By: S. Rowan Wolf, Uncommon Thought Journal
February 21, 2006. This Work is licensed under a Fair Share Creative Commons License
First they captured the United States by stealing the Presidency. Then they sent a henchman (Bolton) to the United Nations to undermine that institution, and reform it as a US tool. Then they captured the World Bank with the appointment of Paul Wolfowitz as President of the Bank. Other than the US control, the World Bank is one of the largest coups. It has taken almost as little time for Wolfowitz to begin the Bank transformation in the manner that has worked so well for the Bush cabal -namely, cronyism, changing procedures, and lying.
The neo-liberal push for privatization of the Bank has been joined by the neo-conservative desire for the same end. Hence, the moves under Wolfowitz, to place lending under private capital while maintaining the Bank as an instrument to ensure private capital's "risks" are covered (Chee Khoon, 2/20/06). In other words, creating a virtually risk free environment for ongoing economic colonization of of already disadvantaged nations.
Wolfowitz, continuing the pattern of cronyism, has raised the ire of World Bank staff through his appointment of Republucan party loyalists to positions at the Bank (for appointment details see Wolfowitz Watch). The concerns of those at the the WB are a repeat of the U.S experience, and the driving of the Bank in the same direction. Of course, itr could also be the planned incompoetency plan aimed at bilking the Bank - much as the US treasury has been bilked - while lining the same pockets of neo-con corporate partners. Given that Wolfowitz has also declared an anti-corruption campaign by witholding funds from scandal ridden areas (such as Kenya and Chad), as well as addressing issues within the Bank. If this is modeld on the Bush cabal, it should be read as a free ride for corrupting forces.
OK, call me a pessimist.
1/25/06, Financial Times, Wolfowitz urged to use normal job procedures
2/08/06 Wa. Post, Wolfowitz Packing World Bank With Cronies
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