While U.S. Treasury or government agency securities provide substantial
protection against credit risk, they do not protect investors
against price changes due to changing interest rates.
Finally, if AIG had defaulted, Goldman Sachs would have been forced to bear the
risk of further declines in the market value of the approximately $ 4.3 billion in CDOs that it transferred to the Maiden Lane III portfolio as well as approximately $ 5.5 billion for its
credit default swaps that were not part of the Maiden Lane III portfolio; Maiden Lane III removed any
risk for the $ 4.3 billion within that portfolio, and continued Government backing of AIG provided Goldman Sachs with ongoing
protection against an AIG default on the remaining $ 5.5 billion.