Mistah Wolfowitz' Career, He Dead

by hilzoy

From the Washington Post:

"World Bank President Paul D. Wolfowitz resigned yesterday, effective June 30, yielding to demands from governments around the world that he leave to end the ethics controversy that has consumed the institution.

Wolfowitz's resignation, negotiated in recent days with the bank's executive board, closed the leadership crisis that has essentially paralyzed the institution for almost two months. It preempted what had been a growing likelihood that the board would reprimand or fire him after a committee report found that he broke ethics rules in awarding a substantial raise to his girlfriend. (...)

Staff members described a celebratory mood inside the World Bank's headquarters near the White House, with people embracing, singing songs and hoisting flutes of Champagne."

A few suggestions for his successor:

(1) If you don't want to resign under a cloud, don't create one.

(2) If you think people are out to get you, don't hand them ammunition.

(3) If you are worried about your reputation, remember that it is not enhanced by clinging so tightly to your job that when you are finally dragged away, you leave claw marks.

(4) Insisting that the Bank "clear your name" is pointless. Everyone knows that the nice things people say in order to get rid of someone they despise mean nothing. If you insist that they say such things, all that will happen is that people will be reminded that adults should not throw temper tantrums in public. Moreover, your willingness to put something this petty and stupid above the needs of an institution whose aim is to eliminate poverty will destroy any tattered remnants of your reputation.

Seriously ...

I agree with Steve Clemons:

"Many officials in the Bank did not like Wolfowitz because of his central role in designing, planning and launching the Iraq War. But had the former Deputy Secretary of Defense come into the Bank with a compelling plan for global economic development that built on the strengths and addressed some of the weaknesses of the Bank's relative skill sets, a relationship of mutual trust and respect, even if grudging, would have taken root.

Even one of Wolfowitz's closest friends and the not-often discussed third political appointee (the other two were the more controversial Kevin Kellems and Robin Cleveland) brought in by Wolfowitz, Karl Jackson, has reportedly told numerous World Bank and diplomatic pals of his that "Paul has no plan. Everything is ad hoc, reactive -- first we go this way, then we go that." If his friends are saying that, imagine what Wolfowitz's enemies think. (...)

If Wolfowitz had resigned expeditiously, not gotten ugly with the Bank's executive directors, and arranged some form of elegant departure, the Bank Directors would have been glad to work out a deal, give him some handsome severance package, and not push hard on the actual reasons for his resignation. The investigative review that the Bank was formally committed to would have been shut down for the most part."

From the Washington Post:

"But others, including some friends and admirers, saw the seeds of Wolfowitz's demise in the arc of his 34-year Washington career -- a steady rise through the State Department and the Pentagon, interrupted only to become dean of Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies during the Clinton years. Throughout, Wolfowitz built a reputation as a foreign policy iconoclast, a mild-mannered intellectual with a steely ideological core, and an inept manager.

Wolfowitz, they concluded, should never have been in charge of a multinational institution owned by more than 180 governments and with 10,000 employees. (...)

Another former colleague who served with Wolfowitz in four administrations said that "the kinds of problems he got into were predictable for anybody who really knew Paul." Speaking on the condition of anonymity, the source voiced admiration for his intellect but said Wolfowitz "couldn't run a two-car funeral.""

And the NYT provides this nugget:

"The friend who saw Mr. Wolfowitz’s term at the bank as a second chance said: “It was not that he was looking for a redemption from Iraq per se. But he was certainly looking for something to do as a great man in foreign policy, which is how he has always seen himself.”"

"A great man in foreign policy." Right.

And about that successor: it will be interesting to see who Bush picks. There would seem to be two main options. First, Bush does, at times, seem to make appointments as though he were on his best behavior, which means that he makes appointments that some other sane human being might make. The nominations of Gates as Defense Secretary, Bernanke as Fed Chairman, and John Roberts for the Supreme Court are examples. (Note: I don't mean to downplay my disagreements with any of these, especially Roberts.) If he makes this kind of appointment, we can all breathe a sigh of relief.

On the other hand, he might make one of his 'screw you' appointments (examples: Alberto Gonzales, Harriet Miers.) Doug Feith, perhaps. David Addington. Maybe he'll ask Scooter Libby to run the Bank from jail. Maybe that's what he'll do with Alberto Gonzales. A 'screw you' appointment would be the more entertaining possibility, if it weren't for the fact that the World Bank actually does important work. Besides, it still has Wolfowitz' clawmarks all over it, and needs someone to help it heal.

Comments

[grackel]

"it will be interesting to see who Bush picks,"
and why, tell me, if the bank belongs to 180 governments, does Bush get to pick the successor?

[Gary Farber]

This blogger suggested:

It is traditional in the Bush regime to replace a bad choice (e.g. John Ashcroft) with a much worse choice (e.g. Alberto Gonzales).

Since we’re talking about Paul Wolfowitz here, “a much worse choice” will have to be very bad indeed. My money’s on Ahmed Chalabi.

But it's also worth noting that Harriet Miers has had some time to unwind.

[dr ngo]

A penny for the Guy.

[Gary Farber]

I thought it wasn't my birthday for several months yet.

I must work harder on my remember, remember.

[Jesurgislac]

needs of an institution whose aim is to eliminate poverty

Er, no. The goal of the World Bank is to keep poor countries just as badly off as they ever were.

Wolfowitz behaved badly and appointing him to be President of a global institution was a mistake, if the institution was meant to be run well.

The World Bank is an evil institution, however, whose aim is to maintain inequality.

[bad Jim]

He deserves to be buried at the bottom of a diamond mine beneath all the rubble excavated therefrom ...

Wait, isn't this the thread about Falwell's deserved resting place?

[cleek]

why, tell me, if the bank belongs to 180 governments, does Bush get to pick the successor?

the best answer i could find was: the US gets to pick the president because a) that's the way it's always been and b) the US is the largest donor.

[chris y]

why, tell me, if the bank belongs to 180 governments, does Bush get to pick the successor?

There's an unwritten agreement that the US appoints the President of the World Bank, and the IMF job goes to a European. The remaining 85% of the world get to suck it up.

[nabalzbbfr]

John Bolton would be an excellent replacement.

[Jesurgislac]

Now I know nabalzbbfr is someone's idea of a joke.

[cleek]

i was thinking Charles Keating, or maybe Jeff Skilling. them's some fine financial minds.

[Hartmut]

Sad that Mr. Abram is off at the moment(alas poor Jack). Such an expert in dealing in corruption. ;-)

[JakeB]

well hilzoy, if you don't marry Anarch for that earlier thread title, you can marry me for this one.

[Jackmormon]

I feel pretty bad for Wolfowitz's girlfriend, not that I understand what she was doing with him in the first place. She's been dragged over the coals for this, her career (which apparently was quite well-deserved) is probably toast, and she hasn't been able to say a damned thing about it.

[hilzoy]

Jackmormon: I feel pretty bad for generic women in this kind of situation. My sympathy for this particular woman, however, which started out quite high, sank considerably when I read the whole Bank report, including the transcript of their interview with her.

A large part of the reason why her salary went up so much was that she hadn't gotten a promotion that she regarded herself as entitled to (this was before W. was at the Bank), and so when she made a proposal, she included this promotion, which she hadn't gotten, as part of the baseline and insisted on keeping it there. It was one of those promotions that involves a considerable step-up in salary, so it had a pretty major effect. (She also asked for guaranteed further promotions that, as I understand it, would only have been remotely likely if she had gotten the original one several years earlier.)

I have no idea what the merits of her complaint about the previous promotion are, obviously, but this was absolutely not the way to deal with them.

(NB: in writing this, of course, I am not meaning to let anyone else off the hook. I find her insistence on her promotions, pay raises, etc., wrong but more comprehensible than W's going along with them.)

[javelina]

Wish I could remember where I read this; it was in a comment on one of the blogs yesterday - probably Atrios, or Digby, or DKos. But since it was speculation anyhow, I'll repeat it as speculation here: the poster thought Tony Blair would like to have this job. And that Bush might find it hard to say "no" to him, under the circumstances.

If nothing else, an interesting idea.

[Steve]

Notwithstanding the thread title, I suspect Wolfowitz is going to end up doing pretty okay when all is said and done. Much like a few other organized groups I can think of, the conservative movement honors its martyrs.

[Michael Cain]

I feel pretty bad for Wolfowitz's girlfriend, not that I understand what she was doing with him in the first place. She's been dragged over the coals for this, her career (which apparently was quite well-deserved) is probably toast, and she hasn't been able to say a damned thing about it.

She had plenty of chances to say things, especially to Wolfowitz, like "Let me succeed or fail on my own" and "Don't meddle with my career", and "Using your position to arrange this type of raise for me is unethical."

[Jesurgislac]

Hilzoy: A large part of the reason why her salary went up so much was that she hadn't gotten a promotion that she regarded herself as entitled to (this was before W. was at the Bank)

Where are you getting that from? My understanding (mostly from wikipedia/linked sources) was that Riza had been acting manager for external affairs and outreach in the MENA region since 2002, and was, until Wolfowitz was nominated to be President of the World Bank, shortlisted for the permanent role.

She might of course not have gotten the permanent role even if Wolfowitz hadn't been nominated, but as the acting manager for the previous three years, she'd clearly have been in a very strong position to be appointed into the permanent position - but once her partner had become President, she was dropped from the shortlist, because of the conflict of interest involved.

Since I gather they're still together, Riza is evidently not casting blame for her situation where it justly belongs - on Wolfowitz. But I've encountered situations like that where a woman will blame anyone other than the man she's involved with - and while it makes it difficult to help a woman who won't accept where the blame rightly belongs, it doesn't prevent me from feeling sympathetic towards her.

Michael Cain: She had plenty of chances to say things, especially to Wolfowitz, like "Let me succeed or fail on my own" and "Don't meddle with my career", and "Using your position to arrange this type of raise for me is unethical."

Well, yeah: I also feel that she should have split up with Wolfowitz when she realized he was happy to destroy her career in order to improve her own. She should have realized that when Wolfowitz accepted the World Bank presidency, the damage this did to her career was inevitable and unavoidable, and the only way to minimize it would be to leave the World Bank for another job. She should have told Wolfowitz right from the start that if he cared for and respected her, he would tell Bush not to nominate him to the World Bank Presidency. As far as we know, she did none of those things. People in abusive relationships - and what Wolfowitz did to her constituted a form of abuse - often don't think straight.

[Slartibartfast]

Maybe he'd stopped beating her by then, though.

[Ben M]

The World Bank should indeed clear Wolfowitz's name. In fact, I've got a great speech already written:

Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears;
I come to bury the World Bank, not to praise it.
The evil that men do lives after them;
The good is oft interred with their bones;
So let it be with the World Bank. The noble Wolfowitz
Hath told you the World Bank was ambitious:
If it were so, it was a grievous fault,
And grievously hath the World Bank answer'd it.
Here, under leave of Wolfowitz and the rest--
For Wolfowitz is an honourable man ...

[Jesurgislac]

Slarti: Maybe he'd stopped beating her by then, though.

Nice way to avoid the issue, Slarti.

Wolfowitz showed that he neither respected Riza nor cared for her. That's abusive.

[hilzoy]

Jes: from the appendices to the report, and the report itself. (The appendices involve e.g. interviews with her, W, etc.) I wasn't meaning to say anything about the justice of her grievance about the promotion, just that getting her boyfriend to make it as though she had already gotten it was not the way to deal with it.

[hilzoy]

Jes: specifically, see here (pdf), pp. 18-19, where they quote Riza as saying (about how she arrived at the salary figure she asked for): "I looked at that and I said, where wouldI be had they given me my H level when they should have given it to me?"

That's from pp. 28-9 of her interview, which (in its entirety) is here.

[Newport 9]

I have to go with Steve at 10:12. Not only will this not kill Wolfoquitz' career, it won't even slow it down. The question we should all be asking ourselves is, what job will Bush give Wolfy after he leaves the World Bank?

Has Bolton's replacement at the UN been chosen?

No, never mind that, it's all come clear to me now. This is why Bush hasn't fired Gonzo yet. He's keeping the seat warm for Wolfy.

Does anybody want to tell me that I'm crazy?

Anybody?

Please?

[Newport 9]

And if anybody wants to argue that the senate would never vote to confirm Wolfy as attorney general, I have two words for you: recess appointment.

Does anybody want to tell me I'm being silly?

Anybody?

[Gary Farber]

"Has Bolton's replacement at the UN been chosen?"

Sure. Zalmay">http://www.un.int/usa/khalilzad.htm">Zalmay Khalilzad, our former Iraq Ambassador, formerly our Afghanistan Ambassador, formerly formerly formerly.

"Does anybody want to tell me I'm being silly?"

If you're being serious: you're being silly.

[Barry]

Something I thought of, recently - Bush can't make recess appointments if Congress doesn't go into recess, can he?

This doesn't mean that Congresspeople can't leave town, just that there's somebody there, technically keeping Congress open.

It'd be unprecedented, and a breach of tradition.

Which is why Bush deserves it.

[bril]

Hilzoy rejoices in an American who is trying to fix a corrupt organization being framed.

I wish I could say I surprised that she is for the other side.

And it is good to know that you are such a strong feminist.

I guess I will file this one away with your strong condemnation of Opie and Anthony's dicussion of raping the Condoleeza Rice and Laura Bush.

[Steve]

Good God. Seriously, why put up with this?

[d]

Add Paulson to the list of good Bush appointments.

[Hartmut]

My (German) morning papers actually discuss the possibility of Tony "Poodle" Blair being Wolfowitz' successor (he quits job 3 days before Wolfie and is therfore available). But Bush is also quoted as intending to appoint an American. Hm, maybe a speed naturalization for Tony in sight ;-).

[sakthi]

It'll be good lesson for his successors in the future,they'll think to commit mistakes...Highest donor alone not a merit for choosing world bank's new CEO,So i think every member country have to be given chance in selecting new CEO..Its not fare to let USA(Bush) dominate..
European Breakdown Cover

[garhane]

Another Straussian bites the dust. We see again that followers of Leo Strauss., the totalitarian political sci. guy who was the main guidance for the crowd clustered around Bush, are being cut down one after another. Wolfowitz was a main one, and his conduct at the Bank shows exactly the arrogance and contempt for the opinion of others that you would expect from a Straussian. They believe that ordinary people are far too stupid to be allowed to decide political matters for themselves, so the decisions should be made by the "wise ones" who will of course not tell them what it is really all about but will spin out high sounding lies and keep the political climate scary with a series of alarms and small wars, to keep the people in line. An insider and architect of the Iraq war project, a principal operator for Bush, a truly bad guy if you support democracy. A liar and porker-at-the-trough to the end, it could not happen to a nicer guy.

[Jesurgislac]

Steve: Good God. Seriously, why put up with this?

Agreed.

Hilzoy: I wasn't meaning to say anything about the justice of her grievance about the promotion, just that getting her boyfriend to make it as though she had already gotten it was not the way to deal with it.

No. It's just that - as I see it - Wolfowitz had put her in a position where she really had no good way to deal with it. I do hate to say "She should've dumped him!" but this is one of those instances where I really want to say it.

[Edward_]

an American who is trying to fix a corrupt organization being framed

Is that the spin? Wolfie was framed?

Where, oh where, does the buck ever stop with these clowns? Seriously. Is there any mistake that they take responsibility for?

The terms of Wolfowitz's employment were crystal clear. He was expected to avoid even the chance impression of any impropriety. That required him to go above and beyond the call of duty in ensuring no one could frame him. He failed. He's out. End of discussion.

[Jesurgislac]

Edward_, bril is a troll. DNFTT.

[Edward_]

Framed or not, Wolfie failed to comply with the terms of his contract. Perhaps that's a high standard, but that was the job. There was a time when the pro-business right-wing of this country undestood and championed such positions. They can't cry foul when they're asked to measure up to their own standards.

[dutchmarbel]

Wijffels, who headed the ad-hoc investigation committee, is quoted a lot these days in the Netherlands. Favorite quote = "Wolfowitz was a disastrous manager".

He says that "though public figures always must try to behave flawless, if he had been a really good manager things might have gone different" (roughly translated).

[dutchmarbel]

Wijffels, who headed the ad-hoc investigation committee, is quoted a lot these days in the Netherlands. Favorite quote = "Wolfowitz was a disastrous manager".

He says that "though public figures always must try to behave flawless, if he had been a really good manager things might have gone different" (roughly translated).

[dutchmarbel]

Oops, sorry for the double post, I thought I had stopped it in time when I noticed I forgot to link to a Dutch interview.