WASHINGTON, March 23 (UPI) -- Bush administration nominations to high-profile diplomatic posts strengthen U.S. positions in the United Nations and overseas, Vice President Dick Cheney said.
"What the president has done ... is make some personnel changes that he felt would strengthen our capacity as an administration to achieve our objectives," Cheney told The Washington Post.
The White House raised concerns with the appointments of U.N. critic John Bolton as the lead U.S. envoy to the United Nations and Paul Wolfowitz to head the World Bank. The administration has also recently added adviser Karen Hughes to join the State Department to enhance U.S. image abroad.
"If we are going to be successful long-term in the war on terror and in the broader objective of promoting freedom and democracy in (Arab and Muslim parts) of the world, we have to get the public diplomacy piece of it right. Up until now, that has bee a very weak part of our arsenal."
White House aides told the Post the moves -- including Condoleezza Rice's becoming secretary of state, positions the department to have a significant role in President Bush's second term.
Cheney spoke with the Post Tuesday while flying from Reno, Nev., to Washington.
