Modus Operandi

The prevalent use of willing henchmen is the hallmark of the Bush Administration. Like Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, who deployed henchmen D. Kyle Sampson and Monica Goodling to do his dirty work, we have Mr. Wolfowitz over at the World Bank who has shamelessly recruited and handsomely rewarded (+$250,000 per annum, violating World Bank compensation rules) Robin Cleveland (White House) and Kevin Kellems (DoD). As I've posted before*, this duo is riding roughshod over the institution. There are no reins on Ms. Clevelend's powers as she outranks the bank's administrators. Moreover Mr. Kellems controls the Communications Office through which he is able to act as censor.

Paul Wolfowitz must go and hopefully, this week will be his last. The nepotism he's demonsrated extends beyond the extraordinary arrangements for his squeeze: he is twisting the bank's hierarchy, roiling its staff and quite simply demeaning the institution.

The Wall Street Journal hints that Bush may be considering former Iowa Congressman Jim Leach or Indiana Senator Richard Lugar to replace Wolfowitz. Let's hope that this is so and that these men will behave with some integrity.

-----
* http://nuralcubicle.blogspot.com/2007/04/wolfowitz-affair.html