Europe's debt burden

Sir, – So the Greek bailout has been bailed out, because the bailout hasn’t worked out.

Sir, – So the Greek bailout has been bailed out, because the bailout hasn’t worked out.

Now all we need is for the Greeks to expand their economy, while contracting it; to motivate themselves, while being depressed by outside forces; and to develop a “white market” when the “black market” has been the only growth industry since this crisis began. I wonder if all of the above were sliced up and made into a “Consolidated Debt Obligation”, one of the financial products that got us into this mess, would any of the clever hedge funds snap it up?

Answers on the head of a pin, please.– Yours, etc,

DECLAN DOYLE,

Lisdowney,

Kilkenny.

Sir, – Central Europe would still be an overgrown jungle were it not for Thales, Isosceles, Pythagoras, Euclid and many more Greeks. This proud nation has more to offer the world than arranging pre-dawn deckchairs for overrated central Europeans.

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If these people are not given some hope, there could be a terrible price to pay.

Didn’t the Greeks come up with some relationship between the diameter and circumference of a circle, which helps explain how a wheel goes around? – Yours, etc,

MICHAEL DUFFY,

Kilfenora,

Co Clare.

Sir, – In his reply to Geoffrey Robert’s letter (February 8th), David Smith’s reference to the “craven collapse of our politicians before the troika today” is somewhat revealing.

The troika, Mr Smith, are here to do a job we should have been able to do ourselves. They don’t owe us anything. We have, indeed, much to thank them for. – Yours, etc,

NIALL GINTY,

The Demesne,

Killester,

Dublin 5.

Sir, – Any chance of the fiscal compact being accepted by the people is now doomed. Micheál Martin’s announcement that Fianna Fáil will be campaigning for a Yes vote is bound to prove the kiss of death. – Yours, etc,

BRIAN MORRIS,

Blackrock,

Co Louth.