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Monday, December 3, 2007

Paul Wolfowitz is Back. To Start Another Iraq?

That's right. The man who admits he failed badly on getting us into Iraq and stacked the World Bank with his cronies to such an extent that you'd think it was located on K Street is back in the Bush administration. (in fact, it's located across the street from my dorm last year at 1900 F)

Condoleeza Rice has offered him the Chairmanship of the
International Security Advisory Board at the State Department.

This board was formerly known as the "Arms Control and Nonproliferation Advisory Board."

The State Department website description:

The Secretary of State's International Security Advisory Board (formerly called the Arms Control and Nonproliferation Advisory Board (ACNAB)) provides the Department with independent insight and advice on all aspects of arms control, disarmament, international security, and related aspects of public diplomacy. The ISAB is sponsored and overseen by the Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security. The Board provides its recommendations directly to the Secretary of State. The Board currently has 18 members and is chartered to have up to 25. Board members are national security experts with scientific, military, diplomatic, and political backgrounds. The Board meets in a plenary session on a quarterly basis.


This is a very disturbing place for the man arguably most responsible for spinning the intelligence on WMDs and rounding up the support in the Bush administration to get us into Iraq.

Of course, Director of National Intelligence McConnell just released a report stating Iran halted its weapons program in 2003. But knowing Wolfowitz, he'll find a Slider, Sinker, or most likely, a Screwball who gave "intelligence" that contradicts that finding, and play it up as much as possible.


If this were an office filled by appointment and subject to Senate consent, I'd be less worried; Harry Reid, after all, played hardball for the last two weeks by holding pro-forma sessions to prevent recess appointments.

But it doesn't look it is.

Incidentally, the man he's replacing? Fred Thompson.

Wolfowitz will probably take the job more seriously, but I'd rather have Grandpa Fred doing nothing than Wolfowitz doing horrible things.