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Patrick's dead right here. I'd add
1)
this shouldn't have been a surprise - the example of Robert MacNamara suggests
that the WB presidency is the traditional honour provided by the American
political system as a reward for presiding over a military
disaster.
2) it
takes Wolfowitz himself and puts him in a position where he can't start any more
wars
3) it
means that the project of introducing "rights based lending" will be under the
control of someone whose idea of "rights" is entirely cynical and based on
American national interest - which will only shut out a few countries - rather
than someone who will try to make it work consistently, leaving Vietnam and
similar undemocratic developmental states up a pole
4)
Wolfowitz knows nothing about banking and thus will not face the same
temptations as Wolfensohn did to interfere all the time.
5) his
presence means that any third world government can get a quick burst of
popularity by chucking the World Bank out, so they will
6)
Wolfowitz was one of the prime movers behind the idea that Iraq should declare
all of its debt "odious" and default on it, which proposal will probably have
more general application.
what's
not to like?
dd
(Michael L., I just sent this to my old buddy
Alex and some WB warrior listserves. Is the logic wrong?)
Alex, what
about those of us - I'm surely not the only one - who consider
this
appointment a delightful turn of events?
There are plenty of
us:
* who would delegitimise the World Bank and will have a much much
easier
time of it now;
* who have been worried about opportunistic NGO
gameplaying with the Bank in
the Joint Facilitation Committee, which will
be far more difficult to
justify now;
* who would more explicitly link
our critique of neoliberalism to that of
imperialism (since there was
every reason to do so under Wolfy 1 given Iraq,
Afghanistan and many other
dubious lending relationships);
* who want to see the anti-war and
global-justice movements unite in
increasingly militant protests; and
*
who support a greatly reduced commercial lending role by the Bank (a la
the Meltzer Commission).
I don't know which if any of those
objectives you would object to. Wolfowitz
advances each rather
well.
I think it's important that those of us with the history and
privileges of
knowing and fighting the WB - as you have done so well - not
abuse this
excellent choice for WB president, to confuse people. I fear
that's what
your statement below does.
Sorry, can't/won't
sign!
And I'm *really* sorry I can't be in Washington in a month, for
what will be
a really wonderful time.
(And please, my old friend,
don't tell us all what our 'duty' is if it
involves giving the WB bogus
legitimacy. Your statement b) is especially
nauseating, given the WB's
ongoing role in financing imperialism, as if you
can't see
that.)
Cheers,
Patrick
----- Original Message
-----
> SIGN-ON STATEMENT ON WOLFOWITZ NOMINATION AS WORLD BANK
PRESIDENT.
>
> You will have heard that on Wednesday George W.
Bush nominated Paul
> Wolfowitz for the World Bank presidency position.
Wolfowitz, a key
> architect and implementer of the current US foreign
policy, is a very
> controversial choice borne of a deeply flawed
process.
>
> The World Bank is an important and powerful
institution and we believe
> it
> is the duty of civil society
groups and parliamentarians to express
> themselves on this matter. To
that end we have produced the below
> sign-on
> statement. This
will be a public statement addressed to heads of state
> who
>
have an opportunity to instruct their representatives to the Bank to
>
vote
> against Wolfowitz.
>
> The statement is deliberately
short, and calmly worded, to enable as
> many
> organisations and
individuals as possible to sign. Text amendments will
> not
> be
possible given the rapid deadline. European governments may be
> forced
to
> take a position very soon (there is no official
timetable).
>
> While the statement is targeted at European
governments, who have the
> most
> responsibility and opportunity
in this matter, people from all regions
> are
> welcome to sign.
We would encourage them to do similar statements also
> to
> their
own heads of state.
>
> Frequent updates on the situation, and an
opportunity to log your
> comments,
> can be found at: www.worldbankpresident.org.
>
> Spanish and French versions of this statement will be
available
> shortly.
>
> Send endorsements of this statement
to assistant@xxxxxxxxxxx by
Friday
>
> 17th, 16.00.
>
> Alex Wilks
>
European Network on Debt and Development
> www.eurodad.org
>
>
________________________________________________________________
>
Public statement to European heads of state on the World Bank
president
>
> nomination
>
> We the undersigned wish
to register our strong concern about the
> nomination
> of Paul
Wolfowitz for the World Bank president position.
>
a. We consider Mr Wolfowitz's experience as US
ambassador to
> Indonesia
> during the Suharto government
insufficient qualification on development
>
> issues and
economics.
>
> b. We fear his
appointment risks the Bank becoming seen as a tool
> of
> the
current controversial US foreign policy, with aid flows becoming
>
more
> dependent on strict adherence to US Administration
priorities.
>
> c. We reject the
untransparent and undemocratic process by which
> one
> government
nominates a single candidate for Bank president.
>
>
d. We call on European governments to challenge
the current World
> Bank
> process and also to commit to a fully
open process next time the IMF
> Managing Director is
appointed.
>
> e. We urge European
governments to follow the precedent set by the
> USA
> in 2000
when it rejected a European candidate for the IMF position.
> European
governments, if they act collectively, represent the largest
>
shareholder block in the Bank. You can take action to reject the
>
current
> nominee and press for other candidates.
>
>
f. We call on all European governments to
clearly and publicly
> state
> their position on this matter as a
matter of urgency.
> A challenge to the nomination would be in line with
international
> democratic norms and many European government policy
statements. Who
> runs
> the World Bank is a vital question which
affects the future of
> international efforts towards poverty
eradication.
>
> Signatories,
>
> Name:
>
Organisation:
> Country:
>
>
____________________________________
> Coordinator
> European
Network on Debt and Development
> +32 2 543 90 67
> www.eurodad.org
>
> To subscribe for free to our 2 regular e-bulletins, on
debt and on
> PRSPs,
> visit:
> http://www.eurodad.org/aboutus/default.aspx?id=227
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