(archived from May 2, 2014)
by Scott Creighton
The other day the IMF approved a 17 billion dollar “loan” for the neolibral oligarchs in Ukraine. All they had to do was hike up the cost of fuel by 50%, freeze the minimum wage, increase taxes significantly (and open the markets to outside institutions, etc etc etc)… and viciously attack Ukrainian civilians who don’t recognize our technocrat-led illegal regime in Kiev. That’s not much of a price to pay, is it?
“The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has approved a $17.1bn (£10.1bn) bailout for Ukraine to help the country’s beleaguered economy…
… The loan is dependent on strict economic reforms, including raising taxes and energy prices…
… The government has also agreed to freeze the minimum wage…
… The head of the IMF, Christine Lagarde, said the IMF would check regularly to ensure the Ukrainian government followed through on its commitments.” BBC
and...
“In a staff report on the aid program, published Thursday, the IMF added that a change to eastern Ukraine’s borders could force it to adjust its bailout.
“The unfolding developments in the east and tense relations with Russia could severely disrupt bilateral trade and depress investment confidence for a considerable period of time, thus worsening the economic outlook,” it said.
“Should the central government lose effective control over the east, the program will need to be re-designed.” CNBC
The message is clear: no repression, no austerity = no “stability” for our foreign investor class (i.e. “Masters of the Universe”) = no money.
So today that repression is well under way with the requisite amount of pig lipstick from the complicit media. Doesn’t take take, long does it?
“Ukraine launched what appeared to be its first major assault against pro-Russian forces who have seized government buildings in the country’s east, with fighting breaking out in the early hours on Friday around a city that has become the focus of the insurgency. ” AP
The “pro-Russian forces” are actually Ukrainians who don’t like the neoliberal austerity measures being imposed on them by an illegal government installed by our latest color revolution (which prominently featured unapologetic neo-Nazi fascists) on behalf of the IMF.
For those of you who don’t yet understand that the banksters and financial wizards of the world call the shots, it took our technocrat leader of our new puppet regime just two days to ask “how high?” when the IMF told him to “jump”… or, better still, “how much?” when they told him “blood!”
And when you consider the fact that Russia is standing there on the border just waiting for the right moment to step into the fray, that’s quite a leap of faith, wouldn’t you say?
Think about that for a second. This regime, this illegitimate regime which is not supported by the majority of it’s constituency, is poking a stick in the eye of the Russian bear, arguably the most powerful standing army in the world.
That would be like me taking on the local tactical SWAT team… with a plastic spoon… and a tee-shirt… and a pair of flip-flops with holes in them.
Not the brightest move in the history of the world. But, money does make people do stupid things I suppose. And 17 billion is a lot of money to loot.
This game of brinksmanship is treading awfully close to that point of no return. I wonder if another Cuban Missile Crisis in on the horizon. I certainly hope not.
With that happy thought in mind, have a good Friday folks.
Pet your pets, hug your kids and say a kind word or two to your plants. They like that I’m told.
The crazies run the nut-house and they’re drunk on power, greed and ambition, looking for fight.
Let’s hope cooler heads prevail. So much for the Peace Prize.
No comments:
Post a Comment