US presidential candidates, UN Secretary General weigh in. Fellow bloggers have been speculating (here and here) whether and how the Wolfowitz drama might become a US political issue. Now a former and a potential presidential candidates have started commenting. Will others follow?

Pat Buchanan strikes some heavy blows in an article on Human Events ('leading the conservative movement since 1944'). Among them:
1.Tommy Franks once referred to the Pentagon's No. 3, Doug Feith, as "the dumbest guy on the planet." It now appears Gen. Franks' honorific better applies to Feith's boss, the Pentagon No. 2, Paul Wolfowitz. For a man once hailed as the brightest of the neocons, Wolfie has behaved with a stupidity born of the arrogance of power.

3.Well, let Wolfie stay on as poster boy of Bush ethics, and let the nation decide whether they wish to continue with this crowd in 2008.

Coming from a different perspective, Democrat 2008 hopeful Barrack Obama will say is going to say that the US "needs to renew alliances in international institutions such as the UN, NATO and the World Bank". Obama's speech to the Chicago Council on Global Affairs was due to be given today, but has been postponed until 23rd April due to the tragic shootings at Virginia Tech yesterday.

Meanwhile UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon today called on officials from international financial institutions like the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) to engage in deep reforms to accommodate the interests of developing countries. He complained that developing countries are "poorly reflected in forums where crucial decisions about their economic and social future are taken, including some of the institutions created 60 years ago under vastly different circumstances."

"If these institutions are to strengthen their own legitimacy and credibility - and better serve the world's peoples - they must engage more deeply in reforms that reflect today's economic realities," he said.

Alex Wilks ~ April 17, 2007

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Wolfowitz's right hand man jumps ship.
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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.

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