Greece wants reparations from Germany for WWII

[LittleLebowski]

http://news.yahoo.com/greece-moral-o...dUCCQAU2HQtDMD

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said Sunday the country had a "moral obligation" to claim reparations from Germany for the damages wrought by the Nazis during World War II.

Greece had "a moral obligation to our people, to history, to all European peoples who fought and gave their blood against Nazism," he said in a key address to parliament.

[Kyle Reese]

What's his Plan B when Tante Angela looks him square in the face and says "NEIN!" ?

Will they stop exporting olive oil to Germany?

Why not ask for reparations from the former Yugoslavia, since they armed and funded the Communist factions in the Greek Civil War?

[jetfire]

Besides, hasn't Germany already loaned Greece a couple billion euros that everyone knows Greece can't pay back?

[Peally]

Greece you so crazy!

I want reparations for Russia and Germany stomping all over Poland throughout the centuries. I'm offended for my ancestors! I demand money for a new car!!!

[LittleLebowski]

I'll bet that the Germans are Waffen so hard right now.

[GardoneVT]

From where this Economist sits,Greece's electorate has well and truly screwed themselves.

For background;Greece has a debt level close to 172% of GDP,most of it through transfer payments as government benefits. Normally nations with this kind of financial turmoil usually go full monte on printing money until the market re-balances; in the short term inflations bad and life on the ground sucks for a time, but eventually the debt IS repaid (with devalued currency, but it is paid nonetheless) and things can get back to normal.

That's not an option , as Greece is party to the Euro. If they leave the Euro , it shakes investor confidence in the latter AND leaves Greece with going back to the Drachma-resulting in an economic disaster all too familiar to Argentine citizens. Who's going to buy long term bonds for Greece in Drachmas with that debt ratio?

None. Cue local political instability, chaos, bread lines, etc.

Hence the Troika lending money to Greece. The idea being a slow period of transition as Greece forcibly tightens the belt regarding expenses means everyone can avoid all that pain.Once the debt is squared away via extreme -and forced-cost cutting, Greece can return to economic solvency without a depression or political failure.To a lesser extent, the Euro will also be protected from short term harm on the bond and currency markets.

The fly in the ointment-Greece citizens have the same economic understanding as ours do.As in less then zero. Greeks have collectively resented having to cut their public welfare expenses by order of Europe, and they want the transfer payment party to keep going.

Enter the recent elections of leftist leadership, who've promised to repudiate the already-agreed upon austerity measures as a campaign promise. That means we go to Scenario One-which means Greeks wont be able to buy or sell food, clothes, or business capital once they get kicked out of the Eurozone for flipping off the Troika's loan terms.

Which is a problem i'd deduce the current leadership already has an answer for. When bread costs 1,000,000.00 Drachmas and most of his people are living in tents for lack of jobs or currency because of his foolish plan to disregard economic reality, the PM will scapegoat Germany and Europe for their struggles.Given his election in the midst of a national economic crisis, the plan will probably work like gangbusters.

[Jeep]

From where this Economist sits,Greece's electorate has well and truly screwed themselves.

For background;Greece has a debt level close to 172% of GDP,most of it through transfer payments as government benefits. Normally nations with this kind of financial turmoil usually go full monte on printing money until the market re-balances; in the short term inflations bad and life on the ground sucks for a time, but eventually the debt IS repaid (with devalued currency, but it is paid nonetheless) and things can get back to normal.

That's not an option , as Greece is party to the Euro. If they leave the Euro , it shakes investor confidence in the latter AND leaves Greece with going back to the Drachma-resulting in an economic disaster all too familiar to Argentine citizens. Who's going to buy long term bonds for Greece in Drachmas with that debt ratio?

None. Cue local political instability, chaos, bread lines, etc.

Hence the Troika lending money to Greece. The idea being a slow period of transition as Greece forcibly tightens the belt regarding expenses means everyone can avoid all that pain.Once the debt is squared away via extreme -and forced-cost cutting, Greece can return to economic solvency without a depression or political failure.To a lesser extent, the Euro will also be protected from short term harm on the bond and currency markets.

The fly in the ointment-Greece citizens have the same economic understanding as ours do.As in less then zero. Greeks have collectively resented having to cut their public welfare expenses by order of Europe, and they want the transfer payment party to keep going.

Enter the recent elections of leftist leadership, who've promised to repudiate the already-agreed upon austerity measures as a campaign promise. That means we go to Scenario One-which means Greeks wont be able to buy or sell food, clothes, or business capital once they get kicked out of the Eurozone for flipping off the Troika's loan terms.

Which is a problem i'd deduce the current leadership already has an answer for. When bread costs 1,000,000.00 Drachmas and most of his people are living in tents for lack of jobs or currency because of his foolish plan to disregard economic reality, the PM will scapegoat Germany and Europe for their struggles.Given his election in the midst of a national economic crisis, the plan will probably work like gangbusters.

Well, the Greeks did get used to lots of free stuff thanks to their initial years in the Euro, and then they go more free stuff when all the private Greek debt holders were forced to take massive haircuts, so it's not surprising that they think that if they huff and puff they will get more free stuff.

Because free stuff is cool and work is hard. And besides, what are all of those extra government employees who have no show jobs going to do for work if forced off the payroll?

So reparations sound real cool because they would keep the free stuff coming.

Except Germany ain't going to be guilted this time to pay for the Greeks free stuff.

Which means Greek is going to go the way of Venezuela or Argentina. Wonder if the folks in Athens have seen photos of the inside of the average Caracas supermarket recently? If so, they might want to take all their euros out of the banks real soon and bury them (or by toilet paper with them) because the new drachma will soon have the purchasing power of the bolivar.

[RoyGBiv]

#καταλαμβάνουν Ελλάδα

[GJM]

I visited family in Greece in the 70's, and saw bullets in the floor of their home where they were shot by occupying Germans. Can I be part of the class action suit?

This is really lame.

[Maple Syrup Actual]

One branch of my family is from Ireland for the most part. I plan to sue one of my arms on behalf of my left leg as another part came from England if you go back far enough. I have some concerns about my torso and at least a third of my head, however, as our genetic haplotype indicates a fair amount of viking involvement and there is no question that vikings flat out abused the saxons and celts. Frankly I'm not sure what my fiduciary responsibility to myself is at this point. But the bottom line is that I'm owed something and I'm not resting until I'm paid for the pain and suffering I didn't personally experience.