Greece, to my mind, is the scapegoat to distract attention from the inherently, predictable failure of the Euro currency and capitalism internationally.

European bureaucrats are sitting comfortably, whilst they continue to prop up the false idea that the Euro can ever work, shouting that it’s Greece’s fault, and before that Ireland, Portugal, Spain.. country by country, the elephant in the room of European-state nationalists creating an unsustainable economic environment not being talked about.

The problem of debt – including the degree to which it’s even a real and meaningful statistic – is complex. (I suggest the documentary Debtocracy, as soon as it has English subtitles.) The myth of the overinflated Greek public sector, however, is just that: a myth.

But what Jonas doesn’t tell you here is that by the end of 2009, Greece’s public debt was 126.8% of GDP.
( Source: http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/cache/ITY_PUBLIC/2-15112010-AP/EN/2-15112010-AP-EN.PDF )

Rather different from the figure he’s gives, isn’t it?

I tried to explain to Jonas what the problem was on his blog – that the public sector was spending more than the private sector was able to provide – but criticising Greece’s public sector policies (which are no by means unique to Greece, as he himself admits) makes you a racist and a fascist, apparently.

a) Not just the involvement in this war in general, but more specifically events like the Kunduz Massacre, which sent the German government into crisis.

b) Other disturbing events like the “skull scandal” of German soldiers posing with skulls in Aghanistan.

Such events are not to be taken lightly anywhere, but they are doubly disturbing in a country with Germany’s history.

One point I would like clarification on within the article from the Author is the reference to German war crimes in Afghanistan & Pakistan that “raise eerie memories”? Does this refer merely to their involvement in the conflict with little public support or does it refer to specific war crimes or an allegations? I think this is too strong an allegation to make unreferenced.

This post was mentioned on Twitter by antonvowl: New Enemies: Guest post – The Greek Situation http://bit.ly/bG7rkv...

So it is a fuck up. But who should pay for it? I see no reason why the Germans should pay for it. The European Union – well Greece is a net creditor from the EU already, i.e. it’s mainly German & UK money that they’ve been getting. How’s that worked so far?

And whoever pays for Greece, are they also going to pay for Italy, Spain, Portugal, Ireland, UK? Why not? It wouldn’t be fair to bail out one country, would it?

Finally, like I said before, short, painful periods of correction are beneficial in the long run. That’s what Greece should be asking for. SOunds harsh, right? Well would you rather have painful chemotherapy or let the cancer continue to grow?

I have full sympathy for the Greeks, not least because we (the UK) are ultimately in the same situation though most people don’t realise it yet. But at the end of the day, what is best for them and us, is not to get outside help and additional money to prop up businesses that aren’t working and debts that are only increasing. It is to cure the problem (let the business go so that new and better ones can replace them) and to reduce the debt by – horror – increasing taxes and cutting public spending.

That’s the unpalatable truth and we can complain about how unfair it is – and I’m not saying it isn’t unfair – but that won’t achieve anything. We have to be dispassionate about the rights and wrongs and simply look at the facts, and work out what is best.

The only problem is that their population with history of rebellion almost certainly won’t allow them to do it. As a result, the governments will be pushed into asking for money, blaming others, extremist politics to deal with the civil unrest, and so on.

So the Greek working population has to pay for the actions of the Greek and international elite, while the rich and powerful happily continue on their way? Why shouldn’t those who are responsible – and have the money – pay for their mistakes? (Mistakes which they are likely to repeat.) And what is the point of having a European Union if it bails out banks, but not its own members?

Furthermore, Greece wasn’t even asking for a bailout.