WOLFOWITZ MAKES NO FRIENDS AT WORLD BANK

Paul Wolfowitz, the man who told us the Iraq war would cost us something like $5 billion is apparently pissing some folks off at his new job. Check out some of what [http://news.ft.com/cms/s/aa70009a-8c7d-11da-9efb-0000779e2340.html|a January 24, 2006 commentary] at FT.com has to say about Wolfowitz as president of the World Bank:

Almost eight months after taking up the role, Paul Wolfowitz has yet to set a course for his presidency and staff disquiet is reaching deafening levels.

The immediate cause of the turmoil at the World Bank is the appointment of an adviser to Mr Wolfowitz with close ties to the Republican party as the new director of the internal watchdog that investigates suspected fraud and staff misconduct. His choice has raised questions about the selection of someone so close to the president and whether this was the best person for such a sensitive post.

...

Meanwhile power has gravitated to his immediate circle - mainly Republican stalwarts, prompting agitation among the career staff.

Nor has Mr Wolfowitz set a new intellectual agenda for his presidency. Instead, he has appeared more concerned about being seen to respond to criticisms on Capitol Hill over allegations of corruption - allegations that bank staff often see as witch-hunts against them for the sins of those in the countries where the bank operates.

Witch-hunts, you say? Why does this not surprise me coming from a guy who used to be Rumsfeld's second-hand man? There's more:

But as time has passed, authority has drained upwards from those beneath him in the hierarchy to his clique of advisers. Decision-making has slowed - made worse by his tendency to take a long time making up his mind.

When Mr Wolfowitz was appointed, the Financial Times urged him to give the bank greater focus and to overhaul its management. He cannot achieve this in an organisation with 10,000 staff operating in more than 100 countries by relying on a handful of trusted aides from his own country. Unless he moves quickly to appoint a team representative of the shareholders that is credible to the staff, his presidency risks ending in paralysis and disappointment.

Awwww... I could have told you it would have in the first place--of course I think the WB ;) is a bad idea, period. No bank should have that much power.

So, will Wolfy wow 'em in the end? He's only got four years and 4 months left to get his act together before his term runs out. That's a lot of time to do some serious damage to one of the most powerful financial bodies on the planet (not to mention the planet).