John wrote:I agree. I believe that before this is over, Germany will cave completely
on every point -- but it will be too late.
John
I believe that boils the emotional argument for a collapse later, rather than sooner, down pretty well.
If the European Central Bank can start printing Euros and loaning Trillions against toxic assets fast enough; and if the 700 Billion Euro rescue funds and the European Central Bank can start buying government bonds of Italy, Spain, Ireland and Portugal on the secondary bond market fast enough, this could "kick the can down the road" a year, or two, more.
This has worked in the U.S. for years without fixing the underlying problems up front, and without unwinding a substantial portion of the Real Estate related toxic assets since.
If the EU can not act fast enough, then sometime between now and year end looks more likely.
( It is interesting to note this will be much harder in the E.U., than the U.S., because the EU does not have both EU wide bank regulators and a single national bank, that can coerce banks into doing their bidding in areas where the Central Bank is unable to act due to legal and political perception constraints )
The U.S. administration is pushing hard to get this extended, at least beyond the U.S. elections, and, from the gray hair and the fear showing on U.S. administration officials, they are not sure they can do that.