Sympathy for the ... As those of us outside Washington (I write from Nairobi ...) anxiously await news of whether the rumored 6 pm "resignation" press conference has happened, the beleagured president is finally getting some sympathetic treatment in the press. Gabriel Rozenberg of the Times Online writes that after reviewing the 100+ pages of documents released by the Bank today, "his woes stem far more from confusion and error on the bank President’s part than from any corrupt motive." His citations of different memos from the Bank's Ethics Committee do suggest some bureaucratic obfuscations. But do they add up to the basis for acquittal?

Fox News, perhaps unsurprisingly, also rallies to Wolfowitz's defense. It argues, based on extracts from the 100 pages of official documents released late Thursday, that "while Wolfowitz did indeed dictate the lucrative terms of Riza’s salary to the bank’s human resources chief, he also took steps to try and determine if what he was doing was right – seemingly trying to navigate his way through an arcane bureaucracy with a maze of unusual rules and procedures" and cast doubt on the role played by the Bank's Ethics Committee.

If you want to see the above arguments taken apart, by a journalist who's also read the 100 pages of documents, take a look at another Krishna Guha piece in the FT. He finds "there is no ambiguity as to who has decided which terms to offer Ms Riza".

Soren Ambrose ~ April 14, 2007 ~ T

"Keep track of the rumored candidates, power plays and buzz."
The Washington Post

Next & Previous

« Economist gives thumbs down, but hints at leniency | HOME | Leading thinktank joins in »

Categories

"Offering the rumors and gossip usually reserved for Washington's bars and back rooms."
Reuters

WBpresident.org in the news

Wolfowitz-Riza-Cleveland: New Evil-doing?
Wolfowitz's right hand man jumps ship.
Caught in the World Bank storm.
We're in the papers! worldbankpresident.org media mentions.
Hot blogging on the World Bank president.
Media contacts.
Card wants Snow.
New candidate, French views.
An £8200 job ad.
Bank chief's parting shots.

"Accomplished and intelligent… sifts through the speculation and brings you the latest news."
The Guardian

Recent Rumours

Zoellick bearhug photo.
Like old times: Zoellick and Lamy
Another middle aged white American for the World Bank !
Globe and Mail: Euros Already Agreed not to Raise Questions
Official: Zoellick according to AP.
It's (un)Official: Zoellick
Zoellick will get the nod from Germany.
An opportunity at the World Bank
UPI: Wolfowitz Replacement This Week
UK involvement in the Foundation for the Future.

Links

The World Bank
Bretton Woods Project
Eurodad
IFIwatchnet

Search this site

Archive

May 2007
April 2007
April 2005
March 2005
February 2005
January 2005