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There is no comparison between the news we have been scantly getting from Iran and those we are getting from Greece.

Um, in Iran health care provision is not collapsing as we speak. Parents are not giving their children up to social services because they cannot pay the bills. People are not being taxed through the electricity bill in order to pay interest on money that never actually makes it to the country.

Did you see this?

Have you been keeping track of what Jean-Claude Juncker has been saying? Such as

"We are highly concerned by the high unemployment and increasing poverty, but we agreed Spain will stick to the 3 percent target in 2013, which is more important than the avenues chosen in 2012," Juncker explained.
also
I don't agree that Spain should go through excessive and stupid consolidation that puts it in a more difficult situation than it already is, but on the other hand Spain is the fourth- largest economy of the euro zone and as such it cannot take total leave from the promises it has made," Juncker said.
"There is poverty, there is unemployment, the policy is stupid, but damn us if we're going to deviate from the policy even if it's stupid."

Do you understand the EU, Luis?

Is it still the EU you knew and loved?

There are three stories about the euro crisis: the Republican story, the German story, and the truth. -- Paul Krugman

by Carrie (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Sat Mar 17th, 2012 at 02:35:29 PM EST
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Juncker is very candid these days:

http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite1_14647_18/03/2012_433448

We have heard that at first you pushed for a longer-term program, five or six years of adjustment and lower interest rates, but that the Germans opposed this. Is this the case?

Exactly.

Just to insist on this point: Are the Germans taking a punishing attitude toward Greece?

I don't know if the Germans were taking a punishing attitude toward Greece, I don't like that expression, but whenever I tried to be more accommodating, whenever I tried to be, let's say, less severe, I had to face strong reactions from several countries.

He's stepping down from his post soon.

by Upstate NY on Sun Mar 18th, 2012 at 02:01:39 PM EST
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