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Mr. Hardball Goes to the World Bank
Nine days after the September 11 terrorist attacks, I opened up The Washington Post and stared right into the flinty mind of one Robert B. Zoellick, the Bush administration's pick for new World Bank president.
While the rest of the country was still in a haze of horror and confusion, Zoellick had seized the moment to advance his agenda as U.S. trade representative. In a commentary titled "Fighting Terror with Trade," he argued that Congress needed to pass fast track trade negotiating authority as part of their support for the "War on Terror."
Having failed to sell the legislation on its merits, Zoellick had moved with breathtaking speed to take advantage of public fears and pressure on lawmakers to stand with the president during a national crisis.
In a speech at the Institute for International Economics four days later, Zoellick really let loose by insinuating that there were links between the September 11 terrorists and anti-globalization protestors.
"In the wake of the shock of 13 days ago, many people will struggle to understand why terrorists hate the ideas America has championed around the world," Zoellick said. "It is inevitable that people will wonder if there are intellectual connections with others who have turned to violence to attack international finance, globalization, and the United States."
Zoellick's hardball tactics worked. President George W. Bush, and President Bill Clinton before him, had tried in vain to renew fast track (now re-branded Trade Promotion Authority), which allows the Executive Branch to negotiate new deals that Congress must vote up or down. Anger over the negative impacts of existing pacts, such as the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), on jobs and the environment had prevented both presidents from obtaining this authority.
But the new "fight terrorism with trade" sales pitch helped turn the controversial trade bill into a test of wartime patriotism. It passed by one vote in the House of Representatives.
By fueling paranoia about free trade critics, Zoellick helped secure Department of Homeland Security funds to deploy 2,500 law enforcement personnel in Miami during trade talks in the fall of 2003. Police fired rubber bullets and tear gas at peaceful demonstrators, causing scores of injuries.
That same fall, Zoellick had aimed verbal bullets at developing country leaders who refused to embrace his trade agenda. In a Financial Times commentary, Zoellick accused Brazil, India and other key middle-income nations of employing the "rhetoric of resistance" and the "politics of protest." These countries had formed a bloc to persuade the United States to reduce its multi-billion dollar per year agricultural subsidies in exchange for other concessions.
Casting all pretense of diplomacy aside, Zoellick accused Brazil of being the leader of the "won't do" nations that were to blame for the collapse of World Trade Organization negotiations.
This time, the hardball approach didn't work as well. During his remaining year and a half as chief trade negotiator, Zoellick was unable to revive the WTO talks, which remain stalled today. His jabs at Brazil no doubt also contributed to the death of the hemispheric Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA). Zoellick left his trade post for the State Department the same week that now-forgotten deal was due to be concluded.
Critics of corporate-driven trade agendas celebrated Zoellick's failures as a trade negotiator. Since he was deaf not only to the concerns of many developing country governments, but also to those of civil society groups in the United States and abroad, it was certainly preferable to have no deals than bad ones.
But is a tone-deaf, name-calling steely opportunist a good choice to lead the World Bank? The Bank's official mission, after all, is to fight global poverty, not promote U.S. corporate interests. And after the Wolfowitz uproar, one might have expected the Bush administration to pick a more genteel and broad-minded successor to lead this global institution.
For more than 60 years, however, the United States has enjoyed the unwritten privilege of crowning the Bank's leader. And unfortunately, despite the wreckage of the Wolfowitz debacle, there appears to be little resistance from the rest of the world to the imposition of yet another Bush administration insider. Even the Brazilian government has decided to adopt a "can-do" attitude on the Zoellick nomination.
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14 Comments so far
Show AllLet us not forget that this latest Facist from bushworld, was also one of the original signators on the Project for the New America Century document; announcing that preemptive war was good for business and good for America.
Finally someone else remembers ! Thanks Sarah !
Zoellick is absolutely the wrong choice for this job as his only agenda is to further US corporate interests abroad. In reality Wolfowitz would probably have done more good than this flak.
It seems to me that the global capitalist dictatorship is one step closer to realization.
There is not one department headed by any person of integrity or principle. EVERY one is a sell-out to the elite money interests, a travesty of the position they are sworn to serve. But it makes sense, doesn't it, since the Constitution has been rendered as "quaint" as torture, our elections are an expensive production of smoke and mirrors and the word freedom can mostly be associated with product choices in a consumer based society. Bush and the neo cons are doing their utmost to rob the treasury so there will BE no money to sponsor sane or humane social programs. It's Grover Norquist's wet dream come to life. If only all these dear hearts could be kept in a room and forced to watch re=runs of "A Christmas Carol" until they 'get it.' We are our brothers' keepers and to the ONES much is given, much will be expected. Instead, to use power to fall upon the weak and act as ultimate predators, I cannot imagine the long-run fate of such as these; but meanwhile, in our everyday political consciences we who still possess clarity of mind conjecture on the ways and means to take back power, principle, integrity and purpose. It's the great work, ladies and gentlemen, and if you're HERE (in this forum) consider yourselves called, as in for WHOM the bell tolls.
Whan liberals fight back, they become the conservatives they don't want to be. Should liberals turn the other cheek, move to Norway and let the conservatives knock each other off?
Check out the "Labor is not a commodity" blog for more views on Bush's choice of Zoellick to lead the World Bank: http://laborrightsblog.typepad.com/international_labor_right/2007/05/trade_is_not_th.html
Excellent article.But none of us really thought that Bush,or any of the "leading" Democrats, are going to change the World Bank's promotion of U.S. and Western Interests. The bank needs to be destroyed as a bank, and reconstituted in another country as a grantor of funds to poor countries. That means getting rid of the 10,000 or so bureaucrats, having the new fund run by the poor countries themselves and other things that go beyond reforms. In defending Wolfowitz's give away to his girlfriend, one commentator noted that around 1000 people made close to the $ 200,000. What a defense! Wolfowitz exemplified the Peter Principle because he clearly rose to his level of incompetency. Paul did not know, he said, the procedures of the bank when giving his girl friend tha raise, but Paul knew which part of the Peter principle where he thought he might be capable.
Siouxrose said it very well. We are, indeed, those for Whom the Bell Tolls. At least we can keep writing and speaking but this administration, most Republicans and too many Democrats, are very much of the money/lobbyists by the money/lobbyists, and for the money/lobbyists. Thank god for those like Henry Waxman but there are not enough with his level of integrity.
This is just another example why the selection of justices and other key posts should never have been granted to a president without at least a 2/3 majority approval of both houses. If this cannot be acheived, selection should be made by a congressiol committee with approval from the rest of congress.
"But is a tone-deaf, name-calling steely opportunist a good choice to lead the World Bank? The Bank's official mission, after all, is to fight global poverty, not promote U.S. corporate interests."
The Bank's official mission, since it's inception, is to pave the way for global capitalism. It was conceived by British and American officials as a cure for the problem that private investors were increasingly unwilling or unable to fund the sort of large infrastructure projects -- railroads, ports, dams, electric power -- that would be necessary to expand trade world-wide. That's what the Bank invested in during the first half of its life. Only under Robert McNamara did the slogan of fighting global poverty acquire some substance -- and very little then. Since the early 1980's the Bank has been dedicated to overturning the modicum of economic nationalism that developing countries had put in place to insure that they, too, might benefit from capitalist modernization. Neoliberal "reform" is the current official mission of the Bank, and Zoellick is ideally suited to direct it. He is also an ideal target for developing country resentment. Let him burn! And the Bank with him!
This latest move by the President was a brilliant one..today he dampened the "demos" ability to claim the "hearts and minds".. And at the same time, left no doubt about who's the greatest giver of humanitarian aid to the world. This allows his maintaing a "moral" control of the world bank at a critical time for the administration. However, this was just a sophisticated "lock and key" with the goal of saving a legacy, that's has already nearly gone up in smoke and mirrors. The former World Bank president and his friends lost focus in the "fog of war". And must now be sheltered from an even deeper "misunderstanding" and suspicion, when the American people wake up from their virtual reality, and realize what has happened to the great country they formerly owned and had control of. I don't envy the next president, especially if it's a Democrat. He/She will need to possess very special skills of magic, diplomacy, luck and sheer genius in order to save face in the world.
We should say thanks to Mrs. Bush for helping him see how much he was losing his way...thanks to the first lady and ( possibly this time, not carl rove) for getting him back on track. This should be appreciated in a bipartisan, sigh of relief spirit. Thank God for Laura.
Please go to Africa and stay for a week or two highlighting in primetime the challenges faced there. I only wish the Democrats had thought to propose this six months ago..
The World Bank looks and feels better already, doesn't it....but on the other hand, how can you really give all that money away to Africa, when New Orleans is a humanitarial crisis right here and now, at home in america. But you say there is not enough money to provide for the needs of these citizens. When I lived there we sometimes called ourselves "little Africa" and right now, in this moment, there needs to be an influx of money there, as if it were. City services, police, fire, these things cost money. Remember the city has a smaller tax base so there is less money to repair all that is needed. Think of it as an amount equal to a Bagdad allocation for three days(new math). Take three days from there and transfer it to New Orleans. You could justify it as "reconstruction monies", after all He's the decider. Just because the media has moved on to report on other issues does not lessen the URGENT Need for emergency health care, mental care, housing and economic assistance. As you you all know, when the media leave, life goes on. Don't forget that thousands lost everything they owned right here in America, in your country, fellow Americians from one of your greatest cities. Even though I believe that Africa will receive no where near the amount promised today. I think that all of us should do more to treat others the way we would like to be treated. We may rediscover our winning ways along with a lot more winners to help us win more....
Go to the British GMwatch.org to see what Zoellick plans for monopolization of world food production and distribution, via non-reproductive plants. Add that to the other greed for unilateral re-colonization of Africa's rich oil, diamond, gold, and platinum reserves. Banks practically own and run the United States now (US passports are stored in a privately owned bank instead of a government agency) and Zoellick will make it more true elsewhere... destroying local ownership and autonomy, step by step. His 'Vulcans' (with Condo Rice as the strategically-selected maid) and other friends from the German Marshall Fund and Trilateral Commission (co-founded by Old Man Bush) will rule the planet, if he is allowed to take the position; Neuweltordnung/Newworldorder fulfilled. If he gets the position, we may have to make new strategies for preserving genuine social democracy around the world. The jerks have their ducks in a row, and making nice compromising gestures in the US Congress (one of their main power-centers) will only make things worse. SOS to all remaining democracies... help us drive out the Bush Junta, because they are trickling all over the planet like a dripping toilet while we sleep.
Siouxrose, George Bush never connected with the ghosts of A Christmas Carol. He was too enthralled by the pre-conversion Scrooge and his miserly ways. Scrooge is the model for Bush and his administration. Never forget that under Bush as governor of Texas more people were executed than under any other governor in US history. And guess who gave the condemned a "fair" review for the benefit of the governor - Alberto Gonzales. Enough said.
xyz: As a former English teacher I believe literature can touch souls and alter people's behavior. I realize Bush is not one of the "teachable," and I am well aware of his smirking Texas record.
Robert Settgast: The 2/3rd majority would do wonders, unless the Bush boys used water boarding on any renegade republicans/democrats who compromised that majority. You know how authoritarians see the world, their way or no way.
Greenuprising: VERY powerful words of truth on what values this bank is designed to serve. You brought the message in clear, live and in blood-red color. Gracias.