TomPaine.com asks:Why Wolfowitz?

There will surely be a lot more to say about why Wolfowitz was Bush's
pick: As the NY Times pointed out this morning, it's part of a continuing process by which the White House is "seeding" neocons into
more permanent positions both inside and outside the executive branch
(just wait 'til we see Bush's nominee to succeed Alan Greenspan!) But
this article is a good start
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"Occupied Iraq represents Paul Wolfowitz's main “development” experience—where he ensured billions of dollars of oil export revenues flowed into the Bush administration’s favored corporations. Jim Vallette of the Institute For Policy Studies reviews Wolfowitz's resumé and sees that all his paths have led to oil."

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President George W. Bush has shocked the international development world by announcing that he wants Assistant Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz to be the next president of the World Bank. Choosing Wolfowitz for this job makes perfect sense if the Bush administration intends to completely alienate the world community. It’s the worst presidential nomination since Ronald Reagan picked James Watt to head the Interior Department, and it betrays the government’s practice of putting business and geopolitical interests above all else.

The U.S. government has selected every World Bank president in the “development” institution’s 60-year history, and alone holds de facto veto power on its executive board. Through this dominant position, U.S. administrations have long used the Bank to pry open developing countries’ economies and resources—to satisfy the insatiable appetites of U.S. corporations. This primary objective of Washington’s policy at the Bank has been threatened in recent months and years by calls to democratize the institution, and to end its support for export-oriented oil projects.

At the past two World Bank annual meetings, ministers and lawmakers from Africa, Latin America, Asia and the Pacific pointedly demanded that the democratically elected representatives of borrowing nations be the final arbiters of all economic policies in their countries. They are challenging the very structure of the Bank—which would entail taking voting power from the wealthiest nations. Also, a Bank-commissioned study last year recommended that it phase out all financing of oil projects, because the exhaustive investigation found no examples where such projects alleviate poverty. The Bank itself has rejected its own commission’s recommendations.

The United States fears democracy and reform at the Bank. In a confidential June 2003 note to the World Bank board, then-Executive Director for the United States Carole Brookins wrote a terse rebuttal. “Giving population and other factors a weight in voting strength would create a radically different, less desirable and non-financial structure for the Bank,” she said.

the only ones, no?

(I thought we were waiting for Armageddon? :eyes:)

The World Bank is expected to supervise the implementation of hundreds of million of dollars worth of projects to rebuild Gaza. One official said that Wolfowitz would likely ensure that the Palestinians fulfill strict conditions regarding reform and democratization in order to get the money.

"He is a no-nonsense administrator who knows what needs to be done in terms of reform and democratization," one senior official said. "The appointment ensures that Bush has a man in an important institution whom he trusts," he said.

The World Bank is also the body that will oversee the channeling of millions of dollars into the Galilee and Negev for development of these regions as well.

With Wolfowitz in charge, Bush and the PNAC'ers has another weapon against the world. If Europe is smart, they'll deep six the attempt.

payback for loyal service to the neo-conthradals and their propensity for treason

war criminal macnamara had that gig..so bushfraud is "just following" precedent...

the non president following precedent..

How much can wolfie loot for Israels wars??

Host Adam Felber noted that with the appointments of Wolfowitz and Bolton, the US had extended the hand of friendship to Europe, with midle finger extended.

The WB has gone to the wolves.