Paul Wolfowitz

Paul Wolfowitz
Name	Paul Wolfowitz
Caption	Official portrait, 2005
Office	10th President of the World Bank
Term start	June 1, 2005
Term end	June 30, 2007
Predecessor	James Wolfensohn
Successor	Robert Zoellick
Office1	United States Deputy Secretary of Defense
President1	George W. Bush
Term start1	February 2, 2001
Term end1	May 13, 2005
Predecessor1	Rudy de Leon
Successor1	Gordon R. England
Office2	United States Under Secretary of Defense for Policy
President2	George H. W. Bush
Term start2	1989
Term end2	1993
Predecessor2	Fred C. Iklé
Successor2	Frank G. Wisner
Birth date	22 December 1943
Birth place	New York City, New York, U.S.
Party	Republican
Education	Cornell University (BA), University of Chicago (MA, PhD)
Spouse	Clare Selgin, 1968, 2001, Shaha Ali Riza, 2023

Paul Wolfowitz is an American political scientist and diplomat who served as the 10th President of the World Bank from 2005 to 2007. A prominent neoconservative intellectual, he held several high-ranking positions in the United States Department of Defense, most notably as Deputy Secretary of Defense under President George W. Bush during the planning and early execution of the Iraq War. His career has spanned academia, foreign policy formulation, and international development, often marked by significant controversy.

Early life and education

He was born in New York City to a family of Polish Jewish immigrants. His father, Jacob Wolfowitz, was a noted statistician and professor at Cornell University. He attended Ithaca High School before enrolling at Cornell University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in mathematics and chemistry in 1965. He subsequently pursued graduate studies in political science at the University of Chicago, studying under the influential nuclear strategist Albert Wohlstetter and earning his Master of Arts in 1967 and his Doctor of Philosophy in 1972.

Academic career

His early professional work was in academia, focusing on international relations and security studies. He taught in the Department of Political Science at Yale University from 1970 to 1973. He later served as a professor at the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) at Johns Hopkins University from 1981 to 1993, where he was also the dean from 1994 to 2001. During his academic tenure, he was a prominent voice on foreign policy and national security, contributing to the Committee on the Present Danger and influencing a generation of policymakers.

Government service

His government career began in the 1970s with roles in the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency and as a deputy assistant secretary of defense in the Jimmy Carter administration. He rose to significant prominence during the presidency of Ronald Reagan, serving as the United States Ambassador to Indonesia from 1986 to 1989. Under President George H. W. Bush, he was appointed Under Secretary of Defense for Policy (1989–1993), playing a key role in shaping defense strategy after the Cold War. His most consequential government role was as Deputy Secretary of Defense (2001–2005) under Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, where he was a leading architect of the 2003 invasion of Iraq and a vocal advocate for the policy of promoting democracy in the Middle East.

World Bank presidency

In 2005, President George W. Bush nominated him to become President of the World Bank. His tenure was dominated by a major ethics scandal involving a promotion and pay raise for his companion, World Bank employee Shaha Ali Riza. An investigation by the Bank's Ethics Committee and the subsequent report by the Volcker Panel found violations of bank rules. Facing mounting pressure from the Executive Board and member governments, including key European states, he announced his resignation effective June 30, 2007.

Later career and activities

Following his departure from the World Bank, he joined the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) as a visiting scholar. He has served on various boards, including the advisory board of the United States Institute of Peace and as chairman of the International Advisory Board of the Hudson Institute. He remains an active commentator on foreign policy, frequently publishing op-eds in outlets like The Wall Street Journal and participating in forums hosted by organizations such as the Foreign Policy Initiative.

Personal life

He was married to Clare Selgin from 1968 until their divorce in 2001; they have three children. In 2023, he married Shaha Ali Riza, a British-Tunisian scholar and former World Bank employee. His sister, Joan Wolfowitz, is also a former official at the World Bank. He has been a recipient of several honors, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, awarded by President George W. Bush in 2003.

Category:American political scientists Category:World Bank Group presidents Category:United States Deputy Secretaries of Defense Category:Neoconservatism