Why Wolfowitz?

Why is our favorite neo-con going to be nominated to lead the World Bank?

"I have looked for evidence of Mr. Wolfowitz having development goals -- I have tried to find it in his speeches, and I have not been able to," says Jeffrey Sachs, the Columbia University economist ....

My theory? I think it's like the case of LBJ's nomination of Richard McNamara to lead the World Bank in 1968. The World Bank is a nice, quiet place to put Wolfowitz to pasture for a decade or two. Paul can relax, learn a little French, get a tan, and decompress after his Pentagon hitch. Only one problem, really: the World Bank is an increasingly high-profile pasture, of crucial importance to the world economy. Paul may be disappointed if he expects 2-hour drinking lunches on the golf course every day.

The Europeans are vastly annoyed about the nomination, however, so maybe it will be hard to keep Wolfowitz there for long.