The International Monetary Fund should make any further IMF lending to Argentina conditional upon Argentina making at least the same primary budget surplus effort as does Brazil.

Hopefully the arrival of Rodrigo Rato as the new managing director of the International Monetary Fundwill occasion a thorough review of the Fund's lending policy to Argentina.

Instead of negotiating assistance in exchange for promises, the International Monetary Fund should withdraw from Argentine domestic policy and accept once and for all that it cannot solve the country's problems.

Argentina's attempt to swap debt for lower-interest bonds is an admission that its current balance sheet is unsustainable; had this been acknowledged a year ago, much misery might have been averted.

An Argentine bailout by the United States would boost prices today and in the future, and result in greater creditor resistance to a future write down.

Greece's interests would be best served by an early large default and an early exit from the euro.

There's no question but that a Greece should be "allowed" to default.

The IMF will not disengage from Greece.