Neo-conservatives, neo-liberals and Ukraine

American foreign policy during the past couple of decades has been directed by two groups of people — the so-called neo-conservatives (who are not conservative) and the so-called neo-liberals (who are not liberal).  They are part of the deep state, the part of the government that is not affected by election results.

The goal of the neo-conservatives is to make the United States the dominant world military power by, among other things, keeping Russia weak and preventing China from growing strong.  They say that the only way the United States can be save is by preventing the emergence of any country with the power to threaten it.

The goal of the neo-liberals is to free corporations and banks from the control of all governments, including the United States government, and to force nations to repay their debts to international banks at whatever cost to the well-being of the citizens.  They say this is the only path to a world that is prosperous and free.

Sometimes these groups work at cross purposes, and the Ukraine situation is a good example.

As Prof. Bill Black was written, if the U.S. government and the European Union wanted to stabilize the current Ukrainian government and detach it from Russian influence, the best way to do it would be to refinance their debt to the International Monetary Fund so that it could be repaid at low interest and in hryvnia, the Ukraine’s currency, rather than dollars or euros.

But evidently this is not on the table.   US and EU policy is to insist Ukraine accept the IMF terms, even though this means higher taxes, cuts in government services, higher prices and, most importantly, the selloff of Ukrainian national assets at bargain prices.

http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2014/04/bill-black-ukraine-austerity-and-kamikaze-economics.html

Tags: Bill Black, IMF, International Monetary Fund, Neo-Conservatives, Neo-Liberals, Ukraine