Bush to Tap Wolfensohn to Aid Palestinian Reforms

[tedzbear]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=615&e=4&u=/nm/20050414/pl_nm/mideast_usa_palestinians_dc




WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States and key allies have decided to name James Wolfensohn, the outgoing World Bank president, to help coordinate Palestinian political and economic reforms and reconstruction efforts in Gaza, people familiar with decision said on Thursday.


Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will make the announcement shortly on behalf of the "quartet" of Middle East peace mediators that includes the United States, the European Union, Russia and the United Nations.

[dave29]

1. Bush sure has tapped a lot of his friends

hmmm

[Gayla]

2. Another one

Another member of the wolf pack..

[Hand]

3. As Jon Stewart observed...

"President Bush has tapped Paul Wolfowitz to head the World Bank, replacing James Wolfensohn, demonstrating that he now makes his appointments in alphabetical order!"

:rofl: :toast:

[WearyOne]

4. Wolfenson was a good man once..but he's gone to the Dark Side

[American in Asia]

5. To be fair...

Though I'm not a big fan of the man, neither is the Bush administration. He was a Clinton appointee, and never saw eye-to-eye with the Bush Administration (thus his departure without a third term, which I understand he wanted). For instance - they were furious at what they saw as his foot-dragging on involving the World Bank in Iraqi reconstruction (he was concerned with safety of the staff, as well as the likelihood of being effective at that point, apparently.)

Given that, I'm not entirely sure what is behind this, but just wanted to make that point.

[WearyOne]

6. actually I have to agree. It's difficult to really workout where this

man's at as I hear far too many conflicting stories about him. I actually met him once in Australia through some people I knew who had been lifelong friends of his..some Jewish refugees
.. and they insist he was a good hearted man. But then other writers I respect have questioned his decisions. The problem is..how can you trust anyone that Bush chooses to deal with ?????

[poverlay]

7. Is it possible that

Bush is setting him up to fail?

[KamaAina]

8. Bam! There goes the think tank

There were rumors that Wolfensohn was going to start a small think tank after he left the Bank.

http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/NEWS/0%2C%2Cdate:03-03-2005~menuPK:278083~pagePK:34392~piPK:34427~theSitePK:4607%2C00.html

La Tribune finally reports that Wolfensohn is also a fervent supporter of the "Publish What You Pay!" campaign, which pushes for oil companies to be legally obliged to publish what they pay to the countries where they extract oil. The French daily adds that upon his departure from the Bank, Wolfensohn plans to create a small think tank that will comprise six to eight people and that he will finance through his own funds.

(also be sure to read the section below titled "Wolfowitz World Bank Shortlisting Raises Questions Over Qualifications"!)

Did I mention that a friend of mine out here was a classmate of Wolfensohn's at Harvard B-school? For once in my life I thought I might have had an "in", and that dastardly Rice rips it away from me! Criminetly. Their intelligence assets must extend even into my modest neighborhood... :tinfoilhat: