We have a claim from the Irish Times that Geithner ordered the IMF to get with the program. What makes this interesting is that there is no apparent reason for this. Are we to pretend that it couldn't have happened because we can't find a ready motive? How could one expect to learn anything if one discounts everything that doesn't make sense on the first glance?

And to reiterate: I don't think anybody here is claiming that this whole austerity fiasco is an American conspiracy or that the US played an important part. It is quite clear that the responsibility for these decisions lies on this side of the Atlantic.