Wolfowitz Nominated as World Bank Head

George Bush is a man who knows what he believes in and has no fear of telling his critics to get out of the way. His nomination of Wolfowitz as World Bank Head is right up there in the bold move category. The World Bank has been a mess, with their demands on societies in return for the loans.

From Jeannine Aversa of The Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Bush will recommend that Defense Deputy Secretary Paul Wolfowitz take over as head of the World Bank, a senior administration official said Wednesday.
Wolfowitz has been Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld’s top deputy and a lightning rod for criticism over the U.S. invasion of Iraq and other defense policies.

The administration began notifying other countries that Wolfowitz was the U.S. candidate to replace World Bank President James Wolfensohn, said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity because the announcement had not yet been made. Wolfensohn is stepping down as head of the 184-nation development bank on June 1 at the end of his second five-year term.

The United States is the World Bank’s largest member nation. The bank traditionally has had an American president. Its sister institution, the International Monetary Fund, traditionally has been headed by a European.

Bush, during a news conference Wednesday, noted that he had called Premier Silvio Berlusconi to talk about Iraq and other issues earlier in the day and also said that he had discussed Wolfowitz, “my nominee,” with the Italian leader.

By placing someone who shares his world views, Bush has a great chance of creating a new paradigm at the World Bank. Paul Wolfowitz has fought the entrenched bureaucracy of the Pentagon, and helped to show there is a better way. Now, hopefully, Wolfowitz can do the same at the World Bank.

Plus, it will drive the liberals nuts having their World Bank run by the Neocon Wolfowitz. And that makes my day!