Plan B

Geithner referred to the approach he and his Treasury colleagues (among them Larry Summers, now the top White House economic adviser) adopted as a "Powell Doctrine applied to international finance--the overwhelming use of force, with a clear strategy for resolution." He elaborated: "Very substantial resources were deployed in support of the recovery efforts, and a large share of the resources was made available upfront, in order to try ... to stem the loss of confidence."

Plan B