WASHINGTON — Ever since the IMF participated in the first Greek bail-out six years ago, the stinging suspicion has been that the fund is under Europe’s thumb.Now the International Monetary Fund is again under pressure to come to the aid of Athens, providing likely fodder for critics.Europe forged an €86bn ($96bn) aid package for Greece last year and powerful EU members are insisting that the IMF chip in.So far, the fund, which did participate in the two prior Greek rescue efforts, is resisting, calling on Greece to commit to reforms and on Brussels to reduce Greece’s debt load.But for how much longer? According to a withering internal audit report published Thursday, the IMF in 2010 did indeed cave to the Europeans by generously bailing out Greece in violation of the Fund’s own internal rules and despite doubts about Greece’s credit worthiness.The controversial decision undermined the fund’s credibility and outraged some developing countries, which decried what they saw as preferent...
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