by Naftali Bendavid
Looks like the beleaguered Paul Wolfowitz has found a place to land. He’ll be joining the American Enterprise Institute, one of Washington’s conservative think tanks.
One of the original neo-cons, Wolfowitz served as deputy defense secretary under Donald Rumsfeld. He was much-criticized, especially by liberals and war critics, as one of the architects of the Iraq War, and more broadly, he provided much of the intellectual underpinning for the neo-conservative movement in foreign affairs.
Following controversial tenure at the Pentagon, President Bush named Wolfowitz president of the World Bank. That brought no escape from controversy, however; at the Bank, Wolfowitz came under fire for allegedly giving a promotion to a woman with whom he was romantically involved. His supporters, though, dismissed the allegations and said he brought a focus on rooting out corruption that had long been needed at the bank. But ultimately Wolfowitz was forced out.
In “Rise of the Vulcans: The History of Bush’s War Cabinet,” by James Mann, Wolfowitz is portrayed as one of Bush’s longtime foreign policy advisers, along with Rumsfeld, Dick Cheney, Condoleezza Rice, Colin Powell and Richard Armitage. These individuals, many of whom had known each other for decades, shared a belief in the importance of a powerful military as an instrument of U.S. foreign policy, a belief that culminated in the Iraq War. They called themselves the Vulcans, after the Roman god of fire.
At the American Enterprise Institute, Wolfowitz will work on entrepreneurship and development issues, Africa, and public-private partnerships, according to a statement from AEI.
• 
• 
• 
Comments
They called themselves the Vulcans, after the Roman god of fire.
Paul Wolfowitz is a vile rodent. Why is this man not in prison???
Posted by: Logic Prisoner | July 2, 2007 11:12 AM
They called themselves the Vulcans, after the Roman god of fire.
We knew it wasn't the other "vulcans" because with their type of thinking they will not live long and prosper.
Posted by: bill r. | July 2, 2007 11:21 AM
He helped orchestrate a disastrous, failed war, then screwed up the reputation of the World Bank. Now he's back where he belongs, with a group of idealistic losers.
Posted by: Tom | July 2, 2007 11:26 AM
Nothing like failing upward.
Every one of these bumbling heck-of-a-job types seem to land on their feet. Me, I screw up and next thing you know I’m greeting you at Wal-Mart for minimum wage.
Posted by: Gort | July 2, 2007 12:26 PM
I don't like to complain...but.... I take some heat from the wife to post and debate (name call)(joke) here in the swamp and I have noticed a change in the posting of the comments. So I just wanted to pass a little of my wifes heat to you.
ps. Maybe I need a life!!!!
Posted by: bill r. | July 2, 2007 12:47 PM
what an absolutely disgusting piece of journalistic garbage this is. The Hillside Garbage Dump may be closing, but it's alive and kiciing at the Tribune Tower.
Posted by: John D | July 2, 2007 1:53 PM
bill r.,
Being an agnostic, I don't know if you're doing the Lord's work, but by adding to the push-back on Dubya and Darth, you're definately doing the right thing.
Please tell Mrs. bill r. I said so.
Posted by: Doug Zook | July 2, 2007 1:58 PM
The AEI is where the wingnuts and the reich wing get their talking points. Right now they are working on our war with Iran.
Posted by: Catherine | July 2, 2007 3:38 PM
OK, let's try this:
AEI = wingnut welfare
Posted by: weinerdog43 | July 2, 2007 3:45 PM
Please tell Mrs. bill r. I said so.
Posted by: Doug Zook | July 2, 2007 1:58 PM
I told her....She asked me ask you if you would come cut the lawn.
just kidding...thanks
Posted by: bill r. | July 2, 2007 4:13 PM
The Hillside Garbage Dump may be closing, but it's alive and kiciing at the Tribune Tower.
Posted by: John D | July 2, 2007 1:53 PM
Then stop commenting and reading the Tribune. John D defender of bad neo-con leadership. I'm sure the Tribune could live without your lame, vile comments. Paul Wolfowitz is a disgrace to the human race.
Posted by: Logic Prisoner | July 2, 2007 7:12 PM
Wolfowitz was a behind the scenes architect of the diaster Iraq has become. A good job for him would be to gear up and go patrol the streets of Baghdad. Take chickenhawk Cheney with him too.
Posted by: Doug R. | July 3, 2007 9:23 AM
catherine, dear, occasionally your comments sound too much like John E. "The reich wing"??? Especially when you are discussing a Jewish man? Sounds pretty insensitive to me and also anti-Semetic.
Posted by: John D | July 3, 2007 9:34 AM
Ah yes, the mighty Vulcans...forged in the air-conditioned lecture halls, libraries, frats, and smoky bars of the Ivy League...tempered like marshmallows in the flames of pep rally bonfires. These champions of American military might diligently studied the art of war (from a safe distance, of course) and perfected the art of war profiteering while waving the flag and singing the national anthem at the same time. Vulcans, for your unsurpassed hubris, avarice, and incompetence, I give you the traditional one finger salute.
Posted by: Tom O | July 3, 2007 10:27 AM
Sounds pretty insensitive to me and also anti-Semetic.
Posted by: John D | July 3, 2007 9:34 AM
JohnD did you ever notice how quickly the right wing hypocrites go berserk with indignation when they are called Nazis or facists but shrug when rightwingers call liberals the same?
Posted by: Catherine | July 3, 2007 11:19 AM
Catherine-
I think the reason they go beserk is it strikes a bit close to home for them.
I mean, let's take John D for instance. Johnny's thinks torture is a good thing.
"Jethro, to be honest if some head-chopping terrorist was abused or tortured I couldn't care less. Have you ever seen the video of Nick Berg getting his head cut off? I watched it and was sickened to my very core. I watched another one too. Will never allow myself to watch that again, but the one benefit to watching that grotesque display of human nonsense is it teaches you what these people are about and who they are. You realize they are not human on any level, they are evil personified. So if some head chopper gets a broomstick up his butt or gets waterplowed or whatever it's called, I don't care!"
Posted by: John D | June 27, 2007 3:13 PM
Johnny would just love get a nifty black uniform and to start beating the truth out of those evil Muslims.
Johnny also likes the notion of using violence to eliminate his political opponents. You've seen his many calls for the Democratic leadership to be shot or bombed.
So if you call John D a fascist, he knows deep down that he has leanings that way, so he overreacts. John also projects his fascist tendancies on others, and as a result will readily accuse others of ose same feelings.
Posted by: Tony | July 3, 2007 2:07 PM