Except, of course, you, and me, and just about everybody else understands that Greece is neither able nor willing to ever pay that money back.

Which makes that "loan" what?

It makes that loan a transparently obvious effort to disguise the bailout of the German banks who made bad loans as an attempt to help to feckless southerners one last time to comply with their obligations - at the cost of seriously increasing those obligations and seriously degrading the ability to pay, via the 'austerity' conditions. This makes no sense economically, but plays well politically to the popular press while giving still more claims for which German banks can be reimbursed by foreigners.

The maddening thing about this is that Greece, like Ireland and Portugal, have been foolishly noble about trying to honor their obligations, and, instead of recognizing that effort and helping them do so, this is seen as a justifiable opportunity to make more money off these countries via the 'rescue'. In reality this is most likely to end up simply as one more way for the German financial elite to milk the German public while getting them to cheer on the efforts, as Greece is suffering far more.

This is similar to what lower class whites in the US South long accepted as their final consolation for being screwed over, bankers and plantation owners, officials, etc.: "At least you ain't no nigger!" I come from that background, have rejected that thinking and know with whom I stand. Such manipulation is most pathetic when it is most successful.

"It is not necessary to have hope in order to persevere."