The Bush administration alienated some of the country’s oldest and staunchest allies when it made the decision to invade Iraq without the support of the United Nations. The images of Iraqi prisoner abuse splashed around the world further tarnished the U.S. image with friends and enemies.

Our national security depends on our relations with our allies. If America wants a united front against the war on terror, it must work to counter its reputation as a global bully. Bullies may be feared, but are rarely respected and are only effective as long as they make good on their threats.

President Bush has suggested that he wants to enhance relations with our European allies and other members of the United Nations. If he is serious, he should reconsider the man he has chosen as our primary representative to the U.N., John Bolton. Republican Sen. George Voinovich has called Bolton “a poster child of what someone in the diplomatic corps should not be.” The Senate Foreign Relations Committee declined to recommend Bolton for the position because of his questionable record – as a known abuser of subordinates and a person who tried to remove intelligence analysts who disagreed with him.

This administration does not like to admit error and hasn’t budged on Bolton despite the fact that members of its own party have admitted publicly that Bolton is not the right choice. Rather than withdraw Bolton’s nomination, however, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has assured the Senate and the American public that Bolton will be watched closely in the position.

Luckily, we live in a democracy that has an effective system of checks and balances instituted by our founders. It is our senators’ responsibility to use their power to protect our state’s and nation’s interests. We are relying on Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins to closely examine Bolton’s record and make an informed decision as to whether he would help or hurt our strained relations with the world. Although there is already evidence pointing to Bolton’s lack of diplomacy, misuse of intelligence and attempts to mislead the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on his past behavior, the Senate has asked for additional documents being withheld by the Bush administration.

Similarly, the administration has refused to release information relative to the BRAC announcement of base closures here in Maine – information that it is required by law to provide senators. These base closures will devastate Maine’s economy. An estimated 12,000 jobs would be lost and more than $450 million lost annually. Sen. Collins feels so strongly about this that she and Sen. Lieberman, D-Conn., have issued subpoenas to the Department of Defense in order to obtain the BRAC-related information.

Members of the GOP have spoken out against Bolton, so this is clearly not about partisan politics. Why should Republican members of the legislative branch have to use a subpoena to get the executive branch to release information they need to do their job?

Maine has benefited from the moderate and pragmatic voices of Sens. Snowe and Collins. We need them to continue to be strong and independent in order to protect our state and our nation. We need Sen. Snowe and Sen. Collins to vote against John Bolton as ambassador to the U.N.

Sen. Collins has said that Bolton would not be her first choice, but that she felt she needed to support the president in his nominations. Sen. Snowe has suggested that she is also inclined to support the president on this nomination.

As a matter of national security, I would hope that Sen. Snowe and Sen. Collins join their GOP colleague Sen. Voinovich and take a stand, even if unpopular with their party.

I urge them to consider the facts and evidence regarding this nominee and not simply rubber-stamp the president. We need an ambassador who can be an effective advocate for U.S. interests and a skilled diplomat. John Bolton is neither.

L.K. Gramlich is a Maine-based consultant for the STOP BOLTON Coalition.

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