This UPI article quotes Whitehouse spokesperson Tony Snow as indicating that “the President is close to choosing Wolfowitz’s replacement”, as soon as later this week. Combined with other recent posts, it seems reasonible to conclude that Zoellick will be put forward as the one and only candidate.
The Government Accountability Project has been able to obtain a board report suggesting that the newly appointed Country Manager to Iraq, Simon Stolp may not be the best candidate. more…
Here’s a letter that Wolfowitz sent to the Board today. Some choice bits: “I may make a farewell trip to Africa at the request of a number of leaders…”; “I do not plan to continue routine briefings on policy issues”; “the most important assignment I feel I have ahead is to take the time to meet individually with staff who have been so loyal and effective in fulfilling the Bank’s mission” (meaning time to pay out the bribes I’ve promised, I suppose). If he’s not going to do anything, why does he have to stick around? Must be that $400k 2 year bonus. more…
Disturbing reading from the NYT. The White House and Treasury are moving quickly to find a replacement. Some implications of the article below the fold. [update: Bloomberg chips in from Germany: Germany and Japan back U.S. prerogative. How about they relinquish their control over the IMF and MIGA respectively, as well as refusing to allow Bush to put in another of his cronies] more…
John Nichols at the Nation says the Wolfowitz “is and always will be the honest face of the World Bank.” Another good tidbit: “[the World Bank is] the global equivalent of a mob enforcer coming in to break the knees of the sovereign nations that do not march to the drum beat of the wealthy nations that own it.” Well if it was the mob, Tony Soprano was the right guy to run it…
An anonymous source has taken the trouble to do a line by line analysis of the ED’s statement. Conclusion: it’s not as bad as you may think… more…
