The Awesomeness Of True Brilliance

George W. Bush has done some awesome stuff. I mean some really, really awesome stuff. However, in terms of sheer awesomeness, I have to say that it all pales in comparison to his nomination of Paul Wolfowitz as head of World Bank.

As much as anything, Mr. Bush may be giving Mr. Wolfowitz the job to help him rebuild his reputation after the heat he has taken over Iraq, said Rick Barton, a senior adviser at the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies and a former top U.S. development official. "In a way it's a better fit than where [Mr. Wolfowitz] has been before," Mr. Barton said. "He's passionate about humanitarian and political development, and that could probably be strengthened at the World Bank."

I think the moment that really defined Wolfowitz as a humanitarian came during a hearing of the House Appropriations subcommittee last year, when he revealed that he had no-fucking-clue-whatsoever as to the total number of American soldiers who had died in Iraq up to that point.

Asked how many American troops have died in Iraq, the Pentagon's No. 2 civilian estimated Thursday the total was about 500 -- more than 200 soldiers short.

Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz was asked about the toll at a hearing of a House Appropriations subcommittee. "It's approximately 500, of which -- I can get the exact numbers -- approximately 350 are combat deaths," he responded.