Paul Wolfowitz Shouldn't Quit - A Look at Both Sides of the Argument

Did Paul Wolfowitz do anything wrong when he raised his girlfriend’s salary? That’s the question we’ll be investigating today. We’ll look at both sides of argument.

Wolfowitz Should Quit

• Wolfowitz unfairly gave his girlfriend a raise.
• The raise was above the maximum allowed raise ($47,430 when the limit was $20,146)
• It was unethical, just as the World Bank board ruled.
• He was a hypocrite; he was a champion of fighting corruption, yet he gave girlfriend, Ali Riza, an exorbitant raise (her salary was larger than Condoleezza Rice’s).

Wolfowitz Shouldn’t Quit

• Wolfowitz gave his girlfriend a raise, to make up for the fact that she had to change jobs.
• Wolfowitz was afraid if he didn’t give Riza a large enough raise he would be sued.
• People are madder about the Iraq War and Wolfowitz’s involvement in the planning of the war than his actual actions at the World Bank.
• Paul Wolfowitz was a successful head of the World Bank.

Final Decision

In fact, Paul Wolfowitz did not break many rules. He gave his girlfriend twice the maximum pay raise, but really that is it. Mr. Wolfowitz has no need to step down. For this blogger, the only reason to be mad at Mr. Wolfowitz is his involvement in the planning of the Iraq War.