IMF Waits Quietly in the Wings - About to Use the "Shock Doctrine"?

While most media focus on the latest press conference or troop movements, this little news blurb popped up.  Here Mr. Putin does not sound like someone on the brink of war. It appears the IMF may be quietly watching from the sidelines waiting for the right time to step into the picture.

Let's see if we can tie events now unfolding in the Ukraine to a bigger picture we have discussed on this blog. We have noted that there is an ongoing issue at the IMF regarding the refusal of the US Congress to approve additional IMF funding and some voting reforms that would give the BRIC nations more influence.

The BRIC nations include Russia of course. While on the surface it seems as if the US/EU and Russia may be on the verge of some kind of conflict, we have these interesting comments from Mr. Putin in the article linked above:

"President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday Russia intends to work with Western states using the International Monetary Fund as a potential source of economic aid to Ukraine."

"In principle, we would be ready to consider further steps to release more tranches (of aid to the Ukraine) ... but our Western partners are asking us not to do this," Putin told a news conference in his first public comments on Ukraine in over a week.

"They are asking us to work together in the framework of the IMF in order to persuade the government of Ukraine, the Ukrainian authorities, to conduct reforms needed to revive the economy" he said. "We intend to keep working in this channel."


my added comments: 

Does this sound like someone about to go to war with the West?

Remember that the IMF wants the US to approve more funding (and more voting power to the BRICS). Would Mr. Putin be interested in exchanging peace in the Ukraine for what he wants at the IMF? Let's keep an eye out for some kind of deal like that.

Interestingly, yesterday Jim Rickards put out a tweet as follows on the Ukraine situation:

#Shock Doctrine uses crisis in one place to push an agenda elsewhere. US money for #IMF has been stalled 5 yrs. #WhiteHouse will move it now.

He followed up with this tweet:

Senator Jim DeMint & others had blocked it. But now it can be linked to Ukraine crisis & pushed through. #ShockDoctrine in action

Rickards does not indicate if the voting reforms would be part of a new White House push for IMF funding, but he clearly says we should watch for a renewed push using the crisis in the Ukraine as the reason for the US Congress to give the IMF the money. He calls it "the Shock Doctrine in action"So we will watch to see if that is what happens as a result of this situation.

Addendum (3-5-14): Jim Rickards did an interview with BBC last night. Afterwards this twitter exchange took place:

from a reader:

"I think I just heard you say Ukraine's "Orange Revolution" was "financed by the CIA and MI6? or am i mistaken?"

Rickards reply:

"Not the 2004"Orange Revolution." I referred to Euromaidan riots & demonstrations against Yanukovich"

So Rickards seems to agree with Paul Craig Roberts that US intelligence agencies were behind the recent revolt in the Ukraine. We note that the solution being proposed now involves money from the EU and the IMF to the Ukraine. If Rickards and Roberts are correct, did the US finance a revolt in order to be ready to supply a solution which moves the Ukraine away from Russia and towards the EU?  A reasonable question to ask.

Further addendum (3-6-14): And here it is. Rueters reports the US is trying to get the IMF voting reforms and more funding through the US Congress again as a response to the Ukraine sitation. "Shock Doctrine" confirmed.