President Bush today appointed former secretary of state James A. Baker III to a key new post in the U.S. effort to rebuild Iraq, announcing that the veteran political operative and renowned troubleshooter would become his "personal envoy on the issue of Iraqi debt."
"Secretary Baker will report directly to me and will lead an effort to work with the world's governments at the highest levels, with the international organizations and with the Iraqis in seeking the restructuring and reduction of Iraq's official debt," Bush said in a statement.
Iraq is saddled with an estimated $125 billion in foreign debt, and most international donors have pledged loans instead of grants. U.S. officials fear the debt load will badly hamper the country's economy as the United States takes steps to foster a sovereign, democratic government.
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Baker, a 73-year-old Texan, has long undertaken challenging assignments for the Bush family. He was secretary of state under President George H.W. Bush, helping to assemble the international coalition for the 1991 Persian Gulf War. He then served as White House chief of staff and manager of the first President Bush's reelection campaign of 1992.
Baker later headed the Republican team during the Florida recount litigation after the disputed election of 2000.
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Baker currently works as a senior partner in the international law firm of Baker Botts L.L.P., which has offices in Washington, New York, Houston, Moscow, London, Riyadh and other cities. The firm last year landed the Houston-based oil services company Halliburton as a client. Baker also serves as a senior counselor to The Carlyle Group, a merchant banking firm in Washington, and is honorary chairman of the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy at Houston's Rice University.
Can Baker credibly be expected to act on anyone's behalf except Bush's, Halliburton's, or The Carlyle Group's, all of whose interests he represents?
From the perspective of the civilians who will make up Iraq's purported new democracy, this development is like the scene in the film Brazil when the accused are presented with an invoice for the cost of their interrogation and torture.
