World Bank Still Hasn't Buried Paul

The World Bank promised to officially declare that Paul Wolfowitz is an unethical prick last Saturday, so, naturally, their committee is expected to finally deliver their report at the end ofthisweek. They've already let it be known that the board will decide that Paul violated conflict of interest rules, so at this point they're just deciding whether they'll recommend an outright firing or a "vote of no confidence" that would allow this whole mess to drag on another couple weeks -- guess which course of action we're predicting they'll take?

If put to a vote, Wolfie is screwed -- the only countries that still like him are the US, Canada, and Japan, while all of Europe, Asia, and South America would like to see him tarred, feathered, and thrown into a pool in full evening wear by Rodney Dangerfield.

Now Joseph Stiglitz , former World Bank chief economist and IMF critic, says the US should no longer be allowed to pick the World Bank's head without objection. If one fairly stupid Bush apparatchik can help disrupt international development for years to come just because he wanted to give his girlfriend a raise, our faith in the essential doomed haplessness of mankind is restored.

 Panel to Find that Wolfowitz Broke Rules, Officials Say [NYT]

 U.S. should not nominate World Bank heads-Stiglitz [Reuters]