Mallaby on the button. Sebastian Mallaby is right on the button in switching the focus to a crucial question:

Whether or not Paul Wolfowitz would make a good World Bank president in theory, will he be able to do a good job in practice, given the immense opposition to his appointment?

Three issues:

Will opposition from staff make it impossible for him to function effectively? He will have to lead 10,000 people - the vast majority of whom are not in a mood to be led. Will his own officials brief and leak against him or can he turn them round?

Given that many governments will only give grudging approval to the Wolfowitz appointment (if that), will the new president find it impossible to gain support from donors when it comes to pushing through tough decisions?

And will the Bank find its ability to act hindered by a colossal increase in pressure from activists?

"The permanent establishment of World Bank critics - who had been diverted to protesting [about] the Iraq war - can now do both at once," Mallaby comments. "It's like Christmas for them."

David Steven ~ March 19, 2005

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