20:3250 sec.	Bolton, John R. - Ambassador The speech was written by and for Ambas- sador Negroponte. And as I say, at the staff level in the State De- partment, lots of things get...
01:21:22	Waxman, Henry - U.S. Representative, [D] California You are not accepting responsibility for what’s going on under your inspection.
01:21:2211 sec.	Shays, Christopher - U.S. Representative, [R] Connecticut Mr. Waxman, one last point, and you are just going on. I am happy to have someone else yield to you. If Mr. Kucinich wants to yield, or...
01:21:336 sec.	Waxman, Henry - U.S. Representative, [D] California Mr. Chairman, I made my point. We will keep strict track of the time you use as well.
01:21:399 sec.	Bolton, John R. - Ambassador I want to say, Congressman, I wish I could explain to you more comprehensively how the State Department works, because I think your questions...
01:21:4813 sec.	Waxman, Henry - U.S. Representative, [D] California No, my questions are about what you did as the boss of the department that was supposed to be in charge of arms control which was directly...
01:22:01	Bolton, John R. - Ambassador The biggest disappointment to you, Con- gressman, is that I had no involvement. I am sorry about that.
01:22:0110 sec.	Waxman, Henry - U.S. Representative, [D] California You didn’t do your job.
01:22:116 sec.	Shays, Christopher - U.S. Representative, [R] Connecticut Ambassador, I thank you for being here. And I thank the Members for their questions. Mr. Kucinich you have 3 minutes.
01:22:1730 sec.	Kucinich, Dennis - U.S. Representative, [D] Ohio Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Ambassador, you previously equated U.N. Article 51 the right of self-defense with the doctrine of...
01:22:4713 sec.	Bolton, John R. - Ambassador There is no notification that has been given, but by saying that, I don’t want to leave any implication that there is some operation that...
01:23:0012 sec.	Kucinich, Dennis - U.S. Representative, [D] Ohio Do you agree that the United States would have an obligation as stated under Article 51 that if the United States had inserted combat troops...
01:23:12	Bolton, John R. - Ambassador I am not going to speculate on something that is entirely hypothetical.
01:23:1210 sec.	Kucinich, Dennis - U.S. Representative, [D] Ohio If the United States has troops in Iran, would Iran be justified in invoking article 51?
01:23:22	Bolton, John R. - Ambassador I’m not going to speculate on that either.
01:23:2230 sec.	Kucinich, Dennis - U.S. Representative, [D] Ohio Now I want to get this straight for members of the subcommittee. The Ambassador can’t comment about troops in Iran. He can’t talk about...
01:23:5212 sec.	Bolton, John R. - Ambassador I have no knowledge one way or the other of that subject nor is it appropriate. I work at the State Depart- ment, not the Defense Department.
01:24:0424 sec.	Kucinich, Dennis - U.S. Representative, [D] Ohio Can you say, Ambassador Bolton—according to a report in the Guardian newspaper in early April, you told British Parliament you believe...
01:24:28	Bolton, John R. - Ambassador The report was inaccurate.
01:24:288 sec.	Kucinich, Dennis - U.S. Representative, [D] Ohio What report? You’re saying this never happened? You never said that?
01:24:36	Bolton, John R. - Ambassador That’s correct.
01:24:3613 sec.	Kucinich, Dennis - U.S. Representative, [D] Ohio Well, let me ask you this, are you confident that we have the information that we need to be able to ratchet up the conflict with Iran?
01:24:4933 sec.	Bolton, John R. - Ambassador I think that there are many aspects of the Iranian nuclear weapons program and the Iranian ballistic missile program that we don’t know...
01:25:2219 sec.	Kucinich, Dennis - U.S. Representative, [D] Ohio Are you familiar with the report that Iranians captured dissident forces who confess to working with U.S. troops in Iran? Have you had any...
01:25:418 sec.	Bolton, John R. - Ambassador I certainly have interest in it. With respect to every other question I have been asked, I have only ever heard it from you today.
01:25:49	Shays, Christopher - U.S. Representative, [R] Connecticut Mr. Lynch has the floor.
01:25:4956 sec.	Lynch, Stephen F. - U.S. Representative, [D] Massachusetts Thank you, Mr. Chairman, Mr. Ambassador, I just want to go over a distinction that we have had here today in this discussion. As I...
01:26:4554 sec.	Bolton, John R. - Ambassador If I could make two comments on that. No. 1, I don’t think I actually followed through and asked the Non- proliferation Bureau to do that....
01:27:39	Lynch, Stephen F. - U.S. Representative, [D] Massachusetts I have limited time so I think you have answered——
01:27:39	Bolton, John R. - Ambassador And it was a fact sheet suppressed——
01:27:3959 sec.	Lynch, Stephen F. - U.S. Representative, [D] Massachusetts I have limited time. I think you have answered. So even though they are under your supervision for all intents and purposes, you are saying...
01:28:386 sec.	Bolton, John R. - Ambassador Preparation of a fact sheet, Congressman, is not a major issue of U.S. policy. This was a staff level function——
01:28:4410 sec.	Lynch, Stephen F. - U.S. Representative, [D] Massachusetts When we are making much decisions whether or not to go to war because Iraq is trying to acquire nuclear weapons; that is a major issue.
01:28:5412 sec.	Bolton, John R. - Ambassador Congressman. Congressman, this was not a policy issue of any significance. It was the preparation of a fact sheet to hand to the press about...
01:29:067 sec.	Lynch, Stephen F. - U.S. Representative, [D] Massachusetts They were try trying to persuade the Congress to ap- prove the War Powers Act. That was what this is about.
01:29:138 sec.	Shays, Christopher - U.S. Representative, [R] Connecticut Mr. Van Hollen, the gentleman’s time has expired. Mr. Ambassador, Mr. Van Hollen will have 3 minutes. I will have 3 minutes. And thank...
01:29:2111 sec.	Van Hollen, Christopher - U.S. Representative, [D] Maryland Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you Mr. Ambassador. I would just point out that fact sheet was the first time where the United States publicly...
01:29:327 sec.	Bolton, John R. - Ambassador I thought you actually said a moment ago or maybe Mr. Kucinich did that the fact sheet was based on Am- bassador Negroponte’s statement.
01:29:3926 sec.	Van Hollen, Christopher - U.S. Representative, [D] Maryland First of all, Mr. Ambassador, I did not say that. I don’t know who said that. But I did not say that. But my question to you, if I could...
01:30:0520 sec.	Bolton, John R. - Ambassador I think some people have raised it. I think they are some of the same people who would object to doing what is necessary on Iran in any...
01:30:2533 sec.	Van Hollen, Christopher - U.S. Representative, [D] Maryland Let me ask the question I raised in my open- ing statement: I hope we are successful in getting the Security Council to take actions and...
01:30:581 min.	Bolton, John R. - Ambassador I think that would be critical if when we get to the point of trying to have the Council adopt targeted sanc- tions against Iran, if we...
01:32:1025 sec.	Van Hollen, Christopher - U.S. Representative, [D] Maryland And with respect to Sudan, if we are unable to get the Security Council to take further action against Sudan, I am glad they took the action...
01:32:351 min.	Bolton, John R. - Ambassador Well, I think this is certainly something I would have to look at. We have relied on the request of the African Union, and I think the overwhelming...
01:34:183 min.	Shays, Christopher - U.S. Representative, [R] Connecticut Thank you. I am going to claim my time and just to one, to thank you Ambassador Bolton. Ambassador, you described the dysfunction of the...
01:37:322 min.	Bolton, John R. - Ambassador Well, I think both in the case of Iran and really in the case of Darfur as well, that these constitute tests for the Security Council. In...
01:40:0013 sec.	Shays, Christopher - U.S. Representative, [R] Connecticut Well, I thank you very much for being here. You have been very responsive I think, and we appreciate, I appreciate deep- ly the work you...
01:40:132 min.	Bolton, John R. - Ambassador Thank you Mr. Chairman.