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Bush Names Iraq War Architect Paul Wolfowitz to Head World
Bank
Kevin Martin Appointed FCC Chairman, Ken Ferree Named to
Leading Post at Corporation for Public Broadcasting
St. Patrick's Day Special: Irish Peace Activists Protest
U.S. Use of Shannon Airport in Iraq War
Bush Names Iraq War Architect Paul Wolfowitz to Head
World Bank
President Bush 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. We speak with journalist
Jim Lobe and Njoki Njoroge Njehu of the 50 Years is Enough
network. [includes rush
transcript]
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.
Kevin Martin Appointed FCC Chairman, Ken Ferree Named
to Leading Post at Corporation for Public Broadcasting
President Bush named conservative commissioner Kevin Martin
to head the Federal Communications Commission. Separately,
Ken Ferree was named as Chief Operating Officer for the Corporation
for Public Broadcasting. We speak with Jeff Chester of the
Center for Digital Democracy. [includes rush
transcript]
Yesterday, President Bush announced the appointment of Kevin
Martin to head the Federal Communications Commission. He will
replace Michael Powell as the chairman of the organization.
Powell is leaving after seven and a half years on the commission
including four years as chairman. Kevin Martin was appointed
to the FCC in 2001. Martin is considered an advocate of reducing
government's regulation of telecommunication companies and
increasing the monitoring and enforcement of so-called indecent
content on the airwaves. He pleased Christian conservative
groups when he dissented from an FCC decision not to fine
the NBC television network for singer Bono's use of an expletive
during the 2003 Golden Globe Award ceremony. He has also been
in favor of stiffer penalties against media companies that
broadcast indecent material.
These organizations - like the Family Research Council -
have been advocating for the appointment of Martin to replace
Powell. Pat Trueman of the Family Research Council has said
of Martin "He is someone who understands what indecency
is doing to the culture. And he's certainly someone who we'd
be happy to see as a chairman." Kevin Martin also has
close ties to the White House. Previous to his FCC job, he
served on the Bush-Cheney transition team and was general
council for Bush's 2000 Presidential campaign. His wife, Cathie
Martin is a former aide to Vice President Dick Cheney - and
works in the White House as a special assistant to the President
for economic policy.
Separately, Ken Ferree was named as Chief Operating Officer
for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. CPB develops
programming for National Public Radio, Public Radio International
and PBS. Ferree was appointed to the FCC by Michael Powell
in 2001 and has led the FCC's media bureau for the past four
years.
St. Patrick's Day Special: Irish Peace Activists
Protest U.S. Use of Shannon Airport in Iraq War
To commemorate St. Patrick's Day, we take a look at the
use of Shannon airport by U.S. troops en route to Iraq as
well as the case of three Irish peace activists recently acquitted
after their arrest during a protest against President Bush.
Today is May 17th - St. Patrick's Day - when people across
the country celebrate the Saint credited with bringing Christianity
to Ireland.
To commemorate the occasion, we look at the case of three
Irish anti-war activists who were acquitted after their arrest
during a protest against President Bush.
The three were arrested in a small rowing boat in the river
Shannon as they held up a sign that read "Bush Go Home"
during the president's visit to Ireland in June 2004. The
Irish government said they failed to obey instructions to
leave a temporary exclusion zone set up for Bush's visit.
The judge dismissed the case saying there was no evidence
of any refusal by them to comply with the instructions.
- Aron Baker, one of the defendants in the case. He is
a member of the Mid-West Alliance Against Military Aggression
Another member of the group - Tim Hourigan - spoke about
Shannon airport and its use as a stopover for U.S. troops
in the Iraq war.
For a copy of today’s program, call 1 (800) 881 2359.
Our website is www.democracynow.org.
Our email address is mail@democracynow.org.
Democracy Now! is produced by Mike Burke, Sharif Abdel Kouddous,
Ana Nogueira, Elizabeth Press, Jeremy Scahill and Parvez Sharma.
Mike Di Filippo is our engineer.
Thanks also to Uri Galed, Angela Alston, Orlando Richards,
Simba Russeau, Johnny Sender, Rich Kim, Joe Murgio, John Randolph,
Chris Zucker, Karen Ranucci, Denis Moynihan, Eric Rweyemamu,
Jenny Filipazzo and Isis Phillips.
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