Greece’s economic meltdown in 2010 was a subject of special interest for U.S. policymakers, including then-Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, according to the latest batch of Hillary Clinton’s State Department emails.
According to an exclusive report of CNBC, some of the Clinton’s email reveal and confirm that it was nothing but the geopolitical interest of the U.S.A. in aiding or not Greece behind their scenes. Main concern appeared to be paramount over the cooperation of the European Union on Afghanistan and Iran.
“A review of Clinton’s 15 emails on Greece in the batch released this week reveals that while the Obama administration supported the IMF’s involvement in the 2010 bailout, geopolitical and international security considerations played a big part in America’s posture. Concern appeared paramount over EU cooperation on Afghanistan and Iran.
One email that stands out was sent from journalist Sidney Blumenthal, a former aide to President Bill Clinton and long-time confidant and advisor to the former first lady. He identified early on the potential risks posed to the euro zone from the diffusion of the Greek debt crisis. He cited the views of John C. Kornblum, an expert on U.S.-European political and economic relations who served as the U.S. ambassador to Germany from 1997 to 2001.
Blumenthal emphasized that “a potential second major phase of the economic crisis in Europe is likely with the designation of Greece to junk bοnd status, on the edge of default, with Portugal, Spain, and perhaps even Ireland at tipping points.”
Viewing the Greek crisis within a geopolitical context, Blumenthal claimed that it could even undermine the U.S.-European cooperation on a wide variety of issues, such as Afghanistan and Iran.
“In the worst case, the President could be confronted with a major crisis of confidence among members of the EU. He would be blamed for inattention to the negative trends,” Blumenthal warned and concluded that “we cannot treat our partnership with Europe as just another point on a multi-polar map. Maintaining consensus within Europe and between the U.S. and Europe is essential to maintaining a foundation for our global efforts.” (full article CNBC)
That the geopolitical interests are an integral part of the US politics is nothing new. Neither it is new, that journalists serve as advisers to high-ranking officials and help them form state policies 🙂
