Receiving Wolfowitless

Following up on my last post...

Bush described the hawkish US deputy defence secretary - an enthusiastic proponent of the war in Iraq - as a "compassionate, decent man". UK foreign secretary Jack Straw concurred, applauding Wolfowitz as "very distinguished and experienced internationally".

This was not a view shared by many. German aid and development minister Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul admitted: "The enthusiasm in old Europe is not exactly overwhelming." French president Jacques Chirac dutifully "took note" of the appointment, while Sweden's foreign minister told the BBC that she was "sceptical about the nomination".

Those not obliged by political courtesy to watch their words were less guarded. The World Development Movement - a UK-based campaigning outfit - condemned the "truly terrifying appointment".
  UK Register article

But par for this administration. Have a look at other recent appointments. It's like a contest to see which position can be filled with the most inappropriate person.

Whether the current incumbent James Wolfensohn received a friendly heads-up from Mr Bush is not noted. He will leave the post in June after 10 years - despite seeking re-election.

Then I'd say he wasn't Bush's type. (See my last post for a Wolfensohn quote.)

In Europe yesterday, some diplomats and aid advocates expressed the opposite worry: that foreign policy hard-liners like Wolfowitz are expanding their reach out of U.S. government and into the top jobs at two world bodies.

Bush yesterday nominated Wolfowitz, his deputy defense secretary and an intellectual architect of the Iraq war, to head the World Bank. Just last week, he tapped neo-conservative firebrand John Bolton, the State Department's arms-control chief, to be the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations despite Bolton's past dismissive comments about the agency.
  Newsday article

And after Buttboy and Condi the Lip both went on tours to Europe to sugar them up about working together. Shameless.

Wolfowitz in particular has been a lightning rod for European criticism over the Iraq war, as one of the leading proponents of the idea that Iraqis would greet U.S. invaders as liberators. Wolfowitz also disagreed publicly with a four-star general who estimated several hundred thousand troops would be needed to pacify Iraq - a prediction largely borne out - and severely overstated how much Iraqi oil revenues would pay for the occupation.

Just the man for World Bank head. Eh?

European sources told Reuters that Wolfowitz's name was circulated informally among board directors several weeks ago and was rejected.

Yeah, well, let's see what the board does when the formal vote comes.

....but hey, do what you want....you will anyway.