Blair and the World Bank
I would like all to bear in mind that on Thursday, Blair was pictured wearing a "Make Poverty History" wristband.
I find this to be worth reproducing in full. All rights reserved. Copyrights etc., Financial Times, 2005.
Beforehand, however, I would like to make the following comments: Wolfowitz's qualifications for the job have been widely noted, particularly in the New York Times. The most significant, it is claimed, is Wolfowitz's role in the Reagan administration as US ambassador to Indonesia. I would encourage everyone to take a look at "The United States and East Timor" in Noam Chomsky, "Towards a New Cold War" (New York: Pantheon, 1982/ London: Sinclair Browne, 1982/ New York/London: The New Press, 2003) to examine the consequences.
Blair kept quiet on Wolfowitz candidacy
>By FT Reporters
>Published: March 25 2005 22:01 | Last updated: March 25 2005 22:01
>>
Tony Blair was sounded out on the candidacy of Paul Wolfowitz to lead the World Bank before the White House announced his nomination but did not share the controversial proposal with cabinet colleagues or fellow European leaders.
The British prime minister was informed about Mr Wolfowitz's possible candidacy and relayed to Washington that he would not oppose him. The issue was raised with Mr Blair when Condoleezza Rice, the US secretary of state, visited London last month, according to two senior US officials close to the proceedings. Mr Blair's discreet support gave President George W. Bush the confidence to know that Mr Wolfowitz, the deputy defence secretary and an advocate of the war in Iraq, would not face united opposition from the World Bank's European shareholders.
But by honouring Mr Bush's wishes, Mr Blair chose to keep the candidacy from Gordon Brown, the UK chancellor, who is chairman of the International Monetary Fund's governing body and the European finance minister most closely identified with the development agenda.
A Downing Street official said: “We had a number of discussions with a number of different countries over possible candidates over a period of time. Like others, we were first notified of the decision to nominate Paul Wolfowitz on the day of the president's announcement.” Treasury officials declined to comment.
While the details of Ms Rice's private conversations with Mr Blair remain tightly held, officials and diplomats on both sides of the Atlantic have said they were aware of Mr Bush's effort to secure the support of his chief European ally. The UK Treasury, the British foreign office and officials in other European capitals remained in the dark, according to UK officials.
Following a report in the Financial Times on March 1 that Mr Wolfowitz was a leading candidate for the US nomination, a senior UK Treasury official telephoned his US counterpart.
The US Treasury dismissed the story, according to British officials. A British diplomat, who contacted the administration, was told Mr Wolfowitz was not in the running.
The World Bank presidential nomination is seen by Washington as a White House decision and it chose to garner support for Mr Bush's choice by contacting European leaders directly rather than lobbying finance ministries and development agencies.
Unlike Mr Blair, some European leaders were not given advance warning. Jacques Chirac, the French president, and Gerhard Schröder, the German chancellor, only spoke to Mr Bush after the announcement. But European leaders have made clear they will not stand in the way of the Wolfowitz candidacy.
By James Harding, Andrew Balls and Edward Alden in Washington and James Blitz in London
I find this to be worth reproducing in full. All rights reserved. Copyrights etc., Financial Times, 2005.
Beforehand, however, I would like to make the following comments: Wolfowitz's qualifications for the job have been widely noted, particularly in the New York Times. The most significant, it is claimed, is Wolfowitz's role in the Reagan administration as US ambassador to Indonesia. I would encourage everyone to take a look at "The United States and East Timor" in Noam Chomsky, "Towards a New Cold War" (New York: Pantheon, 1982/ London: Sinclair Browne, 1982/ New York/London: The New Press, 2003) to examine the consequences.
Blair kept quiet on Wolfowitz candidacy
>By FT Reporters
>Published: March 25 2005 22:01 | Last updated: March 25 2005 22:01
>>
Tony Blair was sounded out on the candidacy of Paul Wolfowitz to lead the World Bank before the White House announced his nomination but did not share the controversial proposal with cabinet colleagues or fellow European leaders.
The British prime minister was informed about Mr Wolfowitz's possible candidacy and relayed to Washington that he would not oppose him. The issue was raised with Mr Blair when Condoleezza Rice, the US secretary of state, visited London last month, according to two senior US officials close to the proceedings. Mr Blair's discreet support gave President George W. Bush the confidence to know that Mr Wolfowitz, the deputy defence secretary and an advocate of the war in Iraq, would not face united opposition from the World Bank's European shareholders.
But by honouring Mr Bush's wishes, Mr Blair chose to keep the candidacy from Gordon Brown, the UK chancellor, who is chairman of the International Monetary Fund's governing body and the European finance minister most closely identified with the development agenda.
A Downing Street official said: “We had a number of discussions with a number of different countries over possible candidates over a period of time. Like others, we were first notified of the decision to nominate Paul Wolfowitz on the day of the president's announcement.” Treasury officials declined to comment.
While the details of Ms Rice's private conversations with Mr Blair remain tightly held, officials and diplomats on both sides of the Atlantic have said they were aware of Mr Bush's effort to secure the support of his chief European ally. The UK Treasury, the British foreign office and officials in other European capitals remained in the dark, according to UK officials.
Following a report in the Financial Times on March 1 that Mr Wolfowitz was a leading candidate for the US nomination, a senior UK Treasury official telephoned his US counterpart.
The US Treasury dismissed the story, according to British officials. A British diplomat, who contacted the administration, was told Mr Wolfowitz was not in the running.
The World Bank presidential nomination is seen by Washington as a White House decision and it chose to garner support for Mr Bush's choice by contacting European leaders directly rather than lobbying finance ministries and development agencies.
Unlike Mr Blair, some European leaders were not given advance warning. Jacques Chirac, the French president, and Gerhard Schröder, the German chancellor, only spoke to Mr Bush after the announcement. But European leaders have made clear they will not stand in the way of the Wolfowitz candidacy.
By James Harding, Andrew Balls and Edward Alden in Washington and James Blitz in London
posted by UK plc at 12:38 AM
3 Comments:
Wolfowitz is yet another "yes man" to be added to the Bush incestuous circle of ministers/"leaders." I nearly had to vomit the day I heard Wolfie was going to the World Bank. Hang on world.
Wolfowitz is yet another "yes man" to be added to the Bush incestuous circle of ministers/"leaders." I nearly had to vomit the day I heard Wolfie was going to the World Bank. Hang on world.
Under Sec. Paul Wolfowitz is a very intelligent, hard working fellow. He is not a yes man, as some may believe. It is possible to believe the same theories, yet disagree on other issues.
It was a shock to all of us in the States. We did not want to lose him to go to the World Bank, but maybe with Paul having his eyes on who's handling the money, the corruption will end.
I would also be thrilled if the World Bank started to help people climb out of their despair, rather than only being brought down more debt.
Thank you for visiting my site. Have a great day. You too, James.
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