World Bank scandal hovers over foundation's efforts

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Washington Post/Houston Chronicle

April 14, 2007, 1:25AM
World Bank scandal hovers over foundation's efforts
Romantic partner of World Bank chief has yet to create a command structure or award grants

Washington Post

WASHINGTON — The woman at the center of the storm surrounding World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz has spent the past few months trying to get one of the signature efforts of President Bush's Middle East democracy campaign off the ground.

The Foundation for the Future, as the effort is called, has made no grants and held only two board meetings since its creation 11/2 years ago. Though Shaha Riza, who has been romantically linked to Wolfowitz, is not listed as part of the staff on the organization's Web site, she is the only person working in the group's offices, located within the Henry L. Stimson Center, a think tank. The Washington office is listed as a "branch," according to the site, which promises that soon a main office will be established in Beirut.
(snip)

Since September 2005, the World Bank has paid Riza's salary — which under the terms of a contract dictated by Wolfowitz included automatic raises that have brought it to $193,590 tax-free — while she was seconded to the State Department to assist on Middle East democracy issues. There, she worked under Elizabeth Cheney, who was then principal deputy assistant secretary; Wolfowitz worked for Cheney's father as an undersecretary of defense in the George H.W. Bush administration.
(snip)

Riza moved to the foundation in December 2006 to become senior adviser to its executive committee and board of directors, according to documents released Friday by the World Bank. The one board member from the U.S. is retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, who was traveling Friday and could not be reached for comment.




Read more: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/world/4714325.html

[salin]

1. So from Sep 05 to Dec 06 (15 months) she earns

somewhere around $170,000-$180,000+ but has enough 'spare time' from her World Bank duties to be "tasked out" to the US Govt/State Department where she continued to work until Dec 2006 where she becomes the sole person working for this "Foundation" - and in that time all the Foundation has done has hold two Board Meetings?

Starting to get the feeling that in the near Future Wolfowitz is going to either be back in academia or landinga cush rw thinktank position.

[1932]

2. The best quote I've heard about this was on the radio yesterday

Someone from the WB commented about Wolfowitz (who has been denying aid to poor countries on the grounds their governments are corrupt) that it's hypocritical for him to be punishing developing countries for nepotism, corruption, etc., when he is guilty of the same.

[tanyev]

3. No, no, no. It's OK when HE does it.

Because he's morally superior, see? It's only a problem when anyone else does it.

[bobthedrummer]

4. This is part of a much bigger web as we both know, Judi Lynn

here's a cross-post from an interesting thread that helps expose these total war criminals and the spies who love them because money trumps peace

"Elizabeth CHENEY was also a 'colleague' of Wolfowitz's partner Shaha Ali Riza"
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x548152#651509

:)

[struggle4progress]

5. knr