No Index

At the end of the week came disheartening news.

The rules of engagement are the ones that tell you you’re not supposed to murder prisoners, attack civilians, or initiate force, among other things. They are not foolproof…as Hegseth demonstrates.

In a sky crowded with explosions and mass murder, some barely twinkle. Still, they fit more or less neatly into our (hypothetical) big picture.

Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.

The US is still on track. It is still a very powerful empire, but so far, all of the major initiatives undertaken this century seem designed to help bring it down. This latest war is no exception.

In terms of gold the picture changes. It took about ten barrels of oil to buy an ounce of gold in 1971. Now, it takes 78 of them. Is oil too cheap? Is gold too expensive?