Bush wades in to save beleaguered Wolfowitz

[Demeter]

Source: Telegraph (UK)


Bush wades in to save beleaguered Wolfowitz
By Tim Shipman in Washington, Sunday Telegraph
Last Updated: 11:54pm BST 14/04/2007


....White House officials intervened after a leaked report revealed that European governments had decided to cut off contributions to the bank's loan funds unless Mr Wolfowitz quits...The World Bank's board of directors, which adjourned a meeting on his fate on Friday, say they will reach a decision on his future soon.

British officials in Washington said the next two days would be crucial. "There are still members of the board flying in," one said yesterday. "There will be talks tomorrow. This is a de facto American appointment, so what they say has some force."...But the official made clear that Gordon Brown, the Chancellor, and Hilary Benn, the International Development Secretary, who are both in Washington, would not act to save him. "We're not saying anything in favour or against," said the official. "We want to play this pretty straight because that's what's in the interests of the World Bank."

A former US treasury department official said yesterday: "I believe we could block an effort to remove Wolfowitz. That said, if there were an overwhelming mood against him, he would cease trying to stay."
Another US official added: "There is a sense that we're finally at a moment when Bush needs the world more than the world needs Bush."

Mr Wolfowitz's critics accuse him of bringing the same moral fervour and bunker mentality to the World Bank that characterised his time at the Pentagon as deputy defence secretary, where he will be forever linked with the miscalculation that Iraqis would welcome US troops as liberators.






Read more: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/04/15/wolfie15.xml

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BUT IT'S THIS LAST LITTLE DIG THAT REALLY MAKES THIS ARTICLE:



He created an ethics police to monitor bank employees' expenses and even scaled down the office Christmas party - something that sparked cries of hypocrisy when Miss Riza's package was exposed.


HE REALLY SHOULDN'T GO AROUND EXPOSING LADIES' PACKAGES!

[Raven]

1. I wonder what back room deals will be made to save this

disgusting little man's sorry ass.

[DemoTex]

2. Vile, raw threats .. it's the Bu$hco way.

Or blackmail .. that's the Rovian way.

[acmavm]

3. Well, this was a given. Everybody know the cowboy front man for the

neocons would make his appearance and act like the big shot he thinks he is.

If the other countries put up with this shit then friggin' just face it, we're screwed. I find it almost impossible to believe that one bunch of criminals has enough dirt on every world leader out there that they keep eating their shit and thanking the criminals for every bite they're forced to swallow. I say 'almost impossible' because just when you think they've gotten too arrogant and they'll finally be stopped, they get away with whatever shit they just got caught and called up on.

[Demeter]

4. Of Course, If Venezuela Is the Wave of the Future

then the World Bank has a limited shelf life anyway! Adapt, adjust, or die, guys.

[Toots]

5. Here it is, the headline heard 'round the world

"There is a sense that we're finally at a moment when Bush needs the world more than the world needs Bush."
Ya think???

[annabanana]

6. That is a good headline. Unfortunately, it ALSO points out

That the U.S.'s ability to effect the world stage in any good way is seriously compromised too.

He has dragged the whole country down into the muck with him.

[rodeodance]

12. WHOW HO--------would love to see that headline!

[Zorra]

7. Chimpy jumps in to save his arrogant, corrupt PNAC fascist pal.

These war criminals sure do stick together...maybe they'll form their own gang in prison after we get them convicted for their crimes against humanity.

[gulfcoastliberal]

8. Also funny how Wolfowitz didn't apply his "anti corruption" drive to include Iraq/Afghanistan

Gee, wonder why?

[Demeter]

9. Something Like: It's not the Mafia Family Way?

I'm sure there's a relevent Italian phrase for it, but I couldn't get through the Godfather once even.

[truthisfreedom]

10. "When Miss Riza's package was exposed." Good writer!

8^)

[rodeodance]

11. The W. Bank has complained that Wolfie is there to carry out Bush policies----

so, lets see if they are all mouth and no guts!

[suffragette]

13. "an overwhelming mood against him"

I'd say being booed and hissed at by your staff is pretty overwhelming.

[rodeodance]

14. so, will Bush get more than his big Toe wet for his friend?

[SpiralHawk]

15. "Wolfie is almost as smart as I am. So stop picking on him." - Commander AWOL

[MadMaddie]

16. This means that it is officially "Brownie your'e doing a heckofa job"

moment....

It's over Wolfie...and the world won't crumble like the American Media and politicians have done...they want him out..

* will defend anyone who has broken rules...

[Rosa Luxemburg]

20. Bush seems to praise crooks

he stands by them all to the very end

[FloridaJudy]

22. Dang! You got my punchline first!

Heckuva job, Wolfie!

[Peace Patriot]

17. I think the hilarious part is that Brazil took the occasion to join the Bank of the South,

started by Venezuela to help its neighbors get out from under onerous World Bank/IMF debt. They announced it yesterday at these very same set of meetings. Smackeroo and goodbye to the World Bank! Venezuela bailed Argentina out, which is well on its way to recovery, all indicators up--and thus Venezuela helped to create a healthy trading partner for Brazil and others. Plans are to bail Bolivia and Ecuador out of their debt--so all of these countries can restore educational and social programs (gutted and looted by the IMF policy) and start moving forward to create a more equitable society. And even the center/right government of Paraguay just joined the Bank of the South, it's such a good thing.

Bush's trip to Latin America was a bust. Got publicly lectured from Brazil to Mexico on the SOVEREIGNTY of Latin American countries, and Mexico's rightwing/corporatist president even mentioned Venezuela in this context. Something's up with this. Bushite collusion with rightwing paramilitaries in Colombia?--where a huge scandal has hit the Uribe government (Bush's pals) involving the CHIEF of the military and other top leaders in rightwing drug trafficking, murdering leftists, union organizers and peasants, AND a plot to assassinate Hugo Chavez and destabilize the Andean democracies. Bush has larded billions of our tax dollars on these people. And it's possible that the Colombian scandals have brought Bush into disrepute (worse than he was), along with his appointment of John "death squad" Negroponte as Asst. Sec of State for Latin America. An insulting appointment. (Nicaraguan's answer was to elect Daniel Ortega as president!)

Uruguay turned down Bush "free trade" deals--Bush's effort to "divide and conquer" Mercosur, the So. American trade group, in which Venezuela has also been active, pushing for regional self-determination. Uruguay stuck with Mercosur. The only "deliverable" from Bush to his global corporate predator paymasters seems to have been an ethanol deal with Brazil, but that is not certain yet--there is a lot of small farmer and environmental opposition to it. And Lulu is in a strong bargaining position. Brazil joining the Bank of the South in the midst of negotiations with the Bushites indicates Brazilian independence and strength (and wiliness? Lulu is no fool). If Brazil makes the mistake of a corporte ethanol deal, the Bank of the South and Mercosur may be the means of eventually correcting it.

Rice's bullying or bribing of Chile's Michele Batchelet last year, to get Chile to "abstain" in the vote on Venezuela's bid for a UN Sec Council seat resulted in recent political embarrassment for Batchelet. The times they are a-changin', and changin' fast. Last year, Batchelet hedged her bets. This year, Chavez is the man, and it is not very good politically that she finked out on him last year. I wondered last year what Condi did to get that abstention. I can't imagine that a torturer is much welcome in the Chilean capitol. I remember hoping that Batchelet would drive a hard bargain, if she felt she had to compromise on it--would, you know, get something good for her people. But I don't know any details, just the tenor of the times and that Rice was applying pressure.

But it's all working out very well, indeed, for the Left (the majorityists) on the whole. Wolfie and Mr. Danger and Little Miss Conniver have definitely had a comeuppance all the way around in Latin America. They kept Venezuela off the Sec Council, but have lost in every other way. The other South American leaders pulled together against the Bush campaign to "isolate" Chavez. Nestor Kirchner (Argentina) said, "But he's my brother!" Lulu (Brazil) went to visit him on a state visit two weeks before the Venezuelan election (which Chavez won with 63% of the vote). And Rafael Correa, when asked what he thought of Chavez's remark to the UN that Bush is "the devil"--during Correa's campaign for president--replied that it was "an insult to the devil." (His numbers soared and he won the election with 60% of the vote.)

The World Bank plutocrats are going to have to find some other place to plunder, I think--than South America. And, although we didn't know it at the time, Venezuelans' resistance to the rightwing military coup in 2002 was perhaps the most pivotal event in South American history since Simon Bolivar led the revolution against the colonialists and freed the slaves. They resisted--en masse (a million people surrounded the presidential palace)--and they won! They got their Constitution back, they got their National Assembly reopened, and they got their elected president restored. That's not the Bush/Reagan script. The little people aren't supposed to win.

[Disturbed]

18. Wolfotwit is a typical Rethug.

He lied about his actions of corruption but when documentation surfaced that proved that he lied he then apologizes. He expects that to absolve his corruption and keep his job.

[opihimoimoi]

24. Bush coming to save his ass??? Bwahahahahaha...Dats da KISS OF DEATH..."Heckofajob Wolfie"

[Hekate]

26. Peace Patriot, that is an incredible summary.It's such good news, and...

...I don't think I knew any of it. I'm going to keep my fingers crossed for the future well-being of the Latin American people.

Hekate

[MasonJar]

19. Go, EU. go! Stick to your guns! Use your money in more productive ways.

[HuffleClaw]

21. "finally at a moment when Bush needs the world more than the world needs Bush."

'finally' ????!!!!

[PassingFair]

23. In case you hadn't noticed....

When one spell checks for "Wolfowitz",
one finds the alternate "Halfwit" offered....

[Hekate]

25. Oh how I love this part: "Bush needs the world more than the world needs Bush"

"There is a sense that we're finally at a moment when Bush needs the world more than the world needs Bush.":popcorn:

That "bunker mentality" will not allow him to yield. There are so many things coming at Baby Caligula all at once that we may be at a very dangerous point -- this man could snap.

Hekate