In The News

A Second Chance for Brazil and the I.M.F.

Joseph E. Stiglitz August 14, 2002
In this opinion piece, former World Bank economist Joseph Stiglitz writes that the success—or failure—of the I.M.F. rescue package announced this past weekend will likely settle the fate of I.M.F., Brazil, and the rest of Latin America. The I.M.F.’s loan history is making many question the Fund’s latest package; a closer look at Brazil, however, may brighten one’s outlook. Sound monetary and...

Easing Its Stance, U.S. Offers Loans to Uruguay

Richard A. Oppel, Jr. August 5, 2002
Although the Bush administration has been reluctant to give aid to Latin American countries in financial crisis, it recently agreed to bail out Uruguay, a country with a traditionally stable economy. Uruguay has been hit particularly hard by the ripple effects of Argentina and Brazil’s economic crashes. On those countries’ problems, Washington has been ambiguous, and Treasury Secretary Paul O’...

America Aloof

July 12, 2002
Since the fall of the Soviet Union as a counter superpower, the United States has found itself in the singular position of global super power – which has also come with its own contradictions. This op-ed article from the New York Times argues that while the Bush administration has been good at working with Russia on global terrorism, for example, it has not been as good when it comes to dealing...

More Aid, More Need: Pledges Still Falling Short

Tim Weiner March 24, 2002
The US is not living up to its aid responsibilities despite growing concerns about global poverty after September 11, says this article in The New York Times. Though President Bush has drawn an explicit link between poverty and terrorism, and is substantially increasing aid to poor countries as a result, US aid remains restricted to specific counties and is still far less than aid from its...