Greece

Crunch time or not, the Greek crisis will remain with us for much longer. There is no way it will be resolved once and for all this week. It has been promised to us too often over the past five years.

A German departure from the euro would have some highly beneficial effects on the remaining eurozone members. But of course it will not happen.

The euro crisis has caused considerable economic and financial damage already. We can now see some of the political and security implications of a weakened Europe.

Hardly a day passes that a Greek government official does not add a needless provocation to the bailout debate. Which brings me back to my opening question: Is this just madness? Or is there method in it?

Europe is well past the stage at which it needs constructive ambiguity. It needs actions. It needs decisions. And it needs them now, not in four months’ time. Please, can we finally see the last act in this Greek drama?

Tsipras and Varoufakis may not realise it but their gamble with Europe has the potential of backfiring on them and their country. Their actions could even make even the most plausible alternative scenarios to staying within the eurozone look unappealing.

For Varoufakis and Schäuble, there really is little hope of finding any common ground. They are personally too different to bridge the gap between their upbringings and beliefs. If they do not even agree to disagree, that is probably the best anyone can hope for.

Indeed, had they agreed to disagree, it is only likely they would have misunderstood each other.

Barely sworn in, Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras’ new cabinet went straight to work trying to turn their country upside down — and the European Union with it. By fighting austerity and pushing for debt relief, they are attempting to lead Greece out of its five-year long depression and solve its economic woes. Unfortunately, the Tsipras government is fighting the wrong crisis.