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Greece Crisis Opinion: Troika Rises From The Dead As Draghi Leads The Charge, And Varoufakis Employs Brave Face
Conflicting rumours surround the Syriza reform programme approval process tonight, but whatever emerges from this farcical trading of angels on a pinhead, I’m increasingly concerned as details of the humiliation process programme ‘deal’ accepted by Yanis Varoufakis last Friday come to light. I don’t actually think the five-point italic hand-tying target codicils matter a damn to be honest, because they’re all unachievable anyway.
Far more relevant is what EC behaviour has been found acceptable to the Greek Government.
Did you know, for instance, that both the Gang of Four revisions, the Friday ambush, and the ELA threats/leaks to Greek banks were driven by Draghi?
Did you know that – in a direct sideswipe at rehiring Ministerial cleaners – there is a blanket ban under the agreement on any more public sector hiring?
Did you know that, just to rub in really hard that how they think the Greeks shit on their shoes, eurogroup told Varoufakis Friday that they were “handing over the judgement process to the organisation formally known as the Troika” – Draghi’s exact words. This was a direct hit on Syriza’s refusal to deal with the Troika. “Eurogroup will leave the details to this institution, who will present their view to eurogroup” he added.
Varafoukakis told CNN this evening that it was eurogroup who wanted more time to think, not the Troika. That is very, very economical with the truth – and not how other Syriza officials see it. The Troika has made it clear to eurogroup there are things they don’t like. As Naked Capitalism reported yesterday, ‘The Greek government is required to submit a list of reforms to the Troika by the end of day Monday. If it is not approved, the Eurogroup will meet on Tuesday.’
Guess what? Earlier this evening, Greek Channel NERIT announced that the eurogroup has asked Greece to submit a revised reforms list for its meeting Tuesday morning. The Guardian carries the same story.
I’m sorry, but at the minute Yanis Varoufakis isn’t coming out of this very well. For now, I support him to the hilt: but he is either going to resist the EC/ECB/creditors Troika or he isn’t. I know perfectly well that there are many among Athehnian opinion-leaders who disagree with me about this. So perhaps – to illustrate the point – I might be allowed to relate an infamous Churchillian anecdote.
In the mid 1920s, WSC found himself seated next to a lady of liberal leanings at supper. Glad to have this arch anti-Communist to herself, the socialite took him to task about strike breaking, dissembling newspaper articles about the working class, and several other genuinely unpleasant dimensions of Churchill’s curate’s egg of a personality.
As ever when in the presence of what he regarded as uppity suffragettes, Winston was cutting and dismissive, telling the woman she should stick to worrying about her children and suitable marriages for her daughters – while remaining grateful for the fact that Britain had unwisely given her the vote.
“Mr Churchill,” said the shocked supper companion, “If I were married to you, I would put poison in your wine”.
“Madam,” Churchill lisped, “if I were married to you, I would drink it”.
Think of this as the “Drop dead” period of Syriza/EU insult exchanging immediately following the election.
Back in 1927, this not entirely auspicious exchange rapidly deteriorated, such that by the time pudding arrived, the lady concerned had reached the end of whatever short tether she possessed.
“Mr Churchill,” she said loudly, “You are the last person in the world I would ever marry”.
“Madam,” WSC responded, “A small part of marriage involves procreation in the bedroom. In order to show you what my real intentions are, under what circumstance would you consent to sleep with me?” The mortified woman hesitated, and then replied.
“There is no amount of money on Earth that would so persuade me”.
“Not even,” asked Winston, “£10 million?”. She laughed out loud.
“Don’t be ridiculous, that’s more than the Poor Relief budget. No woman is worth that”.
“Very well then,” said the future war leader, “Shall we say £500?”
“That is an insult,” she responded, “what do you take me for – a common prostitute?”
“Madam,” said Winston Churchill, “We have already established your profession. At this stage, we are merely haggling about the price”.
Fast forward to 2015: that’s what has been going on since Friday afternoon between Syriza and the Troika.
I don’t buy the “lose the battle, win the war” argument. While the Troika, Wall Street, US economic colonisation, EU fascism and banking sociopathy are indeed the enemy, this is a peace time exchange, not all-out war – yet. A strategic retreat is one thing: preparedness to cling to the driftwood of credibility is merely appeasement.
I’m now informed – in the last twenty minutes by a well-placed Syriza source – that fully eight Greek Cabinet members are opposed to acceptance of the deal. For myself, I feel cheated and made to look stupid by the hidden facts and cynical spin that followed Friday’s little re-enactment of the 1938 Munich crisis. But my feelings don’t matter a jot: let The Slog’s Saturday post stand as a testament to rushed judgement. More to the point is the reality that an opportunity to call the Troika bluff has been blown.
If Yanis Varoufakis wants to regain his dignity – and keep Syriza together – he needs to think very carefully about what Prime Minister Tsipras should be asked to accept tomorrow…and then sell to his Party. For what will it benefit a man if he buys time, yet sells his soul?
Earlier at The Slog: The truth behind media bollocks on arming Ukraine
Filed under: AND VAROUFAKIS EMPLOYS BRAVE FACE, GREECE CRISIS OPINION: TROIKA RISES FROM THE DEAD AS DRAGHI LEADS THE CHARGE Tagged: ECB shown to be leading anti-Syriza charge, Game theory can too easily become appeasement, Greece must not become a prostitute, Winston Churchill, Yanis Varoufakis 
Source: https://hat4uk.wordpress.com/2015/02/23/greece-crisis-opinion-troika-rises-from-the-dead-as-draghi-leads-the-charge-and-varoufakis-employs-brave-face/
