My father made his retirement money on the South African Stock Exchange. He examined shares he was interested in, in the most minute detail. One thing he was always interested in was who the top people were. He tracked CEO’s and valued them as important contributors to the success or demise of a company as well as indicators of future company results.

He did this without having attended University or completed an MBA and way before management gurus started talking about it. His investment strategy worked well for him and I learnt many invaluable lessons from him.

Taking this point of tracking the CEO further, it is with interest one sees Wolfowitz moving to the American Enterprise Institute. Just as a reminder, Wolfowitz was the main advisor to Bush on the invasion of Iraq and more recently the World Bank president who got caught with his fingers in the till when he promoted his partner to a better salary. He was told to leave, but wily Wolfowitz managed to negotiate a resignation. Neither of these two last positions would, one would think, make him employable.

With this in mind, one has a closer look at the American Enterprise Institute to see why they would feel that Wolfowitz fits into their culture and ethics. An interesting blog by Glenn Greenwald informs me that the AEI ‘sits in the innermost belly of the neoconservative beast’. Strong words indeed.

Reading further, one is aware of the hairs on one’s neck rising. This very well supported, mega million dollar, institute has been influential in dictating to Bush what should be happening in the States and the rest of the world. Their next little target is an outright war on Iran followed by, in no particular order of preference, gagging journalists, strengthening domestic surveillance and a reflexive defense of Israel. Wow. Perspiration on the brow.

Another interesting snippet reported by sourcewatch, is that the AEI was offering scientists and economists $10 000 to undermine climate change reports. This was reported by The Guardian in February 2007. What might have helped with that generous scientist funding project was the fact that ExxonMobil is reported to have funded the AEI to the tune of $1.6m says The Guardian. This article was rebutted by the AEI.

Whether the AEI tried to bribe economists or not, the point I am trying to make is that the top people of an organisation are indicators of the success or demise of an organisation. These people also dictate or at the least contribute to the culture and ethics of their organisation.

The fact that Wolfowitz, argued to be the father of the Iraq war, should join the AEI as a visiting scholar should be of concern, given their alleged influence on Bush. Supposedly, the AEI website states, Wolfowitz will look after development issues in Africa. However, Bush still has some time left in the White House. What odds on a war in Iran? Wouldn’t even take that long to move the troops across the border. For all we know, they are there already. Talk about a conspiracy theory…