Comments on: Wolfowitz, the World Bank and Uzbekistan http://www.neweurasia.net/politics-and-society/wolfowitz-the-world-bank-and-uzbekistan/ Fri, 19 Mar 2010 04:46:29 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7.1 hourly 1 By: dancing dervish http://www.neweurasia.net/politics-and-society/wolfowitz-the-world-bank-and-uzbekistan/comment-page-1/#comment-605 dancing dervish Fri, 27 Apr 2007 08:01:16 +0000 http://uzbekistan.neweurasia.net/?p=165#comment-605 Ben, it is self-evident why they prefer Pakistan over Uzbekistan. Karimov kicked the US forces out, while Pak Pres Mush continues kissing ass. Ben, it is self-evident why they prefer Pakistan over Uzbekistan. Karimov kicked the US forces out, while Pak Pres Mush continues kissing ass.

]]> By: Ben http://www.neweurasia.net/politics-and-society/wolfowitz-the-world-bank-and-uzbekistan/comment-page-1/#comment-606 Ben Sat, 21 Apr 2007 13:27:24 +0000 http://uzbekistan.neweurasia.net/?p=165#comment-606 William Easterly also weighed in in <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/20/AR2007042001992.html" rel="nofollow">tomorrow's WP</a>: <blockquote>But beyond Uzbekistan and a few other laudable aid cutoffs, the Wolfowitz program was compromised by selective prosecution. By the bank's own measures, 54 other countries are about as corrupt as Uzbekistan, or worse. Should the bank cut off all 54? (I say, why not?) Wolfowitz was not willing to go that far, alas, which left everyone confused about what his criteria really were. Pakistan -- a linchpin of the U.S. campaign against al-Qaeda but not much more of a paragon of clean hands and democracy than Uzbekistan -- continued to receive oodles of World Bank money.</blockquote> William Easterly also weighed in in tomorrow’s WP:

But beyond Uzbekistan and a few other laudable aid cutoffs, the Wolfowitz program was compromised by selective prosecution. By the bank’s own measures, 54 other countries are about as corrupt as Uzbekistan, or worse. Should the bank cut off all 54? (I say, why not?) Wolfowitz was not willing to go that far, alas, which left everyone confused about what his criteria really were. Pakistan — a linchpin of the U.S. campaign against al-Qaeda but not much more of a paragon of clean hands and democracy than Uzbekistan — continued to receive oodles of World Bank money.

]]> By: Global Voices Online » Uzbekistan: Wolfowitz’s Impact http://www.neweurasia.net/politics-and-society/wolfowitz-the-world-bank-and-uzbekistan/comment-page-1/#comment-612 Global Voices Online » Uzbekistan: Wolfowitz’s Impact Tue, 17 Apr 2007 01:36:23 +0000 http://uzbekistan.neweurasia.net/?p=165#comment-612 [...] neweurasia, Nick reports how embattled World Bank head Paul Wolfowitz has impacted Uzbekistan during his tenure by sticking to his anticorruption beliefs and refusing to rele.... Share [...] [...] neweurasia, Nick reports how embattled World Bank head Paul Wolfowitz has impacted Uzbekistan during his tenure by sticking to his anticorruption beliefs and refusing to rele…. Share [...]

]]> By: A Second Hand Conjecture » News Brief: Off the Record Edition http://www.neweurasia.net/politics-and-society/wolfowitz-the-world-bank-and-uzbekistan/comment-page-1/#comment-611 A Second Hand Conjecture » News Brief: Off the Record Edition Mon, 16 Apr 2007 23:24:46 +0000 http://uzbekistan.neweurasia.net/?p=165#comment-611 [...] is okay to stay on the job, but Doug Bandow makes a convincing case for his termination. Nick has related thoughts on how Wolfowitz’s policies at the World Bank have impacted Uzbekistan. I have to admit to my own [...] [...] is okay to stay on the job, but Doug Bandow makes a convincing case for his termination. Nick has related thoughts on how Wolfowitz’s policies at the World Bank have impacted Uzbekistan. I have to admit to my own [...]

]]> By: The Conjecturer » News Brief, Off the Record Edition http://www.neweurasia.net/politics-and-society/wolfowitz-the-world-bank-and-uzbekistan/comment-page-1/#comment-610 The Conjecturer » News Brief, Off the Record Edition Mon, 16 Apr 2007 21:33:31 +0000 http://uzbekistan.neweurasia.net/?p=165#comment-610 [...] is okay to stay on the job, but Doug Bandow makes a convincing case for his termination. Nick has related thoughts on how Wolfowitz’s policies at the World Bank have impacted Uzbekistan. I have to admit to my [...] [...] is okay to stay on the job, but Doug Bandow makes a convincing case for his termination. Nick has related thoughts on how Wolfowitz’s policies at the World Bank have impacted Uzbekistan. I have to admit to my [...]

]]> By: Bonnie Boyd http://www.neweurasia.net/politics-and-society/wolfowitz-the-world-bank-and-uzbekistan/comment-page-1/#comment-609 Bonnie Boyd Mon, 16 Apr 2007 20:31:14 +0000 http://uzbekistan.neweurasia.net/?p=165#comment-609 Standing hard on corruption issues has generated a lot of controversy at the World Bank, particularly with states (such as in Scandinavia) who have great aid percentages and who want foreign aid to go forward; and with states whose leaders like to squirrel away as much aid cash as possible. The nature of some of Wolfowitz's combatants prove that, without transparency and accountability, much aid just goes down the drain or into a pocket. In my opinion, the world bank is a BANK. It needs security for loans and returns for the money it lends, it assesses risk, and it imposes conditions and accountabilities. If "the Bank" turns into a giveaway organization, it is just one of many. One can certainly be turned off by bank regulations, yet banks themselves are awfully necessary. It would be instructive to know if what the relative difference in salary was for Mr. Wolfowitz's associate--given a similar salary or similar position, it looks as if Mr. Wolfowitz's friend may have moved under ramifications of nepotism, yet it also meant that the recurrent nepotism within the World Bank would be avoided. As a woman, I would prefer not to lose my job when my best friend/man friend becomes the boss; nor would I like to have my work successes and failures judged by my personal relationship to a boss. The move sounds like a best all around. Has anyone questioned her competency? I haven't heard a word. Therefore, this looks like a big. "ain't it awful" scandal at a time when the World Bank has some of the best initiatives going, including transparency for states and for international corporations; new funding for climate change energy in developing states; and continual development initiatives for displaced persons such as in Sudan, Afghanistan, and Nagorno-Karabakh. Bonnie Standing hard on corruption issues has generated a lot of controversy at the World Bank, particularly with states (such as in Scandinavia) who have great aid percentages and who want foreign aid to go forward; and with states whose leaders like to squirrel away as much aid cash as possible. The nature of some of Wolfowitz’s combatants prove that, without transparency and accountability, much aid just goes down the drain or into a pocket.
In my opinion, the world bank is a BANK. It needs security for loans and returns for the money it lends, it assesses risk, and it imposes conditions and accountabilities. If “the Bank” turns into a giveaway organization, it is just one of many. One can certainly be turned off by bank regulations, yet banks themselves are awfully necessary.
It would be instructive to know if what the relative difference in salary was for Mr. Wolfowitz’s associate–given a similar salary or similar position, it looks as if Mr. Wolfowitz’s friend may have moved under ramifications of nepotism, yet it also meant that the recurrent nepotism within the World Bank would be avoided. As a woman, I would prefer not to lose my job when my best friend/man friend becomes the boss; nor would I like to have my work successes and failures judged by my personal relationship to a boss. The move sounds like a best all around. Has anyone questioned her competency? I haven’t heard a word.
Therefore, this looks like a big. “ain’t it awful” scandal at a time when the World Bank has some of the best initiatives going, including transparency for states and for international corporations; new funding for climate change energy in developing states; and continual development initiatives for displaced persons such as in Sudan, Afghanistan, and Nagorno-Karabakh.
Bonnie

]]> By: Beltway Greg http://www.neweurasia.net/politics-and-society/wolfowitz-the-world-bank-and-uzbekistan/comment-page-1/#comment-608 Beltway Greg Sun, 15 Apr 2007 05:05:18 +0000 http://uzbekistan.neweurasia.net/?p=165#comment-608 Seems a touch premeditated that all of this would surface during the annual meetings of the World Bank and IMF. I'm certainly no fan of the Bush administration or the appointment of Paul Wolfowitz but.....this is what bureaucrats do when confronted with their own demise. They've been gunning for Paul ever since he took the helm of the bank and what can you say, they supplied the neck and the noose and he kicked out the chair. Ironically, all of this talk of corruption may actually improve his ability to change the institution if he survives this crisis and if the board signed off on the pay package suvive he might. $5.00 says that when the final tale is written it will come to light that the very people who failed to oppose Wolfowitz's nomination are the same people who approved the pay package to win his favor and I'll go further and bet that if he had been a tad more docile as a leader those that look the other way when countries steal would have done the same when confronted with Riza's pay package. One of Paul's concerns was that folks were spending too much time away from the office when they went on business trips. The stories I've heard about suite upgrades and first class travel are legendary both for the hubris of the individuals and the sheer number of occurences. Beltway Greg Seems a touch premeditated that all of this would surface during the annual meetings of the World Bank and IMF. I’m certainly no fan of the Bush administration or the appointment of Paul Wolfowitz but…..this is what bureaucrats do when confronted with their own demise. They’ve been gunning for Paul ever since he took the helm of the bank and what can you say, they supplied the neck and the noose and he kicked out the chair. Ironically, all of this talk of corruption may actually improve his ability to change the institution if he survives this crisis and if the board signed off on the pay package suvive he might. $5.00 says that when the final tale is written it will come to light that the very people who failed to oppose Wolfowitz’s nomination are the same people who approved the pay package to win his favor and I’ll go further and bet that if he had been a tad more docile as a leader those that look the other way when countries
steal would have done the same when confronted with Riza’s pay package. One of Paul’s concerns was that folks were spending too much time away from the office when they went on business trips. The stories I’ve heard about suite upgrades and first class travel are legendary both for the hubris of the individuals and the sheer number of occurences.

Beltway Greg

]]> By: Rick Morren http://www.neweurasia.net/politics-and-society/wolfowitz-the-world-bank-and-uzbekistan/comment-page-1/#comment-607 Rick Morren Sat, 14 Apr 2007 23:25:38 +0000 http://uzbekistan.neweurasia.net/?p=165#comment-607 Nancy Birdsall, who runs the Washington-based Center for Global Development and is a former director of policy research at the World Bank bank, said on her Web log that Wolfowitz should quit because he ``has become a distraction not a leader at a moment when leadership is sorely needed.'' Let us hope that the US does not force-feeds Donald Rumsfeld to the world as the replacement of Paul Wolfowitz. But you never know? Nancy Birdsall, who runs the Washington-based Center for Global Development and is a former director of policy research at the World Bank bank, said on her Web log that Wolfowitz should quit because he “has become a distraction not a leader at a moment when leadership is sorely needed.” Let us hope that the US does not force-feeds Donald Rumsfeld to the world as the replacement of Paul Wolfowitz. But you never know?

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