Oh, the irony.

Since 2005 when he took over as president of World Bank, Paul Wolfowitz has been riding a wave of virtue, pledging to combat corruption and promote good governance in developing countries. These are fitting goals for an organization charged with lending money and collecting debt in the name of reducing global poverty.

While fighting the good fight, however, Wolfowitz saw fit to arrange a huge pay raise and promotion for his girlfriend, Shaha Riza, an employee of the World Bank when he took over. He secured a job for Riza with the State Department and guaranteed that by the end of his five-year term, she would be receiving almost $245,000 a year.

The champion of anti-corruption also hired key aides from the Pentagon who had no previous experience in banking, handing them an annual salary of $250,000 — tax free.

Wolfowitz's actions were not just in bad taste, they were unethical. In fact, they smack of favoritism and corruption.

Former World Bank senior officials have called for his resignation. But Dana Perino, a White House spokeswoman offered only this: President Bush "has confidence in Paul Wolfowitz."

But that's to be expected, considering the Bush administration's public support of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales — the same unwavering support given to Donald Rumsfeld up until the day his departure was announced.

The World Bank exists to aid the world's poorest regions whose people have suffered indescribable tragedies. Wolfowitz has compromised this mission by shifting the focus to his own wrongdoing. He should resign so that the organization's much-needed work can finally continue.