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Washington's UN envoy quits post Controversial US envoy quits post
(41 minutes later)
The US ambassador to the United Nations is to leave his post when his temporary appointment runs out, officials say. The US ambassador to the United Nations is to leave his post when his temporary appointment runs out.
John Bolton was unable to win the necessary Senate support for him to continue in the job. John Bolton looked unable to win the necessary Senate support for him to continue in the job.
He took up the UN posting last year during a Congressional holiday after his nomination stalled in the Senate. Democrats in the chamber, who objected to his combative approach at the UN, were due to reject his nomination.
He is the second high-profile member of President George W Bush's team to leave after the Republicans fared badly in last month's mid-term polls. He is the second high-profile member of President George W Bush's team to leave after the Republicans fared badly in last month's mid-term elections.
Amid fierce opposition to Mr Bolton from Democrats and even some Republicans, Mr Bush had used a presidential power called a recess appointment to give him the job in August 2005. Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld left shortly after the 7 November polls.
Mr Bolton took up the UN posting last year during a Congressional holiday after his nomination stalled in the Senate.
It was a procedural manoeuvre that avoided the need for him to be confirmed until the end of this year.It was a procedural manoeuvre that avoided the need for him to be confirmed until the end of this year.
That procedure cannot be repeated, and the new climate in Congress would make it all but impossible for him to win a two-thirds majority of senators.That procedure cannot be repeated, and the new climate in Congress would make it all but impossible for him to win a two-thirds majority of senators.
The incoming chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Democratic Senator Joe Biden, had already said he saw "no point in considering Mr Bolton's nomination again".
'Ideal'
Mr Bolton's critics said a man who once declared there was "no such thing" as the UN was hardly a suitable choice to join the body.Mr Bolton's critics said a man who once declared there was "no such thing" as the UN was hardly a suitable choice to join the body.
But his admirers said he was a bright, hard-working realist - whose scepticism about the UN's role made him an ideal envoy. The president appointed ambassador Bolton because he knew he would represent America's values and would take head-on problems at the United Nations White House spokeswoman href="/1/hi/world/americas/4327185.stm" class="">Profile: John Bolton
His nomination incensed many former US ambassadors - 102 of whom signed a letter urging senators to reject his nomination.
But his admirers said he was a bright, hard-working realist - whose scepticism about the UN's role made him an ideal envoy, particularly when the organisation was in need of deep reform.
A White House spokeswoman said that among Mr Bolton's accomplishments, he assembled coalitions addressing North Korea's nuclear activity, Iran's uranium enrichment and reprocessing work and the horrific violence in Darfur.A White House spokeswoman said that among Mr Bolton's accomplishments, he assembled coalitions addressing North Korea's nuclear activity, Iran's uranium enrichment and reprocessing work and the horrific violence in Darfur.
He personified Washington's view of the UN, says the BBC's diplomatic correspondent, an institution that was viewed as being wasteful and ineffective at best and, at worst, as inimical to America's wider global interests.