A former U.S. State Department official says President Bush's nominee for ambassador to the United Nations, John Bolton, tried to have an intelligence analyst fired after the man challenged Mr. Bolton's assertion that Cuba possessed banned weapons.
The official, Carl Ford, made the statement Tuesday, saying the incident brings up real questions in his mind about whether Mr. Bolton is suitable for the U.N. post. Mr. Ford is a former assistant secretary of state.
That 2002 incident has been the focus of day two of Mr. Bolton's confirmation hearings before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Mr. Bolton, who is an undersecretary of state, testified before the committee Monday. He said he only tried to have the analyst reassigned, not fired.
Democrats who oppose Mr. Bolton say he may be too outspoken and confrontational to be ambassador. But Republicans, who control the Senate, appear likely to approve the nomination.