He made a good faith effort not to be crook? I love the way the bar gets lowered each time someone on the left has to quit due to a scandal. What are you going to say when Gonzo quits? For an imbecile his heart was in a good place? What will bush do now, replace Wolfoquits with Gonzocile?

Rumor has it Coffee Annon is up for the job. He should be pretty good at it based on his experience. His first hire will be Kojo Annan.

Jay, I think that John Bolton would be a good replacement. He is an honest man, not afraid to fight the corruption, and as a bonus the left would go absolutely nuts!

I nominate John Bolton. Nothing puts bureacrats and kleptocrats in their like pure stache power. Long live StacheMan!

Jay Tea: "sinecures"

Oooh, good word. I had to pull out the dictionary. Embarassing, yes, but then its good to learn.

-------------------------------

The left has some good points on the problems of the World Bank and WTO. The right has equally good points on the problems of the U.N.

Too bad both sides defend their own preference. The UN and World Bank are an international racket. Wolfowitz is under attack because he actually tried to clean it up a bit. Nothing more. Same with Bolton.

What do you think of that assessment, BarneyG2000?
Really, I'm interested in your opinion. Aren't we both covering for the other side elite ineptitude, while they trounce around crushing the innocent?

Wolfowitz and Bolton both had meteoric careers which blazed out in a glare of exposition of the corruption of the UN and the World Bank. They are pioneers.

Paul probably caved when he realized that his opponents had to give up the choice of his successor, and cede it to Bush. The fact is that the American money in the Bank is tired of the corruption; the European money is not. American money will leave eventually if the corruption continues, so it kind of doesn't matter. I was amused that Paul's opponents finally made it explicit that this was about Paul's involvement in the run-up to Iraq. Here's the irony; that wouldn't have bothered them at all if he hadn't started cleaning up the corruption.
============================

Drudge is reporting that Tony Blair is being bruited about as a replacement. I have my doubts, but am looking forward to reactions.

Not to worry, Soros and moveon will appoint the next president of the world bank and the United States. Dhimmi's have sold out to everyone with a dollar.
Everyone should go to Dr Sanity's blog and read the 'true' meaning of BDS. It is and will remain a mental illness. Will the dhimmi's leave enough money in the SS system to pay millios of other dhimmi's who will forever suffer a mental (BDS) disability? Just like the democrats support for the terrorist, they will not go away when you wish for it but will kill democrats as well as anyone in their way, and the mental illness BDS will not go away because you wish it to.
Liberalism truly is a mental illness.

If anyone is worried about the violence in Iraq they can now forget it and worry about two blue states. Pa and Maryland are now under siege and will soon fall to the criminal element. Phillie and Baltimore are considering 'martial law' type operations. Closing down areas in a city and limiting the number of people allowed on the streets. Isn't that what we know as full blown communism?
I love the result of the last election. It sure has brought the lack of leadership in the democrat party to the front. They can't handle crime in cities they have ruled for years and they want to rule the United States. Is this a joke?

jdavenport, I am sure both institutions are dysfunctional and in need of serious reform or maybe even a major mulligan.

Neither Wolfie nor Bolton were the right persons for the tasks. Their stewardship were dead on arrival. It was Bush's ignorance or arrogance that lead him to believe that he could appoint polarizing figures and expect cooperation.

Barney: "He made a good faith effort not to be crook?"

Given Wolfowitz's exoneration by the World Bank today, please cite, specifically, what makes Wolfowitz "a crook".

Feel free to use investigative findings, court documents, court rulings, etc.

BarneyG2000: "Neither Wolfie nor Bolton were the right persons for the tasks."

Perhaps. There is kicking something from the outside and changing something from the inside. My problem with the inside method is I don't think our institutions will change the WTO or UN, I think the UN and WTO will change our institutions. For the worse.

We will just become part of the graft machine. So I lean toward kicking it from the outside. I see both Bolton and Wofie as doing that. I think Bill and Hillary are just waiting to get into that system, but to play it, not change it. Thats what I see.

Perhaps not Gore or Obama, but they still trust those institutions too much.

KIM:

Kim, I'm interested in hearing more. How do you keep the American money attached to the rule of law, and still reign in some of the disfunction our size mismatch creates for emergent democratic structures?

I was actually pleased with the labor law injection into Bush's enhanced trade authority (whatever its called). You don't want US interests overriding the democratic process in emergent democracies.

But don't labor requirements create more of an incentive for american money to enter the WTO-UN graft complex?

Fuzzy question,I know. But I think its clear enough.

Paulie "Socks" Wolfowitz is a gangster whose bad hygiene and naked greed was too much for the "Gentlemen" to stomach. He lived down to every prejudice ascribed to his race, in their minds. And worse, he brought bad publicty to their cozy moneychanging cartel. An unforgivable sin. "Uncouth" is a curse word in all bureaucracies.

Poor Wolfie, another Repuggie who has "moral values". Still married and helps out his girlfriend. Cleaning up the corruption, well what about the "K street" project that Delay, and a whole bunch of fellow puggies were doing.

I have to laugh at your reasons they are making him resign. Just like Gonzo and Card running to the hospital when the then AG was sicker than hell. I suppose that also is fine, as they were trying to clean up some corruption.

bryand: "He lived down to every prejudice ascribed to his race, in their minds."

Spoken exactly as someone who believes Pravda is a valid source of information would.

Note how Barney/bryand never actually, you know, point out specifically any "transgressions" committed by wolfowitz.

Worse, in bryand's case (which will remain unremarked upon by lefties), he even dredges up the image of blood libels and blatant racism: bryand: "Paulie "Socks" Wolfowitz is a gangster whose bad hygiene and naked greed was too much for the "Gentlemen" to stomach. He lived down to every prejudice ascribed to his race."

Perfect.

Bryan, why don't you just say what you're really thinking: wolfie is a dirty joooo who deserves whatever he gets.

No question about it, with the modern day political alignment between radical leftism and radical islamo-fascism, anti-semitism now has a powerful new impetus.

those who howled about Wolfowitz' "corruption."

Occasionally, Jay, you spew without regard to facts.

Have you actually read the WB docs?

Pay particular attention to pg 52.

http://online.wsj.com/public/resources/documents/EthicsCommitteeCase.pdf

Allen: "Poor Wolfie, another Repuggie who has "moral values". Still married and helps out his girlfriend. Cleaning up the corruption, well what about the "K street" project that Delay, and a whole bunch of fellow puggies were doing."

For the record, Wolfowitz was separated and, more importantly (and this is an incontrovertible fact), wolfowitz attempted to recuse himself from determinations of his gal friends salary and status. By now, Allen knows this, and yet simply keeps parroting the same lies.

Still waiting of course,for this huge litany of corruption that wolfowitz was responsible for. It won't be forthcoming though, since it doesn't exist.

But hey, wolfowitz is a jew, is generally supportive of Israel's survival, doesn't think too much of world bureaucracies. Those facts alone are sufficient to damn him in the eyes of the "Pravda-quoters" and Allen's of the world.

The K street project was simple use of majority power that Delay used to counteract the 40years of continuous democrat demands that the majority of lobbyist positions go to Dems.

Now, the dems are back in charge and the word has gone out that the lobbying firms had better reverse those "hiring repub" trends if those lobbying firms want to have access.

It's beyond parody that the reality of the huge dem advantage in lobbying for the 40 dem run was never commented upon, much less negatively, by any watchdog group, politician, or commenters like allen et al (though, to be fair, there weren't forums like this available in those days.)

Bottom line, whichever party is in power is going to demand that lobbying firms have representatives that are welcome in the majority parties legislative offices, and the lobbying firms will comply.

Simply because the lefties don't call their demands a "project", doesn't mean it doesn't happen.

jd, good question which I can't answer. I suspect Chinese and Indian money as well as others will take care of the size mismatch. One question will be whether the WB remains relevant. It can't if it remains corrupt; so really, it doesn't matter.
=========================

he was never qualified anyway. World Bank employees were high fiving each other and dancing in the halls when they found out the idiot was leaving!1

Drago. Ever again. Say it again. Ever again.
===========================

OK, jd, I thought a little more and the answer is clear. Insist on scrupulous probity, and accountability in the World Bank. Corrupt institutions are not impossible to cleanse. Many good present institutions started out less so.

The labor question is tougher as is the wont of labor questions.
===================================

seala regards evidence of glee that their corruption is safe for now as proof that Paul was incompetent? Please, don't anyone put seala in charge of a bank.
======================

He's a Joooo and a capitalist. That's all westboro bryan needs, Drago.

A soundbite in the Day of the Life of a Useful Idiot; Wooo, people celebrating, he must have been incompetent.
===========================

Allen, Comey and Schumer provoked that run to the hospital and are all the more evil for trying to put the onus for that on Card and Gonzales.

You've been suckered with disinformation.
==========================

So Wolfoquit didn't do anything wrong? Then why did he resign? Why did Bush throw him overboard? Why can't anyboby find his divorce papers? Why doesn't Wolfie or his wife just come out and say they are divorced?

I thought Bush was loyal and didn't care what others thought? It sounds like Bush is just a poser.

So Wolfoquit didn't do anything wrong? Then why did he resign? Why did Bush throw him overboard? Why can't anybody find his divorce papers (plenty have search those public records)? Why doesn't Wolfie or his wife just come out and say they are divorced?

I thought Bush was loyal and didn't care what others thought? It sounds like Bush is just a poser.

BG2, don't you get tired of swallowing all that and then barfing it back up? I don't mean the double post, I mean the talking points. Everything you said has been masticated into pap.
===================================

I mean, everything you ever say. You are a bureau, aren't you?
=======================================

Still waiting of course,for this huge litany of corruption that wolfowitz was responsible for. It won't be forthcoming though, since it doesn't exist.

Did you miss this post?

"I mean, everything you ever say. You are a bureau, aren't you?"

Do you have a salient point on this discussion?

Do you see your reflection in that mirror?

Drago: I'm quite familiar with the central European mind when it comes to commerce. The new money and the old cling to the romance of Hohenzollerns and Hapsburgs and the Vatican methods of purchasing capital on credit (and theoretically met with credit; IOU:IOU).
Moving neccessary moneys and valuables was consigned at interest (insurance with profit against loss) to Jews (or Italians or Armenians). This put the onus on these professional middlemen.
Now, per the WB situation, Wolfowitz is looked upon as a cipher for carrying out the schemes of the moneyed interests, in the classic middleman role: to facilitate transactions by using the WB financial networks. And he couldn't do it, or do it discreetly enough. (Bad for business; embarrassing)
I'm not anti-Semitic for pointing out European anti-semitism. It's a fact. Jews are legally tolerated, but to this day are shunted to certain zones of the continent if their occupation is notable to the moneyed interests; ex. diamonds? Rotterdam-Antwerp; gold and sterling? the City of London.
There's signs of that here as well, but Unum Sanctum and high church policies die hard in Europe. Even the ancient nature worship is lived out in mass treks in the summertime; Volksmarch, etc. Who would have thought that anti-semetic fascist organizations based on sun cults would have sprung up in every European country only 65 years ago?
So go bawl to someone else, libtard.

Semanticleo is envious.

Hey, bD, 'shunt' yo mouf.
===============

You know they almost got shunted to Kenya not Palestine?
=====================================

How clever, jd, to get me into the salt mines. I hope that yellow brick road leading to the hole in the ground with flyers at the top overlies orebodies, not whore bodies.

Well, an ancient question. It seems capitol and labor are both necessary; if both necessary, are they not a unity for their pragmaticapacity? What is the difference between them? Is there one?

Interesting, too, when labour is now replaced with energy in some of the old equations. Electric motors diffusing through industry led to amazing productivity gains as has automation in general.

I don't know that any of the old rules will apply, except probably supply and demand.
=============================

And, of course, free markets will prevail as the most effecient expression of those rules.
============================

He's a Joooo and a capitalist. That's all westboro bryan needs, Drago.

That goes a long way to explain why bryanD[elusional] clings so hard to the skirts of those behind Loose Change. The joooos allegedly were part of that plot also.

As far as Bush appointing the wrong people (Wolf at the WB and Bolton at the UN) I agree. He choose two bulldogs who waged mighty wars to reform both corrupt institutions.

In part they succeeded, but weren't allowed to stay and continue because too many corrupt rocks were overturned.

On the other hand Bush could have nominated more in a long string of lap dogs as so many before him have done.

The WSJ sums it up well.

There have been plenty of outrages in the bank's treatment of Mr. Wolfowitz, but for sheer chutzpah nothing exceeds the argument of last week's report by the investigating committee of the board that he had put the institution "in a bad and unfair light" by daring to defend himself publicly against selective and false media leaks designed to smear him. Had Mr. Wolfowitz taken that advice, he would have been out on his ear without so much as the benefit of the formal acquittal he has now received.

marc, what is incredible is the lack of self-consciousness necessary to make that argument; that or simply the pure evil of it.
===================================

It's not about Wolfowitz, it's about the corruption in that institution--the poorer states receiving World Bank funds wanted him to stay.

It was the European Union diplomat types who didn't like it; cramps their style in doling out largesse to dictators.

yup, Mitchell, and the Americans are tired of it. jdavenport has good questions about capital and labor that I can't answer.
=====================================

I'm not sure what jdavenport means re American requirements and UN corruption.

In Int'l. trade, my preference is for no strings attached; a Nicaraguan doesn't demand the same rules and regs as a fat American. The Nica just wants a f'n job which about 60% don't have right now. So, he'd be better off with a job, under Nica regulations, than no job at all because we're requiring something the market there can't acheive.

Furthermore, I think if we want free trade, it should not include our protection of the sugar industry, for example, which further retards growth in poorer regions, while keeping our producers fat. If there is a competitive advantage in Nica sugar coming here, than by God we ought to honor Adam Smith and let it come without meddling.

My $.02

ah..
forget the girlfriend raise stuff..
At least the WB is through with a visionary who said this
"There's a lot of money to pay for this that doesn't have to be U.S. taxpayer money, and it starts with the assets of the Iraqi people...and on a rough recollection, the oil revenues of that country could bring between $50 and $100 billion over the course of the next two or three years...We're dealing with a country that can really finance its own reconstruction, and relatively soon." [Source: House Committee on Appropriations Hearing on a Supplemental War Regulation, 3/27/03]

and of course
"Mr. Wolfowitz, the deputy defense secretary, opened a two-front war of words on Capitol Hill, calling the recent estimate by Gen. Eric K. Shinseki of the Army that several hundred thousand troops would be needed in postwar Iraq, "wildly off the mark."

We did not need someone with this uncanny ability to realize the big picture making decisions at the WB...

Thanks for proving my point, nogo: that nobody had any criticisms of Wolfowitz' work at the WB, he was being castigated for what he did before that.

J.

Jay, if that is true then why did Bush sacrifice a trusted aid? Are you telling us the Bush was steamrolled by the Europeans?

Doesn't your President have any honer or integrity?

Looks like someone finally dug up the info I was asking the lefties here at Wizbang to provide given their criticism of this unbelievably "unique good financial deal" that wolfowitz supposedly provided his gal friend.

My questions were: How many people at the World Bank receive larger salaries than Condi Rice (this was lefty talking point yesterday)? Further what percent of World Bank employees did this number represent?

Thankfully, Powerline has the goods:

Powerline: "1396--That's not the date of some important Balkan battle involving the Ottoman Empire. It's the number of World Bank employees with a higher salary than Secretary of State Rice.

This is the number that will stand out for me as the Paul Wolfowitz matter fades away. During that dispute, we heard much about how Wolfowitz's girl friend made more money than Rice. But the smear artists and their accomplices (such as Wasington Post hack columnist Eugene Robinson) hid the fact that the same can be said of 1,396 World Bank employees (about 14 percent of its workforce).

This fact tells us just about all we need to know about the World Bank. This is a bloated outfit that exists to provide a comfortable living for its bureaucrats."

Yep. That was sure some "unique deal" that wolfowitz "engineered for his gal friend. So unique that there are only 1,396 other employees who have the same thing.

ANOTHER CORRUPT BUSHEVIK BITES THE DUST!!!!

To your everlasting shame, Republicans, you bear responsibility for the corrupt administration you voted into power. Deal with it. Deal with it now, deal with it every single day for the rest of your lives.

Nice post, Semanticleo. The link you provided shows the extent of Wolfie's cronyism, nepotism, disregard for World Bank rules, and wastefulness of World Bank resources.

Hey Drago, does powerline have the number of WB employees that received a $60K raise?

Again I ask, why did Bush fold? Did Wolfie violate ethic standards or did bush give up a trusted aid?

Pick your poison.

I'm going off tread here, but did any you guys just hear how Krauthammer described Gonzo?

He called him the Inspector Clouseau of AGs.

barneyGRUBBLE:

Again I ask, why did Bush fold? Did Wolfie violate ethic standards or did bush give up a trusted aid?

Bush is going to nominate Richard Pearl for the post.

You down with that?

He called him the Inspector Clouseau of AGs.

He also said the whole "scandal" was much ado about nothing.

barney: "Hey Drago, does powerline have the number of WB employees that received a $60K raise?"

Actually, thats one of those questions that would be interesting to have answered. However, it would be fairly complex to break the data down for meaningful analysis since the numbers and types of subgrouping required to get a valid assessment is probably beyond powerline's or anyone else outside of the world bank to provide.

herman:"and wastefulness of World Bank resources."

Too funny. Herman must have missed the part where it was shown that over 1,396 World Bank employees make more than $200,000 a year (tax free).

Yep. ALL the wastefulness of World Bank resources ocurred after Wolfowitz arrived.

In other leftist news, the newest Soviet 10 year plan projects record GDP growth for this Communist Economic powerhouse nation. I'm sure BryanD will have a link up to the Pravda story on this shortly....

I guess nobody wants to tackle the Bush threw his guy overboard question?

Jay..r you saying..that the blind..observations by wolfie..should not be considered?...
Just sayin'...ya all pretend..like this is pre-invasion ..and all the stuff..spread around at that time...you(not some of us) believed...
I remain unrepentant of my opposition to Wolfie's claims..back when you all were waving the flag..
...and like you Jay...I am a vet...
...to all you folks under 42 years old..
You can join up..
it is not the fault of the young posting here that you did not face "the draft" we faced.
However...if you support the effort of others to face what they face...what are you prepared to do..other than simplistic responses to a lefty..moonbat...vet?

What I'm saying, nogo, is that you're a fucking illitarate asshole and I am too tired tonight to decipher your pseudo-cryptic, pseudo-intellectual bullshit.

Get back to me when you learn to compose semi-coherent sentences.

J.

i"s that you're a fucking illitarate asshole"..
as a point of information..the word is spelled
"illiterate(not ar)te..
...
but that is ok..
After all..like me your are a vet..like me you volunteered as a patriot ..like me..your V.A. card reads service connected.,.
What is cool..is that you are reduced to use the word "fucking"..
and of course "asshole"
...now I and my wife have male friends who enjoy fucking an asshole..
..as you feel comfortable with this..if you ever come to Denver..we will introduce you..

Sure I did BG2, you just missed it. Bush gets to pick his successor. Wolf's made his point, he was innocent. The World Bank is exposed for the sleaze bags they are. Their defenders are exposed for the useful idiots they are. Who could ask for anything more?
======================================

np, 'fucking' in that usage was an adjective, not a verb. Now go back and start over and keep your mile high fantasies to yourself.
===================================

"Bush is going to nominate Richard Pearl for the post._marc"

Bush is just stupid enough to do it, but Perle may be called to testify as in the AIPAC-Pentagon spy ring trial next month. He was installed in the OSP in the Pentagon, when pentagon files were passed through pentagon employee L Franklin to AIPAC's director and another. Franklin had already been busted and flipped. The transaction was captured on video and on audio tape.
Plus Perle was busted many moons ago passing info to Israel but was given the Sandy Burger treatment.
Dream on, marcia.

I apologize for my post above..
It was inappropriate of me to write what I wrote..
I guess I was surprised by Jay's reference to me me as an ajective using the F word...
...
I do not remember Jay using this language before..I took it too personally..
I realize that we all have stuff going on in our lives...and sometimes..just sometimes..a ready target presents itself..

Again..my satire was misplaced..

I remain a lefty moonbat..

of course it is adjective .. not ajective..

BryanD and Nogo, maybe you two should visit that mental hospital in Cuba that Fred Thompson discussed recently.

Bully for you, nogo; someone elsewhere remarked on the Cronynfrontation, but erred with a joke distinguishing the word in question as a noun and a verb. I don't get it.

Not surprised you'd bring another bogus case, bD. You lefties really do despise the rule of law, don't you.
=================================

Let me rephrase that. You don't really believe justice should be blind. Look at all the political prosecutions under Schumer's, I mean Comey's and McNulty's, DoJ.
=======================================

barneyGRUBBLE:

I guess nobody wants to tackle the Bush threw his guy overboard question?

You guys have spent the last 4 years, at least, whining about how Bush doesn't hold his people accountable and NOW you've got croc tears dripping from your face because you demand to know why no one will "tackle" your idiotic question.

Get bent!

bryanD[elusional]

Dream on, marcia.

It was a "dream," you missed the point as it sailed at supersonic speed over your head.

As usual. Now go masturbate to Loose Change.

marcia: Perle just called Bush "a failure". See the latest Newsmax.

You lefties really do despise the rule of law, don't you.
=================================
Posted by: kim

I'm a rightie, though a certain part of me leans left.
The law? I'm collecting fedoras: Abramoff, Libby..the NY Post neocon blackmailer Stern got away, though, but he has a fedora suitable for hanging. I should get a summer Stetson if Gonzo goes this summer; if in winter, a big black sombrero.

I couldn't agree more..wolfie is being punished, and he won't be the last of the iraq war hawks to be punished. Tenet has taken a pretty nice beating after his book came out. Not going to get any sympathy from me.

You do sort of overflow that shoebox, bD, but what's interesting is that what comes out is usually a left, sometimes a right, but never a matching pair. What fun.
================================

jeff, you poor fuck. We're winning, finally. You should be glad.
==========================

bryanDirtbag are you back from Area 51 already?

Ya know..
someone just might think

Naturally, the Right will see nothing wrong with anything Wolfowitz has done [or alleged to have done]. Why? Because it's Paul Wolfowitz. If the last name was Kerry or Kennedy or Gore or Clinton, it would be a foregone conclusion that they had abused the power of their office and should be replaced [or removed] immediately. There would be no rationalizations or allegations of a witch hunt but instead, much talk of taking responsibility, "doing what's right" and lectures on the dangers of abusing the powers of one's office. I don't know if all the allegations against Mr. Wolfowitz are true, but I do know that the scandal has rendered Wolfowitz even more of a lightening rod than when he first arrived and arguably getting in the way of his ability to effectively lead the organization- an organization plagued by allegations of ethical misconduct and flagrant abuses.

And I think that is why the Right is losing support among independents and traditional conservatives - the double standard has become tedious and a majority of Americans are not so blindly devoted to one party or another. And it's why politics in general will always be an ethical wasteland on both the political right and the left- because to accept behavior you once denounced as immoral or corrupt, for no other reason than shared ideology, is the height of arrogance and cynicism.

...as I posted above Wolfie comments about the breeze in Iraq...

8 brave American Troops KIA in Iraq on Saturday..
R.I.P
...by the way..along with not wanting our troops to have an extra .5%...raise..
Bush(yes it is a Wolfie connection) also does not believe that those who suffered the loss of a husband/wife/mom/Dad ...do not deserve a lousy $40 a month more...8 KIA in Iraq on Saturday..
Wolfie is usually mentioned as an architect of the invasion...Shame on him...
(sorry..I cannot feel sorry for misfortune that millionaries like Wolfie may suffer..he does not nor cannot feel the loss of family who suffered today)

Jeff:

Tenet has taken a pretty nice beating after his book came out. Not going to get any sympathy from me.

You mean the Tenet that spent more time as CIA director under Clinton, who appointed him, than he did under Bush.

Is that the one you mean?

nogo:

.by the way..along with not wanting our troops to have an extra .5%...raise..
Bush

You have fallen in love with posting that lie haven't you?

As you know by your own link last time you brought up this bs line Bush hasn't approved of the raise in any form.

Rosett wrote about Wolf, and the sick bunch at the UN and the World Bank.
===============