Wolfowitz Says He Won't Impose U.S. Agenda on World Bank
Wolfowitz Says He Won't Impose U.S. Agenda on World Bank
Sat Mar 19, 2005 11:15 AM ET
By Carol Giacomo and Lesley Wroughton
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - After helping lead the United States to war in Afghanistan and Iraq, Paul Wolfowitz is fighting a different kind of fight -- to secure approval as the next World Bank president by portraying himself as a consensus builder.
From his spacious but cluttered office, the Pentagon's No. 2 official this week waged a campaign to ease fears in Europe and elsewhere that he would change policies at the bank to reflect the conservative Bush administration's foreign and social priorities.
Wolfowitz telephoned U2 rock star-turned-debt relief advocate Bono, a potentially key ally; cheerfully endured interviews by major media, especially those with European audiences; and courted key finance and political officials from around the world.
His message was clear as he sought to win the hearts and minds of a new, more global constituency:
He is more multidimensional than his hard-line, conservative image as deputy defense secretary suggests.
He will aim to be a consensus builder as he seeks to improve the institution.
He cares passionately about the poor and is committed to reducing poverty, especially in Africa.
Moreover, he is convinced he can turn his critics around once they get to know him.
"You do the job you have in front of you," he told Reuters in an interview late on Friday. He was explaining how he would segue to his new role from his Bush administration duties of combating terrorism, remaking the military and asserting American power to promote democracy, especially in the Middle East.
"I am not going to impose the U.S. agenda on the bank," he said. "I am ready to listen."
Although his candidacy is controversial, Wolfowitz's approval by the bank's board, which operates by consensus, is likely a foregone conclusion. The United States has the largest voting share on the 24-member board, which represents the 184 member states, and traditionally nominates the bank president.
Moreover, January elections in Iraq, in which thousands risked their lives to vote, have improved chances for stability there and helped defuse the arguments of war critics.
Wolfowitz, who has spent 24 years in government under six U.S. presidents, had hoped for a promotion in President Bush's second term.
But one by one, top jobs like secretary of state, national security adviser and CIA director went to others.
Congressional sources predicted that because of Iraq, Wolfowitz might find it impossible to win Senate approval for jobs requiring confirmation, like secretary of state.
Critics blame him for pushing America into war with Iraq on the basis of inaccurate intelligence about weapons of mass destruction and sending troops into battle without sufficient plans for what would happen once the shooting stopped.
He has admitted some mistakes but otherwise has strongly defended the U.S.-led invasion that ousted Saddam Hussein.
As Wolfowitz reintroduces himself to the public, he is emphasizing his credentials largely obscured by the war.
His posts have included assistant secretary of state for East Asian affairs, ambassador to Indonesia, undersecretary of defense for policy affairs and dean of the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. He boasts how Johns Hopkins stresses economics in its master's degree program and has trained scores of World Bank officials.
If approved as bank president, he said he wants to re-examine lessons of the 1997-98 Asian financial crisis "to see whether people have fully absorbed them or whether there is more to do because it probably won't be the last such crisis."
In the interview, he was cautious about subjects such as a U.S. Senate probe of corruption at the World Bank and other international development banks, and about a push by nongovernmental groups for the International Monetary Fund to sell undervalued gold stocks to relieve poor country debt.
"If there is an issue (of corruption) there, it has to be looked at," he said.
As for the gold, he told Reuters "it would really be wrong for me to step in (to the bank presidency) with a fixed view." But he said NGO views "are clearly important and influential" and that he would take them into account.
After years spent dealing with Asia, some fear he will focus too much bank attention there.
But Wolfowitz said: "I think the total level of misery in Africa, particularly because of the AIDS epidemic, puts it at the top of the list."
All rights reserved. © Reuters 2005
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=7950617
Sat Mar 19, 2005 11:15 AM ET
By Carol Giacomo and Lesley Wroughton
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - After helping lead the United States to war in Afghanistan and Iraq, Paul Wolfowitz is fighting a different kind of fight -- to secure approval as the next World Bank president by portraying himself as a consensus builder.
From his spacious but cluttered office, the Pentagon's No. 2 official this week waged a campaign to ease fears in Europe and elsewhere that he would change policies at the bank to reflect the conservative Bush administration's foreign and social priorities.
Wolfowitz telephoned U2 rock star-turned-debt relief advocate Bono, a potentially key ally; cheerfully endured interviews by major media, especially those with European audiences; and courted key finance and political officials from around the world.
His message was clear as he sought to win the hearts and minds of a new, more global constituency:
He is more multidimensional than his hard-line, conservative image as deputy defense secretary suggests.
He will aim to be a consensus builder as he seeks to improve the institution.
He cares passionately about the poor and is committed to reducing poverty, especially in Africa.
Moreover, he is convinced he can turn his critics around once they get to know him.
"You do the job you have in front of you," he told Reuters in an interview late on Friday. He was explaining how he would segue to his new role from his Bush administration duties of combating terrorism, remaking the military and asserting American power to promote democracy, especially in the Middle East.
"I am not going to impose the U.S. agenda on the bank," he said. "I am ready to listen."
Although his candidacy is controversial, Wolfowitz's approval by the bank's board, which operates by consensus, is likely a foregone conclusion. The United States has the largest voting share on the 24-member board, which represents the 184 member states, and traditionally nominates the bank president.
Moreover, January elections in Iraq, in which thousands risked their lives to vote, have improved chances for stability there and helped defuse the arguments of war critics.
Wolfowitz, who has spent 24 years in government under six U.S. presidents, had hoped for a promotion in President Bush's second term.
But one by one, top jobs like secretary of state, national security adviser and CIA director went to others.
Congressional sources predicted that because of Iraq, Wolfowitz might find it impossible to win Senate approval for jobs requiring confirmation, like secretary of state.
Critics blame him for pushing America into war with Iraq on the basis of inaccurate intelligence about weapons of mass destruction and sending troops into battle without sufficient plans for what would happen once the shooting stopped.
He has admitted some mistakes but otherwise has strongly defended the U.S.-led invasion that ousted Saddam Hussein.
As Wolfowitz reintroduces himself to the public, he is emphasizing his credentials largely obscured by the war.
His posts have included assistant secretary of state for East Asian affairs, ambassador to Indonesia, undersecretary of defense for policy affairs and dean of the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. He boasts how Johns Hopkins stresses economics in its master's degree program and has trained scores of World Bank officials.
If approved as bank president, he said he wants to re-examine lessons of the 1997-98 Asian financial crisis "to see whether people have fully absorbed them or whether there is more to do because it probably won't be the last such crisis."
In the interview, he was cautious about subjects such as a U.S. Senate probe of corruption at the World Bank and other international development banks, and about a push by nongovernmental groups for the International Monetary Fund to sell undervalued gold stocks to relieve poor country debt.
"If there is an issue (of corruption) there, it has to be looked at," he said.
As for the gold, he told Reuters "it would really be wrong for me to step in (to the bank presidency) with a fixed view." But he said NGO views "are clearly important and influential" and that he would take them into account.
After years spent dealing with Asia, some fear he will focus too much bank attention there.
But Wolfowitz said: "I think the total level of misery in Africa, particularly because of the AIDS epidemic, puts it at the top of the list."
All rights reserved. © Reuters 2005
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=7950617
posted by JimG at 2:12 PM
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