Many observers are treating George W. Bush's nomination of Paul Wolfowitz, the US deputy secretary of defence, as World Bank president as a strange departure for both men. Instead, this should be seen for what it is: pursuit of neoconservative foreign policy goals by additional means. The aim is still to make the world safer for the US by confronting and transforming troublesome states on their home turf. Unlike the military misadventure in Iraq, however, such an effort through the bank stands a chance of working - and could do the developing world some good.

There is a consistent world view underlying Mr Wolfowitz's prior efforts - that domestic change abroad can be attained through aggressive intervention and strong proclamation of American desires. As already displayed in Washington's recent shift in aid criteria, the Bush administration's approach to development means that US-set conditions will determine whether to reward or target any given country's regimes, and will be actively applied. In terms of poverty alleviation, however, concern among foreign policy realists - that such unilateral behaviour will simply create more enemies, instability or big-power rivalries - though valid in the military sphere, does not apply here.