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Wolfowitz--Shock & Awe (UPDATED)
As the world turned this morning, printers in World Bank offices around the world got busy with the Ad Hoc Committee's riveting report. First in Beijing and Hanoi, then in Delhi and Islamabad. Then the hapless consultants in lovely Baghdad. Yemen, whose President told Wolfowitz last week "Iraq was a lovely country, until you invaded it." Africa, and the meetings in Europe and parts of the former Soviet Union where cronyism and gangsterism were part of the history, some not so distant.
more... Deep Insider ~ May 15, 2007 ~ Link
If they f*** with me, I'll f*** with them too [update with pic]
In the documents that came out last night, some startling revelations into how Wolfowitz's mind works. When Xavier Coll advised him that the ethics committee may not look kindly on him giving Riza a raise just as she was leaving, Wolfowitz reportedly said:
more... Sameer Dossani ~ May 15, 2007 ~ Link
World Bank Country Directors Weigh in on Wolfowitz.
Now that the ad hoc committee has reported, most (but not all) of the Bank's Country Directors have asked the Board to get on with it. The following letter was sent today by 37 Country Directors to the Dean of the World Bank board and the World Bank president.
more... Voice of Reason ~ May 15, 2007 ~ Link
Wolfowitz broke Bank rules.
Bloomberg is reporting that the Panel has found that "Wolfowitz violated the terms of his contract and showed a "disregard for the interests of the institution'' when he ordered a pay raise and promotion for his companion," according to the report released today.
more... The Beaver ~ May 15, 2007 ~ Link
World Bank Board of directors releases its report (updated, news links).
The board has just released the report by the ad hoc committee investigating the Wolfowitz-Shaha affair.
more... A Washington source ~ May 15, 2007 ~ Link ~ Comments (20)
Watch What Wolfowitz and Shaha Do, Not What They Say.
Now that US Vice President Dick Cheney has weighed in on Paul Wolfowitz's future, it's time to summarize Shaha Riza's employment at the World Bank, her role in encouraging Paul Wolfowitz to head the institution, and how she used her connection with him to try to settle old scores. This summary, prepared by knowledgeable Washingtonians, pieces together the story for those of you who want a bit more than what the Board will release later tonight. Here's what they don't want you to know about behind-the-scenes power and influence at the Wolfowitz World Bank.
more... Voice of Reason ~ May 14, 2007 ~ Link Will Wolfowitz do the Attali? Far from without precedent, in 1993, president of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, Jacques Attali, faced allegations of personal impropriety and scathing reviews of his performance. He did the honorable thing and resigned. Jeff Powell ~ May 14, 2007 ~ Link
George W. Bush attempts to delay Wolfowitz decision.
The White House has apparently launched "an extraordinary last minute effort to save Paul Wolfowitz". They tried to "prevent the distribution" of the Bank board committee report. Despite the U.S. government's previous protestations that the Bank's process must play itself out Bush apparently preferred to talk the issue through man to man with G7 finance ministers. But they refused to take his conference call. Dick Cheney has also gone on the record just now directly saying Wolfowitz should stay.
more... Alex Wilks ~ May 14, 2007 ~ Link ~ Comments (2)
White House playing games:UPDATED
Like I have predicted in this update, the White House is at it again with its shenanigans. It is reported in the Wolfowitzmust resign.blog that the White House, through U.S. ED Eli Whitney Debevoise, "this morning launched an extraordinary last minute effort to save Paul Wolfowitz by attempting to prevent the distribution of the long-awaited report of the Ad Hoc Committee."
more... The Beaver ~ May 14, 2007 ~ Link
More Corruption? Wolfowitz and Nazarbayev?
More allegations of corruption are rearing their head, and some more serious than petty cronyism. While we already know that the World Bank has increased lending to some pro-U.S. corrupt governments, documents are coming to light which indicate that Wolfowitz has allowed the World Bank to be involved in covering up shady dealings between a U.S. businessman (James Giffen) and the President of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev. If confirmed, this would have implications far beyond Wolfowitz keeping his job: the Bank, the U.S. government, and the government of Nazarbayev could all be in hot water. Details below the fold.
more... Sameer Dossani ~ May 14, 2007 ~ Link ~ Comments (4)
Former Bank board member blogs his views.
Fulsome apologies to Mr Per Kurowski. He is a former Executive Director to the World Bank (for the governments of several Latin American countries). He has been blogging on this issue, but till now I missed it. He has it in for both the Bank board Ethics Committee, and Wolfowitz.
more... Alex Wilks ~ May 14, 2007 ~ Link
Mallaby makes it plain: anti-corruption yes, Wolfowitz no.
Sebastian Mallaby - former Economist writer and author of a book on previous World Bank president James Wolfensohn - has a clear position in today's Washington Post. In a detailed article he spells out the case for Wolfowitz's departure this week. The Wall Street Journal also has its own prescription for the World Bank's anti-corruption work.
more... Alex Wilks ~ May 14, 2007 ~ Link
Washington Post on Wolfowitz's Marital Status
Wa Po's Al Kamen has been doing his best to find out whether Wolfowitz is married or divorced (follow link at bottom to go to page 2). Interestingly, Wolfowitz's (current or former) wife, Clare Wolfowitz, refuses to answer questions regarding her (and by implication his) marital status. Also, the Washington Post has this opinion piece by Sebastian Mallaby, who has made a reputation around defending the Bank from attacks by its critics, often using dubious data.
more... Sameer Dossani ~ May 14, 2007 ~ Link
A friend in Ouagoudougu, but odds are against him.
As judgment day approaches for Wolfowitz in Washington, Reuters and The Nation Nairobi highlight some views from Africa. And while the Wolfie crisis is just one of the Bank's worries, it's a big one. Apparently even Gonzales has more staying power.
more... Shannon Lawrence ~ May 14, 2007 ~ Link
Another push for Blair as World Bank president.
Tony Blair should have the job. After standing down as British prime minister in late June he should take up the reins of power at the World Bank. This according to Edward Mortimer writing in today's FT. Mortimer weighs some of the arguments for and against but somehow he and the FT's editors fail to mention that this idea was first proposed a month ago by Larry Elliot writing in rival UK paper The Guardian.
more... Alex Wilks ~ May 14, 2007 ~ Link
UPDATE:Will the crisis be over before G8 FM meeting?
This is what Germany is asking for? According to the Financial Times, Germany "wants the matter settled before the Group of Eight finance ministers meeting on Friday in Potsdam, which Mr Wolfowitz is scheduled to attend."However quite a few scenarios come into play:
more... The Beaver ~ May 13, 2007 ~ Link
Modernization or Westernization?.
Many in the world see the World Bank as a tool of the West, in general and the US in particular, to Westernize the developing world under the slogan of modernization and development.
more... A Washington source ~ May 13, 2007 ~ Link ~ Comments (8)
Another Take on the Wolfowitz Mess (UDPATED)
from a group of current and retired World Bank staff. They find it hard to imagine what defense PW can put forward in his 11th hour rebuttal, that the Board is now scrutinizing after a meeting Friday that went late into the evening. Let's go over what he might say.
more... Deep Insider ~ May 13, 2007 ~ Link
Small windows into the World Bank - Updated.
Many see the world bank as a closed, almost secret organization working behind a formidable wall of complex bureaucratic rules and procedures . That impression is to a great extend quite true, but in recent years, the multilateral organization has taken some baby steps (or actually been pushed by NGOs) to open some windows to the outside world and move towards more transparency and disclosure.
more... A Washington source ~ May 12, 2007 ~ Link
Wolfowitz has nothing new to report
but Bob Bennett seems to think otherwise. Steve Weisman reports in the IHT that Paul Wolfowitz and his unkempt (and expensive) spokesman have "worked up a point-by-point counterattack to the ethics charges against him."
more... Deep Insider ~ May 12, 2007 ~ Link « Previous Page Next Page » |
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