So, here we are again. Emanuel is right: until just recently, the IMF was effectively without a mission. Most countries in the world ceased doing business with it after the fiasco of the Asian crisis — it was out of Latin America altogether, and most of Asia. Now it is coming back to life in Eastern Europe, somewhat reformed, somewhat better led, but still with much the same wholesale approach to conditionality. The East European governments are taking the deals, because, shockingly, they are somewhat less stringent than the alternative on offer from the European Union. A sad situation, but one in which it may be better to have the IMF than not to have it.