<br>"As long as the US petrol-dollar control is not threatened"
This^
We invaded Iraq because of this as they were starting to trade oil in Euros. Once the petro-dollar is done (Euros or Yuan), the US dollar will cease to be the world's reserve currency, and the USA will plunge into the darkness of hyper inflation. Anyone ever see pictures of peeps in Zimbabwe or Venezuela buying goods with wheelbarrows full of paper "money?" It is all about supply & demand. Once the artificial demand for the US dollar disintegrates, it's value will dive on the world market.
Why does that matter? Where does the majority of manufactured goods that the US consumes come from? Historically, fiat has
ALWAYS failed. 100%. Why? "The temptation to monetize debt (read "print" money) cannot be resisted." We are getting close to the tipping point especially with the inevitable $1,900,000,000,000.00 "stimulus" bill passage.
How does money get "printed?" A private company, the Federal Reserve, makes a ledger entry in their computer system and then "loans" the fiat to the US Treasury. And, the US Treasury pays interest (prime rate) to the Federal Reserve on the loan.
Not to fret. Every country in the world uses fiat and we are still the largest economy in the world with the most powerful military (until China surpasses us in a few years). We are simply "too big to fail!" Anyone remember the
idiot genius that sold the country that line?
Ah, but what do I know? All of the above is probably a bunch of malarky. Probably . . .
/rant off