Beyond the question of what Shaha Riza’s compensation was and how she got it — is what she has been doing and for whom. She was reportedly seconded to the multi-nationally supported “Foundation for the Future,” which was really a part of America’s public diplomacy game plan.

Here is some material to help those following the Wolfowitz scandal. First, here is a great article by Emad Mekay and Jim Lobe, “Top Wolfowitz Postings Went to Iraq War Backers.” Here is a fascinating piece on Paul Wolfowitz’s family roots and early days at Cornell.

A TWN reader has done a nice job of assembling key email addresses for World Bank officials who may have some influence on whether the corrupt actions of Bank President Paul Wolfowitz on behalf of his girlfriend and others justifies his resignation/firing.

Paul Wolfowitz‘s tenure at the World Bank may end in the next day or two. Rumors are spreading like wild fire at the Bank that he plans to resign tomorrow.

Joe Biden has an important oped today, “The Real Surge Story,” that really goes after Senator John McCain’s continued embrace of military deployments in Iraq.

It may be a little late, but Tom Lantos is weighing in on Congressional fact-finding trips – and he’s not pulling any punches.

My significant other is a teacher and is not involved in policy work. As a concerned citizen, she bought a Save Darfur t-shirt and wears it occasionally. One night last month, she wore her shirt out to a gathering of my friends, most of whom work in political and environmental nonprofits and businesses.

If one wants to make the comparison even more striking, current spending on all “international programs” – that is, all U.S. non-military engagement with the world, accounts for 1.2% of the federal budget. That includes humanitarian relief, diplomacy, international organization funding, poverty and disease programs, U.N. peacekeeping, and a number of other critical international initiatives….

John Bolton has another zinger oped today in the Financial Times offering withering criticism of Tony Blair and the British government for actions in the recent soldier detention case that Bolton argues only embolden Iran’s hard-liners. Ambassador Bolton is brimming lately with hard criticism of the Brits, the Europeans, and even the American government.

This is just a personal note that one of the people who helped launch me professionally passed away in late March, and his obituary appeared recently in the Los Angeles Times. G.