Sooner or later, the economy will pick up steam and oil prices will most likely rebound, perhaps even to higher levels than we saw earlier this year.

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Deficits will likely continue and perhaps get even larger.

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In deciding to participate in peacekeeping arrangements, Washington will have to balance the possible risks inherent in peacekeeping as well as the potential opportunities that peace will create versus the likely risk of increased instability and perhaps even war should the Israel-Syria peace effort collapse.

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Such an episode would take down not only the traders, but likely the brokerage house that gives them access to electronic markets and perhaps even other clients of that brokerage.

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The renminbi might well make a fine regional reserve currency, but the global reserve currency system is likely to gravitate towards a combination of gold, dollar, yen, renminbi and perhaps even oil.

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