NYT: Europeans Press Wolfowitz to Quit as Bank Chief (the blivet is out of options)

[babylonsister]

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/11/washington/11wolfowitz.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

Europeans Press Wolfowitz to Quit as Bank Chief


By STEVEN R. WEISMAN
Published: May 11, 2007

WASHINGTON, May 10 — European leaders have told the Bush administration that Paul D. Wolfowitz must resign as president of the World Bank in order to avoid a vote next week by the bank’s board declaring that he no longer has its confidence to function as the bank’s leader, European officials said Thursday.

The officials said the board was drafting a resolution reflecting its view that the relationship between Mr. Wolfowitz and the governing body of the bank had “broken beyond repair.” They noted that, if he remained in office, some European countries were planning to reduce contributions to the World Bank that would aid poor countries and instead would channel the money to European agencies and other groups for distribution.

“The administration has been told that its battle to save Wolfowitz cannot be won,” said a European official, who like others who discussed the matter spoke on the condition of anonymity because the matter is confidential. “His relationship with the board is not only damaged. It is broken.”

Bank officials say that the growing determination to oust Mr. Wolfowitz has led to a polling of the 24 members of the bank board and that a majority favor his ouster.

more...

[Progressive_In_NC]

1. Must get back to bribery and malfeasance already in progress

This is what happens when you try to address the corruption at the World Bank. I don't like Wolfowitz one Iota, but he tried to get some of the glad handing to stop. They got rid of him quick (although it sounds like he deserves it).

This is an interesting read to say the least:

http://www.opinionjournal.com/editorial/feature.html?id=110010050

snip
=============================================
Mark Malloch Brown spoke Monday to a crowded auditorium at the World Bank's headquarters, warning that the bank's mission was "hugely at risk" as long as Paul Wolfowitz remained its president. Only hours earlier, news leaked that a special committee investigating Mr. Wolfowitz had accused him of violating conflict-of-interest rules. A coincidence? We doubt it.

Mr. Malloch Brown, remember, was until last year Kofi Annan's deputy at the United Nations. In that position, he distinguished himself by spinning away the $100 billion Oil for Food scandal as little more than a blip in the U.N.'s good work, and one that had little to do with Mr. Annan himself.
=============================================

snip
============================================
The bank presidency would be a neat coup for Sir Mark, and not just because the post has heretofore gone to an American. He also stands for everything Mr. Wolfowitz opposes, beginning with the issue of corruption. Consider Mr. Malloch Brown's defense of the U.N.'s procurement practices.

"Not a penny was lost from the organization," he insisted last year, following an audit of the U.N.'s peacekeeping procurement by its Office of Internal Oversight Services. In fact, the office found that $7 million had been lost from overpayment; $50 million worth of contracts showed indications of bid rigging; $61 million had bypassed U.N. rules; $82 million had been lost to mismanagement; and $110 million had "insufficient" justification. That's $310 million out of a budget of $1.6 billion, and who knows what the auditors missed.
=============================================

Now back to regularly schedule raping of third world companies already in progress.

[muriel_volestrangler]

3. Any 'facts' from the WSJ editorial team must be treated with suspicion

The main purpose of that piece is to attack George Soros, as part of the general right-wing demonization of him. Wihtout links, what they say can't be trusted.

[cliss]

2. Wow. This whole Soap Opera

is breathtaking in its sickness.

These people are really living in a world of delusion. I've seen some recent photos of Paul, and this thing is really wearing him down. In fact, he looks mentally deranged.

[malaise]

4. Expect a Friday evening news dump

adios to Wolfowitz and his 'neoconcubine' (read that somewhere here last night) :D