how convenient that Dominique Strauss-Kahn is now out of the picture.

The IMF is just an extension of the US. It's pretty right wing and is only happy if everyone does what America wants.

"But its annual report also warned that there were still "significant risks" which may need a policy response."

Hardly a sound victory,more a chance to continue for another day.

And as for the scoring don't forget you've lost most of the others

"largely temporary" sounds pretty specific.

david wrote:
The IMF is just an extension of the US. It's pretty right wing and is only happy if everyone does what America wants.

sure is..and now the left leaning Strauss-Kahn who was making serious noises about IMF policies is gone.

david wrote:
The IMF is just an extension of the US. It's pretty right wing and is only happy if everyone does what America wants.

Then how do you explain that the UK is running down its debt and the USA is doing the exact opposite !

(PS - Aren't 178 countries members of the IMF?)

The IMF doesn't always want other countries to follow US policy, but often to do what will benefit the American economy, even if it is to the other countries' detriment.

Take the giving of loans to countries that are struggling. Those loans are often riddled with 'conditions' for the granting of the loan. Conditions which grab the receiving country by the short and curlies, desperately needing the loan yet fearing the consequences of the conditions attached (which invariably favour the US economy).

Take the example of Ghana. A country once self-sufficient in many respects, now reduced to importing one of its staple ingredients, rice, from.... the US. Subsidised rice which undercut the local producers and destroyed the Ghanaian rice industry whilst greatly benefiting US producers.

news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/from_our_...spondent/1634514.stm (especially the end).


The World Bank isn't much better. And don't get me started on the IMF / World Bank and how they handled the transition to capitalism in Eastern Europe. The father of a friend of mine was an interpreter in the talks the World Bank/IMF held with the Communist government prior to the change of regime. What I heard was shocking.


So do I trust that the IMF has a neutral, disinterested view of things? No.

Do I trust their published opinions? No.

an amendment to my post above.

I meant to say 'The father of a friend of mine was an interpreter in the talks the World Bank/IMF held with the Communist government in Hungary prior to the change of regime..'

"The IMF predicted the UK would grow by 1.4 per cent in 2008 and 1.1 per cent in 2009, down from the 1.8 per cent for 2008 and 1.7 per cent for 2009 that it predicted in of 2008. It said inflation at 3.8 per cent was higher than expected, and inflation expectations were rising even as economic activity was slowing. That, the IMF said, meant the Bank of England had little room to cut rates. It didn't exactly turn out that way. In August 2008, the IMF didn't even spot that the UK economy had entered recession in April 2008.

Osborne has already turned, as the economy is slowing even before public spending cuts hit. The government's economic strategy is in disarray, no matter which of Osborne's pals he gets to say otherwise."


The IMF has no credibility in forecasting the UK economy

We could always follow Greece (currently 16.2% unemployment, and growing !) and paying roughly 50% more for borrowings that we are (with a further increase likely now they need second bail-out?).

LOL !

In The Know wrote:
We could always follow Greece (currently 16.2% unemployment, and growing !) and paying roughly 50% more for borrowings that we are (with a further increase likely now they need second bail-out?).

LOL !

Beware of gifts from Greece doris,ur slip's showing again,go sort out ur wardrobe malfunction b4 scoring more own goals for the ladies netball team

Those of us who are signed up members here can see how many people have viewed threads they have posted on.

'In The Know' you need to try harder- 26 hits on this thread in over a week, that's not very impressive, is it? - oops, I've just made that 27!

david wrote:
Those of us who are signed up members here can see how many people have viewed threads they have posted on.

'In The Know' you need to try harder- 26 hits on this thread in over a week, that's not very impressive, is it? - oops, I've just made that 27!

You naughty boy David ...but then again didn't i just make it 28?

Oh dear ... its seems that ITK was right yet again !

Greece goes bust (almost) after its credit rating was cut to CCC, the lowest in the world.

- news.sky.com/skynews/Home/Business/Greec...t_Level_In_the_World

In The Know wrote:
Oh dear ... its seems that ITK was right yet again !

Greece goes bust (almost) after its credit rating was cut to CCC, the lowest in the world.

- news.sky.com/skynews/Home/Business/Greec...t_Level_In_the_World

The only bust round here is ur bra doris

you are using pretty desperate example ITK...Greece !

Germany, Italy, France, Spain, Denmark -in fact all the Scandanavian countries all have far more 'leftist' governments than the UK and are doing nicely thank you with welfare benefits that shame the UK.

Russia, China under communism steaming ahead..Venezuala under lefty Chavez introducing welfare benefits all round including cost price only restaurants throughout the country.

Even Australia the only industrialised country to avoid the great financial meltdown (and gave every welfare recipient $1500 to spend spend spend it's way out of a recession successfully), thriving like no other and because it has a very left wing Greens Party that controls the Upper House so no retrograde policies can get past them.

And which countries have almost gone bust and still could ?..the 2 that control the world's finances..GB & USA both with right wing governments ( Blair/ Cameron/Bush/Obama).

back to the drawing board for you.

veritas wrote:
you are using pretty desperate example ITK...Greece !

Germany, Italy, France, Spain, Denmark -in fact all the Scandanavian countries all have far more 'leftist' governments than the UK and are doing nicely thank you with welfare benefits that shame the UK.

Russia, China under communism steaming ahead..Venezuala under lefty Chavez introducing welfare benefits all round including cost price only restaurants throughout the country.

Even Australia the only industrialised country to avoid the great financial meltdown (and gave every welfare recipient $1500 to spend spend spend it's way out of a recession successfully), thriving like no other and because it has a very left wing Greens Party that controls the Upper House so no retrograde policies can get past them.

And which countries have almost gone bust and still could ?..the 2 that control the world's finances..GB & USA both with right wing governments ( Blair/ Cameron/Bush/Obama).

back to the drawing board for you.

Well spotted veritas,doris spends all her time here providing us with comic entertainment

In The Know wrote:
Oh dear ... its seems that ITK was right yet again !

Greece goes bust (almost) after its credit rating was cut to CCC, the lowest in the world.

- news.sky.com/skynews/Home/Business/Greec...t_Level_In_the_World

Greece goes bust,and those prats in government look like spending our money on a rescue!
Remember doris we're talking real economics,not home economics

Solihull Exile wrote:
In The Know wrote:
Oh dear ... its seems that ITK was right yet again !

Greece goes bust (almost) after its credit rating was cut to CCC, the lowest in the world.

- news.sky.com/skynews/Home/Business/Greec...t_Level_In_the_World

Greece goes bust,and those prats in government look like spending our money on a rescue!
Remember doris we're talking real economics,not home economics

Hilarious SE