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Bush, George W.

Paul Wolfowitz's Journey to the World Bank

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Paul D. Wolfowitz, the Deputy Defense Secretary who appeared shaken by the devastation of the Indonesian tsunami in January, may have planted the seeds for his selection as the next president of the World Bank during a three-day trip to South Asia to assess tsunami damage and the Pentagon's role in relief efforts. Wolfowitz's friends and associates say that his experience in Asia, where he was the United States ambassador to Indonesia in the late 1980s, and his desire to be seen as the harbinger of help rather than conflict, had a profound impact on him. The World Bank, which sets development policy for much of the third world, aligns with Wolfowitz's longtime goal to spread human rights and political freedoms around the globe.

Key Takeaways:

  • Wolfowitz's experience in Asia, particularly in Indonesia, has shaped his worldview and informed his decision to take on the role of World Bank president.
  • As a teenager, Wolfowitz attended the 1963 civil rights march on Washington and has remained a civil libertarian and a "bleeding heart" on social issues.
  • Wolfowitz has held major posts at the Defense and State Departments, including senior foreign policy adviser to Dick Cheney when he was defense secretary.
  • His hopes to build a better world have sometimes blinded him to the motivations of people like Ahmad Chalabi, the Iraqi National Congress leader whose intelligence on Iraq's unconventional weapons was later found to be wrong.
  • Critics question Wolfowitz's credibility, citing his optimism on America's ability to build a better world and his failure to prepare a thorough postwar strategy in Iraq.
  • Wolfowitz's personal style is soft-spoken, despite being caricatured as a hawk among hawks in the Bush administration.

Statistics:

  • 1963: The year Wolfowitz attended the civil rights march on Washington.
  • Late 1980s: The time Wolfowitz was the United States ambassador to Indonesia.
  • 2003: The year Wolfowitz said he remained a civil libertarian and a "bleeding heart" on social issues.
  • July 2003: The month Wolfowitz visited a tiny dust-choked Iraqi village near the Iranian border to help restore the way of life of tribal elders.
  • 61: The age of Paul D. Wolfowitz at the time of the article.

Sources:

  • The New York Times, January (no date provided)

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