President Bush has named Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz to become the new president of the World Bank. Woflowitz is one of the chief hawks within the Bush administration and was a leading architects of the Iraq war. He previously served as the US ambassador to Indonesia and in the Pentagon during the 1991 Gulf War.

At a White House press conference, Bush gave his reasons for naming Wolfowitz to the post.

* President Bush, White House press conference, March 16, 2005.

By tradition, the United States selects the World Bank president - who serves a five-year term - while Europeans nominate a head of the International Monetary Fund. Although the World Bank's Board of Governors must approve Wolfwoitz, no nomination has ever been rejected. Current World Bank president James Wolfensohn will leave in June after 10 yeaars, despite seeking re-appointment.

* Jim Lobe, journalist with the Inter Press Service.
* Njoki Njoroge Njehu, of the 50 Years is Enough network.

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