Bono as Banker: a Bonehead Idea

Your Feb. 25 editorial, “Bono for the World Bank,” is so naive it frightens me. This editorial exposes how little your editorial board understands about the role of president of the World Bank, a daunting administrative position that chiefly requires serious managerial skill, deep understanding of banking and economics and sound diplomatic and political expertise.

To think that [U2 rock star] Bono, a well-intentioned person but largely uninformed about anything beyond basic concepts of international affairs, could run the World Bank is simplistic.

Bono would be a perfect candidate to serve as a consultant or a spokesperson for the bank, as he is committed to his cause and has effectively raised the profile of issues such as debt relief.

But to think that Bono’s public relations skills translate into management qualifications is like suggesting that Bill Clinton should have had a saxophone career because he was a great president and loved the saxophone.

Joe Brinker

Washington

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Yes, President Bush, support Bono to lead the World Bank. And while you’re at it, accept his advice about the Millennium Project challenge.

Spend what is necessary to assist poor nations in Africa now, and avoid the need for a massive outpouring of money and resources later -- on uncontrolled diseases and wars arising from desperation and deprivation.

Such consequences won’t just exist in some distant, undeveloped country that we can ignore. In today’s global community, diseases cross oceans and wars involve our sons and daughters, husbands and wives.

Leslie Simpson

Oceanside