INTERNATIONAL A3-12 U.N . Critic Bolton Chosen As Ambassador to U.N. President Bush chose John R. Bolton , a blunt-spoken conservative known for his sharp skepticism toward the United Nations and international diplomacy , as the new United States ambassador to the U.N. A1 No Date for Syrian Withdrawal The Syrian president , Bashar al-Assad , clarified the extent of a troop withdrawal from Lebanon , saying that Syria will move its soldiers to the border by the end of March but has no timetable to remove any of them from the country .