Developing Story! Bush Said Ready To Dump Wolfowitz and Name Blair New World Bank Chief

Sources Say Bush Not Ready To Abandon Rewarding Iraq War Supporters; Cheney Furious, Was Lobbying For Libby Posting

In what would be a stunning move, and very much out-of-character, sources are telling The Garlic that President Bush is getting ready to jettison the beleaguered former staffer, and World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz and name as his replacement the outgoing British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

Plans moved swiftly once Mr. Blair announced yesterday his resignation as Prime Minister and the quick exit date of June 27th.

The White House, desperate to get the Iraq War Funding bill, the growing U.S. Attorney Scandal, with news surfacing that the administration has withheld emails that show Karl Rove's involvement,, as well as the rerun of testimony by his Attorney General, off the headlines.

And, to end the waiting game and resolve the lagging World Bank Scandal, that has the former Assistant Secretary of Defense, Wolfowitz, being found to have violated rules and ethics in giving his girlfriend, Shaha Riza, a cushy job and outstanding pay raise.

Wolfowitz, one of the architects of the invasion and occupation of Iraq, has faced a mountain of pressure to resign, yet The Uniter/The Decider/The Commander Guy has, up until now, staunchly defended Wolfowitz, giving no indication that he would be fired or asked to leave the post.

Wolfowitz is said to be stunned, notified earlier evening of the move, having expected the continued full backing from White House.

Speaking on deep background, a White House staffer, who was in the meeting on naming Blair to the World Bank, indicated that "All he {Wolfowitz] had to do is look at Scooter Libby ... These guys expect, when it is in their interests, for you to fall on the sword."

This wouldn't be the first time that President Bush and Prime Minister Blair held private, secret conversations.

Bush and Blair discussed the invasion of Iraq, and selling the war, before the launch, with Blair promising support "with or without U.N. backing".

With former CIA Director George Tenet out on the circuit, promoting his new book, the White House was uncomfortable offering the Presidential Medal of Freedom to the British Prime Minister, after the backlash of negative press in awarding it to Tenet.

And President Bush is said to be adamant of not wavering of his policy, of rewarding backers of his plans to take over Iraq with awards and/or elevated positions in, or out, of government.

"He can," offered the White House staffer, in naming Blair to replace Wolfowitz, "keep the continuity of having a pro-Iraq agenda inside the World Bank"

Vice President Dick Cheney is said to be furious, as he has been, behind the scenes, lobbying the President to name his now-convicted former Chief of Staff I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby to the post. Some say this was Cheney, playing both sides, and ready to trade the President on withdrawing Libby's name in exchange for a Presidential Pardon.

"It's not exactly Tinker, To Evers, To Chance," offered Holly Martins, Publisher of Axis of Evil Illustrated, a quarterly publication, that is rumored to be a house magazine for the Project for The New American Century, "but Bush, To Wolfowitz, to Blair is, pretty much, the political equivalent. They all can play the game superbly."

"Only," added Martins, "there's, likely, double-crosses in play here, not double-plays."

Bonus Links

Tony Blair's Legacy: George Bush's Iraq Trump Card

From Savior To Bush's Prison Bitch: The Downfall Of Tony Blair

Blair and Cheney Sing A Duet: 'Blair, It's Not So Bad Out There'

Dept. of Sweetheart Deals: Does He Hear the World's Poor? Don't Bank on It.


Soon-To-Be Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair will be playing a different tune, with President Bush getting ready to name him to replace Paul Wolfowitz as head of the World Bank