Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Geopolitics and Gold Wars

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Geopolitics and Gold Wars

    There are many ways to observe gold, particularly through the lens of classical economics, supply and demand, debasement of currency, etc...

    But there is another factor - Sovereign involvement. I have often spoken of parabolic gold - but it's rise to such heights will unlikely occur without sovereign involvement - i.e. really deep pockets, and national security motives.

    James Rickards is a consultant to the US Defense Industry. He frequently writes about "threat finance."

    I won't summarize this paper - in my view, it's a must read. But in it, you will be able to envision a world where gold surpasses 5K, or even much, much higher. But it won't be pretty.

    Here's a blurb:

    The example below hypothesizes a single country, Russia, acting unilaterally to require that all of its exports (principally oil and natural gas) henceforth be paid for in a new gold-backed currency issued by a newly formed fiscal agent of the Central Bank of Russia based in London. However, variations on this plan can easily be imagined, including a joint announcement to similar effect by Russia and China or an even larger group under the auspices of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and in affiliation with Iran.

    Here it is, I'm sure the wonkish types that dwell here will enjoy it:

    http://www.au.af.mil/au/ssq/2009/Fall/rickards.pdf

    (FYI - Rickards tweeted this link recently - that's how I found it, and yes, that's a military domain. Looks like the military is being consulted on internal and external financial threats - with a gold standard being mentioned. Granted, this does not mean anything concrete, US Government institutions get all sorts of papers and views - nonetheless, I find this very compelling. Maybe EJ can interview Rickards one day?)

  • #2
    Re: Geopolitics and Gold Wars

    You have some of the most interesting posts.

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Geopolitics and Gold Wars

      Originally posted by gnk View Post
      Here it is, I'm sure the wonkish types that dwell here will enjoy it:

      http://www.au.af.mil/au/ssq/2009/Fall/rickards.pdf
      That rocked, and was even more indepth than the last Rickards stuff posted. He is a must read.

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Geopolitics and Gold Wars

        Originally posted by Jay View Post
        That rocked, and was even more indepth than the last Rickards stuff posted. He is a must read.
        Thanks Jay and jtabeb.

        Keep in mind, that in this paper, Rickards mentions gold at 4K. Since then, he has revised his targets and forecasts anywhere from 5K-20K. The reason for the wide range? It all depends on which measure you use for gold (gov't reserves, or all gold) and money supply (M1, M2, etc...)

        From interviews I have seen, he has leaned towards the 10K figure. My personal interpretation of Rickard's ongoing views - is that Rickards looks at a gold standard of sorts to solidify a nation's currency.

        My view is that the debt overhang is so great, that revalued gold will be needed to retire some of that debt - at least for the countries that want to maintain geopolitical relevance. Resource producing nations and exporting nations too, will want real money in exchange for their REAL services and goods. It will be a rehash of the 70s where OPEC was extremely disappointed about the new payment method for their oil.

        And keep in mind, gold is insurance, it may not necessarily be a ticket to a rock star lifestyle. My opinions on gold may be unusual and be well recieved with great anticipation by many goldbugs here, but I also retain some humility in the face of the dangers that await us. I'm conflicted about gold... as it rises, the investor in me is happy, but the armchair historian in me gets queasy. As in Margaret Mitchell's Gone with the Wind, we are experiencing the end of an era. Remember how happy people were before the civil war? Not so much after.

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Geopolitics and Gold Wars

          "And keep in mind, gold is insurance, it may not necessarily be a ticket to a rock star lifestyle. My opinions on gold may be unusual and be well recieved with great anticipation by many goldbugs here, but I also retain some humility in the face of the dangers that await us. I'm conflicted about gold... as it rises, the investor in me is happy, but the armchair historian in me gets queasy. As in Margaret Mitchell's Gone with the Wind, we are experiencing the end of an era. Remember how happy people were before the civil war? Not so much after."

          Yeah, bro, I hear ya. But it was never about a "rock star" lifestyle for most of us. Just plain survival, ya know. I hope everything turns out ok. FWIW, I bought the domain name for the charitable foundation I want to set up a year or two ago. Maybe some of the gold have's can find a way to recapitalize the economy for the rest of the folks. It's all about being responsible to and for your fellow countrymen, and not about being a PARIS HILTON lifestyle clone. (Although a trip to Paris France once in a lifetime wouldn't be a bad thing).

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Geopolitics and Gold Wars

            This paper by Rickards is interesting. It reminds us that the U.S. military is far more an agent for U.S. national power than is Wall Street.

            This paper describes the dramatic increase in systemic risk in world financial markets this last decade or two. This systemic risk is a threat to U.S. dominance and the continued prosperity of its people, as described in the scenario leading to $4000/oz gold. The U.S. military is keen to to thwart threats to U.S. dominance, so Rickards is "speaking to his audience" here. The paper claims that the dominant acknowledged potential major adversaries of the U.S., such as Russia, China and Al-Qaeda, could use this systemic fragility to deliver a substantial blow to the U.S. economy.

            This paper does not describe the risk that the world corporate-financial-banking oligarchy poses to U.S. dominance and world financial health. The risk, in my view is not so much that Russia or China take the U.S. down a couple of rough notches with such financial warfare. The risk is more that the corporate-financial-banking oligarchy, seeking a more globally integrated (hence, as we see in this paper, riskier) financial, banking, legal, economic, governance and taxing environment end up making a big mess for all of us.
            Most folks are good; a few aren't.

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Geopolitics and Gold Wars

              "This paper does not describe the risk that the world corporate-financial-banking oligarchy poses to U.S. dominance and world financial health."

              Cow, read BETWEEN the lines.

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Geopolitics and Gold Wars

                Originally posted by jtabeb View Post
                "This paper does not describe the risk that the world corporate-financial-banking oligarchy poses to U.S. dominance and world financial health."

                Cow, read BETWEEN the lines.
                Well, I can't tell what was left unspoken, between the lines. Perhaps all is well and the military audience to whom Rickards addressed this paper knows damn well they have more to worry about than Russia, China and Al-Qaeda.

                But there is a great risk here, from what is visible to me in this paper. One is likely to lose if one does not understand one's enemy. If the military cannot say behind closed doors more clearly than in this public paper just who are the biggest enemies of U.S. sovereign power, then they, and us, are likely to lose.
                Most folks are good; a few aren't.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: Geopolitics and Gold Wars

                  Very interesting indeed

                  I GOOGL'ed around to see what he may have said in the past and this is what I found

                  http://static.reuters.com/resources/...0305/Rolfe.pdf

                  http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1208/16663.html
                  some good comments below this story

                  http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...100101149.html

                  http://jessescrossroadscafe.blogspot...gold-bank.html

                  http://dailycaller.com/2010/04/26/welcome-to-pluto/

                  and then this

                  http://wealth.net/2010/06/chairman-o...hairman-of-bp/

                  Janine Wedel has written extensively on how the “shadow elite” rule the world and about the “flexians” - the movers and shakers of the shadow elite who glide across borders, and structure overlapping (and not fully revealed) roles in government, business, media, and think tanks to serve their own agendas. Wedel says that flexians wear many hats both within and outside of government, and use their networks of contacts to influence policy - are warping our democracy and the rule of law. Peter Sutherland is the quintessential flexian.

                  Comment

                  Working...
                  X