Advocacy groups and development experts took aim at an unwritten rule that has for six decades governed the financial institutions created in the aftermath of World War II: The U.S. president picks the World Bank chief, and Europe selects the head of its affiliate institution, the International Monetary Fund.
"Paul Wolfowitz's problems at the World Bank stem in part from a widespread perception that he disproportionately represents U.S. interests rather than objectives that command a global consensus," said a letter signed this week by more than 200 people, including heads of aid organizations, and sent to the executive boards of the World Bank and the IMF. The letter called for the traditional arrangement to be "abandoned and replaced with selection procedures that reflect two key principles: transparency of process, and competence of prospective leadership without regard to national origin."
Oh sure, transparency and competence. What kind of veiled anti-Americanism is that? As if anybody believes that Uncle Sam would impose by fiat some unwelcome, antagonistic yahoo on the rest of the world and expect them to like it. It's as if they think Uncle Sam's judgment might be unsound, or not in the best interests of the world as a whole. It's preposterous.
Um, nevermind.
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