11/21/2012 Portland, Oregon – Pop in your mints…
Today, the rockets around grounded in the Holy Land. For how long, is anybody’s guess. It appears, as most negotiations are, to be a mixed outcome, as both Egypt and the US are involved in the role of policing the agreement.
The current cease fire, which has, for the moment, halted aggressions between Hamas and Israel, appears to call for the Egyptian government to guarantee the conditions are being met with big brother, the United States, monitoring the situation.
If indeed the rockets, in particular the longer range Fajr-5s, remain neutralized, Israel will have gained a key objective. However, according to Stratfor, it appears that, for the moment, only Hamas and Israel have assented to the cease fire. The Palestinian Jihad remains a variable, and how long the cease fire will last likely hinges upon their willingness to observe it, as any projectile launched into Israel from Gaza will likely trigger the imminent Israeli ground invasion.
It is difficult to tell if Israel is strategically better off assenting to what is being reported as a tentative cease fire. While humankind benefits, this will slow progress towards what we perceive to be the Israeli’s ultimate goal with this operation, the disabling of Iran’s nuclear program.
On the other hand, Israel now has the US firmly engaged, raising the odds that US assets will be called into the region. In a sense, they have been hovering there for the past 11 years.
The United States has a gigantic problem of its own, namely, a Fiscal train wreck which is nearing impact with an ETA of January 1. The train wreck has already done a great deal of damage, as assumptions across the board are being reset in anticipation of Washington punting or worse, bungling the situation.
Unfortunately, it is the type of problem that the Keynesians who dominate economic thought at the highest levels have openly advocated war, the ultimate economic stimulus in a self destructive, insane, “debt is money” system, as a remedy.
As the winds of war continue to swirl about the Middle East, let us be thankful for the gesture made by Hamas and Israel, and pray that it will bear the fruit of an everlasting peace in the region. For in the deepest despair lies the potential for the greatest hope, and consequently the greatest good.
At this hour there have been few specifics as to what the terms of the cease fire are, but the mere fact that the hostilities have ceased comes as a great relief and gives those of us celebrating Thanksgiving, the wonderful, unique, and perhaps purest holiday celebration that we know of, an extra reason to celebrate tomorrow.
We continue to pray for the peace of Jerusalem and beyond, for peace is merely a matter of erasing borders and choosing to forgive.
For a lasting peace to prevail, the deadly “Might Makes Right” mentality must be renounced in favor of IMMEDIATE FORGIVENESS, and it is up to each one of us to choose to forgive and be forgiven. Only then, when there is peace in our hearts, will the world know peace.
Happy Thanksgiving, may you and yours dine on forgiveness and drink in grace this Holiday Season.
Stay tuned and Trust Jesus.
Stay Fresh!
Email: davidminteconomics@gmail.com
Key Indicators for November 21, 2012
Copper Price per Lb: $3.47
Oil Price per Barrel: $87.65
Corn Price per Bushel: $7.41
10 Yr US Treasury Bond: 1.69%
FED Target Rate: 0.16% ON AUTOPILOT, THE FED IS DEAD!
Gold Price Per Ounce: $1,729 THE GOLD RUSH IS ON!
MINT Perceived Target Rate*: 0.25%
Unemployment Rate: 7.9%
Inflation Rate (CPI): 0.1%
Dow Jones Industrial Average: 12,837
M1 Monetary Base: $2,458,800,000,000 LOTS OF DOUGH ON THE STREET!
M2 Monetary Base: $10,333,800,000,000