National Security, Public Policy Leaders Oppose Power Nomination to U.N. Ambassador

WASHINGTON, DC, JULY 3 2013 – Today at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., a group of national security leaders, public policy organizations and influential citizens led by the Center for Security Policy announced its opposition to the nomination of Samantha Power to be the next U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations.

The group unveiled an open letter with more than fifty signers at a panel discussion featuring remarks by: Hon. Allen West, USA (Ret.), former Member of Congress; Former U.S. Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations Amb. Jose S. Sorzano, who served with Amb. Jeanne Kirkpatrick; Lt. Gen. William “Jerry” Boykin, USA (Ret.), former Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence; best-selling author and syndicated columnist Diana West; and Morton Klein, President of the Zionist Organization of America.  The participants expressed strong concerns about previous statements made by Ms. Power, including statements comparing what she viewed as the criminal behavior of the United States to that of Nazi Germany, asserting that American power must be subordinated to the dictates of the “international community”, and lumping Israel’s “sins” in the war on terror with those of Saudi Arabia and Pakistan.

Rep. West today stated: “Ms. Power has consistently shown a disdain for American strength, and even worse exemplified a troubling manner towards our greatest ally, the State of Israel.  She is the wrong choice for these troubling times…Samantha Power possesses no ability whatsoever to present a strong American character in a body politic replete with autocrats, theocrats, despots and dictators.”

Amb. Sorzano today stated: “Dr. Powers has said that the U.S. should express humility, but let me tell you, ‘humble’ is not something that works well in the United Nations….We believe in good things, we believe in personal liberty, we believe in equality, we believe in human rights, and we should not be shy, we should not be humble about those things.  If you begin to apologize, if you begin to be humble, you will be run over.”

Lt. Gen. Boykin today stated: “We have an international body today that believes that it should be all-powerful.  It’s called the United Nations.  And we have entities across the world, to include in the United States, that would very much like for that to be a global governing body.  Unfortunately, I believe based on all the research that I’ve done, that Samantha Power believes the same thing.

Frank J. Gaffney, Jr., President and CEO of the Center for Security Policy, and former Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Policy, later stated:

A copy of the letter from the group to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid can be found below.

Footage of today’s panel discussion can be found here: https://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/313734-1#

 Tell Your Senators: Reject Samantha Power | Sign the Petition Now

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Letter text:

Dear Senator Reid:

As you know, President Obama has declared his intention to nominate Samantha Power to be the next U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations.  In light of her low regard for our country, her animus towards one of our most important allies, Israel, and her affinity for those who would diminish our sovereignty and strengthen our adversaries, we consider her to be a wholly unacceptable choice for this sensitive post and urge you to reject this nomination.

Of course, almost since its inception, the United Nations has been dominated by member states, organizations and personalities who share Dr. Power’s sentiments.  We do not need to add to their number – especially as the representative of the American people – someone who shares their transnationalist agenda, with all that implies for our interests and freedoms.

That is particularly the case at this  moment in history.  Freedom-loving nations are under assault – arguably as never before – from totalitarian adversaries, Islamist ideologues, terrorist groups and other enemies.  Such foes have found legitimacy and sustenance in the United Nations.  And their agendas are routinely adopted as the agendas of this so-called “world body,” rather than ones that are actually in the interest of our country and allies.

Now, more than ever, the United States needs to return to the kind of UN representation it has enjoyed in the past with prominent figures from both parties, like Daniel Patrick Moynihan, Jeanne Kirkpatrick and John Bolton.  They loved and admired our nation, exulted in its exceptionalism and courageously defended it against all enemies, foreign and domestic.  They were under no illusions about the United Nations and routinely challenged efforts to increase its influence and power at American expense.  Samantha Power’s decades-long track record makes clear that she neither embraces these principles nor is disposed to play this important role in advancing them.

We urge you in the strongest of terms to ensure that a great American, not someone like Samantha Power who reviles America’s greatness, once again represents us at the UN.

Sincerely,

• Rep. LTC (R) Allen B. West
• José S. Sorzano, Former U.S. Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations
• Lieutenant General William “Jerry” Boykin, US Army (Ret.)
• Admiral James A. “Ace” Lyons, US Navy (Ret.)
• Diana West, syndicated columnist and author of American Betrayal: The Secret Assault on Our Nation’s Character
• Morton Klein, Zionist Organization of America (ZOA)
• Colin Hanna, Let Freedom Ring
• Brigitte Gabriel, President and Founder, ACT! for America
• Gary L. Bauer, President, American Values
• Ginni Thomas, Liberty Consulting
• Phyllis Schlafly, Eagle Forum
• Jim Backlin, Christian Coalition of America
• Louis Celli, Legislative Director, The American Legion
• Frank Gaffney, President, Center for Security Policy
• Clare Lopez, Senior Fellow, Center for Security Policy
• Stephen Coughlin, Senior Fellow, Center for Security Policy
• David Yerushalmi, Esq., General Counsel, Center for Security Policy
• Sarah Stern, President, Endowment for Middle East Truth
• Adam Turner, Counsel, Endowment for Middle East Truth
• Kyle Shideler, Director of Research and Communications, Endowment for Middle East Truth
• John D. Fonte, Ph.D., Senior Fellow, Hudson Institute
• Anita MonCrief, Senior Advisor, True the Vote
• Ilana Freedman, Editor, GerardDirect.com
• Kenneth R. Timmerman, President, Foundation for Democracy in Iran
• Helen Freedman, Executive Director, Americans for a Safe Israel (AFSI)
• Jane Hansen Hoyt, President/CEO of Aglow International
• Tom Trento, The United West
• Stuart Kaufman, The United West
• Esther H. Levens, CEO and Founder, Unity Coalition for Israel
• Beth Gilinsky, National Conference on Jewish Affairs
• Irene Alter, National Conference on Jewish Affairs
• Dan Pollak, Zionist Organization of America (ZOA)
• Katharine Cornell Gorka, The Westminster Institute
• Paul Caprio, Patriotic Veterans
• Kevin L. Kearns, President, United States Business and Industry Council
• Sandy Rios, Family Pac Federal
• Jerome B. Gordon, Senior Editor New English Review, and author of The West Speaks
• Dr. Ashraf Ramelah, Founder and President, Voice of the Copts
• Michael G. Hoehn, Esq., Executive Director, Alliance For Vigilance
• Richard Viguerie, ConservativeHQ.com
• Elaine Donnelly, Center for Military Readiness
• Blake Ortner, Senior Legislative Director, Paralyzed Veterans of America
• Pete Hegseth, CEO, Concerned Veterans for America
• Richard and Susan Falknor, Publishers, Blue Ridge Forum
• Susan Carleson, Chairman and CEO, American Civil Rights Union
• C. Preston Noell III, Tradition, Family and Property
• Dr. Charles Jacobs
• Ann Corcoran, Refugee Resettlement Watch
• Karen Hughes, President, Mount Pleasant 912 Project
• Alyssa A. Lappen, investigative journalist
• Deborah Weiss, attorney and journalist
• Dr. Steven Moysey, counterterrorism consultant
• Lisa Benson, national security speaker/radio talk-show host
• Pamela Hall, blogger/activist/photographer