Dear CIGA:
Gold is off over the past few days not on dollar strength, which is paltry at best, but rather on the weakness of energy. Energy has become a game of weather forecasting and inventories while a Barron’s article on Iran has eased fears of Iran playing its oil card.
The danger in the energy market is more the Spratly Island situation which this piece focuses on. The assumption that Iran will not use its oil card and will negotiate rather than take a nuclear stand is a failure to be pandetermined. Pandetermination is the process by which an American can see and analyze a situation such as this through the eyes of the protagonist - in this case an Iranian.
When did any theocracy in the Middle East or elsewhere concern themselves with anything but the ambitions of that theocracy as it interprets the tenets of its beliefs? It makes no difference if the populace has to suffer as that suffering is a road to salvation. Isn’t martyrdom a ticket to heaven? (And let's not forget those 70 virgins).
The thesis that Iran has more to lose by playing its oil card than any other party will in no way prevent it from playing that card. The renewed talks with Russia on producing nuclear materials for peaceful purposes is just another delaying tactic as Iran marches forward to weapons grade nuclear independence.