And suddenly, the world looks a few shades darker.

The World Bank is an easy target for activist critiques, but the Bank under Wolfensohn has made real progress is moving away from “supersized” projects that put nations deep in debt and towards funding projects that have good inputs from beneficiaries and grassroots. Wolfensohn has evidently communicated his desire to continue serving, but doesn’t have support from the White House.

Given the strong influence Wolfowitz had over American foreign policy under Bush’s first term, it’s hard to believe that this doesn’t reflect a major Bush administration effort to change the role and structure of the Bank.

And suddenly, the world looks a few shades darker.

The World Bank is an easy target for activist critiques, but the Bank under Wolfensohn has made real progress is moving away from “supersized” projects that put nations deep in debt and towards funding projects that have good inputs from beneficiaries and grassroots. Wolfensohn has evidently communicated his desire to continue serving, but doesn’t have support from the White House.

Given the strong influence Wolfowitz had over American foreign policy under Bush’s first term, it’s hard to believe that this doesn’t reflect a major Bush administration effort to change the role and structure of the Bank.