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| Bush to Recommend Wolfowitz for World Bank |
| 2005-03-16 |
| President Bush on Wednesday tapped Defense Deputy Secretary Paul Wolfowitz, who has been a lightning rod for criticism of the U.S. invasion of Iraq and other defense policies, to take over as head of the World Bank. Bush told a news conference that Wolfowitz, now Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld's top deputy, was "a compassionate, decent man who will do a fine job at the World Bank. That's why I put him up." The administration began notifying other countries that Wolfowitz was the U.S. candidate to replace World Bank President James Wolfensohn, who is stepping down as head of the 184-nation development bank on June 1 at the end of his second five-year term. The United States is the World Bank's largest member nation. The bank traditionally has had an American president. Its sister institution, the International Monetary Fund, traditionally has been headed by a European. Bush, during the news conference, noted that he had called Premier Silvio Berlusconi to talk about Iraq and other issues earlier in the day and also said that he had discussed Wolfowitz, "my nominee," with the Italian leader. "He is a man of good experience," Bush said. "He helped manage a large organization .... a skilled diplomat, worked at the State Department." Wolfowitz, 61, was sworn into his post at the Defense Department in March 2001, marking his third tour of duty at the Pentagon. He was regarded as more academic and ideological than his boss, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. Wolfowitz was among the most forceful of those in the Bush administration in arguing that Iraq's Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction, and he had predicted that Americans would be welcomed as liberators rather than occupiers once they toppled Saddam's government. Wolfowitz, a veteran of six administrations, has earned a reputation for being a foreign policy hawk - the view that the United States should use its superpower status to push for reforms in other nations. A conservative scholar, Wolfowitz, before taking over the Defense Department post, had served as dean and professor of international relations at the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies of The Johns Hopkins University. Administration supporters of Wolfowitz said Wednesday he is suited for the World Bank post and pointed to his management experiences at the Pentagon and his diplomatic experience at the State Department. He had served as assistant secretary of State for east Asia during the Philippine transition to democracy. He also serves as U.S. ambassador to Indonesia. |
| Posted by:Mrs. Davis |
| #9 That was pretty much my reaction as well Frank but those quotes are as reported in the Weekly Standard: http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/005/363ubjiw.asp (Sorry but I have no luck at all with links here on Rantburg). |
| Posted by: AzCat 2005-03-16 9:40:49 PM |
| #8 AC, no, really...what did they really say? |
| Posted by: Frank G 2005-03-16 9:24:52 PM |
| #7 A few interesting comments from Dems: Joe Biden described Wolfowitz, currently deputy secretary of defense, as a man with an "active and fertile mind" who believes in the work of multilateral institutions. Asked for his reaction to the selection, Biden responded with one word: "Solid." "I know him to be an extraordinarily intelligent, creative thinker who has the potential to do a good job at the World Bank," said Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont, regarded as one of the Senate's most partisan members. |
| Posted by: AzCat 2005-03-16 8:56:43 PM |
| #6 Well if we can't have Bono...how about Cher? |
| Posted by: Sgt.D.T. 2005-03-16 4:50:37 PM |
| #5 More seriously, I have to wonder if this doesn't reflect administration plans to push hard on the Millennium Challenge project on a broad front. It seems like Wolfowitz's sort of starry-eyed idealistic bag. Wonder if this is a sign that they're starting to wind down the expansion phase of the WoT, and are looking towards some sort of inoculation of Africa? |
| Posted by: Mitch H. 2005-03-16 4:13:38 PM |
| #4 When I see something like this my reaction is that Bush must really enjoy his job. He and Cheney have got to be doubled over with laughter right now. |
| Posted by: Matt 2005-03-16 1:14:31 PM |
| #3 It's not as ideal a pick as John Bolton for the U.N., but it does send a message. http://news.ft.com/cms/s/85b52f5a-8ac1-11d9-9059-00000e2511c8.html |
| Posted by: Tom 2005-03-16 12:13:53 PM |
| #2 That distant, distinct thump you just heard was the simultaneous and synchronized detonation of every Leo-Strauss-neocon-Jewish-conspiracy freakazoid's skull upon hearing of the news. Next will come the frantic scribbling as they redraw their little flowcharts to tie in the world banking conspiracy. Oh, well. At least it wasn't Perle. Some of the skull fragments would probably have achieved escape velocity, and the orbital rubbish would be playing havoc with satellite reception for weeks. |
| Posted by: Mitch H. 2005-03-16 11:56:33 AM |
| #1 What about that savior of humanity Bono? |
| Posted by: JerseyMike 2005-03-16 11:53:27 AM |