The article published by Washington Post on Ms. Riza on May 10 raised some questions in my mind. Was the package given to Ms. Riza a pay-off for services rendered in other areas? Was the relationship an "arranged marriage" or "marriage of convenience" to cover other things? I found it strange, to quote the Washington Post, that: "In April 2003, after the U.S. invasion, Riza took a month's leave from the World Bank to work with Iraqi women in Baghdad on forming a new government. Defense Department documents show that Wolfowitz, then still at the Pentagon, played a role in sending her." What I find even stranger is his wife's comments on Ms. Riza: "Shaha Riza is a dedicated and serious reform advocate who has my respect. I hope she will be able to continue her work in spite of everything." Obviously, something stinks in Denmark. Wolfowitz should not be given any special concessions, he has been amply rewarded with a high-paying job for launching an invasion in search of non-existent WMDs. There was no reason to arrange a special lavish package with an external appointment since wives and husbands and girlfriends and boyfriends do work at the Bank. This time, the master manipulator seems to have out-maneuvered himself.

I have no doubt that most of the girlfriend's big raise is being kicked right back to the boyfriend.

This has to be the largest money and power grabbing free for all that the world has seen since Babylonian times. Who the f___ do these maniacs think they are?? Wolfie, you are doing a heck of a job, Brownie, Rummy, Berto, you are all doing a heck of a job... The only job I want these chicken hawks doing is license plates at the nearest penitentiary. As a Jew I am even more alarmed that the obfuscating tactics of Goebbels has been co-opted for the neo-conservative agenda. Just becuse you can lead the sheep with repeated lies doesn't mean you should!!! What are you thinking about Wolfowitz??? Oh, wait I know the answer, your paycheck and your dick. You sir are a schmuck.

It seems Shaha Riza would have to be interested in something more than just amorous relations with sleaze-ball Wolfowitz.

The idea that the neo cons were involved in 9/11 has never seemed strange to me - at least not since I saw the mountain of evidence supporting that idea. They're simply rotten to the core and how they ever conned the American electorate into returning a dummy like Bush to the White House is beyond me. I suppose that's what happens when most people don't bother to vote. The fact that Wolfowitz is 'sleeping with the enemy' as some people would see it, comes as no surprise. After all, Osama bin Laden was America's ally in Afghanistan and the CIA put Saddam Hussein in power and funded and armed him for decades. It's a strange, twisted and murky world these people inhabit, which is fine, just as long as they're not the government. It seems the CIA is now officially running the government, not the other way round.

Wow. Big-time Republican with power and all, and this bow-wow is the best he can do in the trophy girlfriend department???

Obviously a failed Republican. Go over to Wolcott's blog and look at Fred Thompson and Miss Tits, er, his trophy lady. Now that is a Republican trophy girl. Two trophys simultaneously!

This is a trifling issue compared to so much the Bush administration has done; this sort of thing happens with people of any ideological background or political affiliation. The letters here are simply chilling thought in their hatred and irrational obsession with the Neo-Cons. The sexist barbs aimed at Shaha Ali Riza disturb me the most. This woman has not “slept her way to the top”, is not Wolfowitz’s “crumpet”, and the sum of her merits is not being “his girfriend”. The far Left is simply drowning in its hatred of the Bush administration. There are a thousand other issues of greater importance to liberal causes than this tabloid trash. Salon should be ashamed to focus on it in this manner.

...are all of the feminists at Salon comfortable with Joe Conason's snarling reference to Wolfowitz's "girlfriend"? After all, irrespective of one's political views, Shaha Riza is a woman with a considerable record of professional accomplishment in Mideast affaris and is herself a noted feminist.

Is it okay to downgrade Ms. Riza with a mildly sexist pejorative just because of her and/or Mr. Wolfowitz's politics?

After Robert McNamara got us into the Viet Nam disaster, he was ushered out the back door to head the world bank. This resolved the problem of Viet Nam as being refered to as McNamara's war. When the U.S. gets misled into a disasterous war, is it going to be common practice to make the person responsible head of the World Bank?

He gets the U.S. into a disasterous war by over ruling Shinseki's objections, then slithers out the back door to cozy up with his Libyan Girlfriend? Ok, so who were our enemies again?

http://www.opinionjournal.com/editorial/feature.html?id=110009965

I love when the readers are as knowlegeable, as to inject more info than what was in the original article.Kudos

So Riza was involved in Free Iraq Foundation.

Wolfowitz was involved with Riza at least as early as 2003.

Do not tell me that the US invaded Iraq and 3000 Americans have died so that Wolfowitz could impress his girlfriend.

Let's see...fire gay Arab translators in State Dept. because they pose a security risk...and just how does Wolfie's crumpet not pose the same problem???

What about Saudi Prince Bandar, aka "Bandar Bush"? Not only did he get briefed on the Iraq War before Colin Powell did, he even had his own room at the Crawford Ranch. The only way he could have had higher security clearance would be if he slept in the same bed as Dubya.

Er... wait....

it's ok to engage in blatant nepotism and help your significant other get plum junkett jobs as long as they are loyal. Didn't I see this scene in "Casablanca?"

"I am shocked, shocked I tell you, that there is gambling on the premises."

"Your winnings, sir."