Falling U.S. currency, petrodollar, the end.
First of all, read this.
http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/Business/2007/11/19/forecast_us_dollar_could_plu...
Seond, watch this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1oPEfa9Lws
As many of you are probably aware, the United States national debt which is now around $9,000,000,000,000.00(9 trillion) is NOT owed to foreign countries in the way most people think it is. The debt is owed to the Federal Reserve, a private bank which prints and supplies the U.S. government with ALL of its currency. They also hold all the United States gold reserves. THEY are the ones who owe foreign countries money.
In the 1960's, when oil was REALLY starting to become the black gold, numerous oil rich countries were interested in selling oil in their own currency. The United States stepped in; they encouraged these countries too sell oil in U.S. dollars. Who was the top country of interest? You guessed it, Saudi Arabia. The deal was, you sell oil in U.S. dollars we give you weapons to secure your monarchy.
So why did the United States do this? Their main intention was too up the value of their currency, but that's not exactly what happened. In 1960 OPEC was established in Baghdad, in preperation for the coming black gold rush. This tied the oil exports of all major Middle Eastern oil rich nations into one pipe line. Where did OPEC's oil money reside, the Federal Reserve.
What happens when a country wants to buy oil from the big cheap stock market? They MUST buy the oil with U.S. dollars. I know what you might be thinking "So no problem all they have to do is convert their currency and buy their oil." Nope, that's not how its played. Which ever country wants the oil, they got to sell a product to get the currency they want. So Japan sells the United States a Honda, the Federal Reserve gives U.S. dollars to Japan, Japan buys oil through OPEC and the money is cycles right back into the Federal Reserve. This is called the Petrodollar cycle.
Now you may be thinking, "This creates a stable cycle." Negative, whats the biggest problem with having a private bank own your currency? When you want money, interest is capped onto it.
----- Let me Simplify All This For You, I'll Throw In Word Hints To Really Bridge The Comparison ------
PLEASE NOTE: I add a few
Conspiracy theories in here, a few which I personally believe. The rest is fully real, and very scary.
You're young, you get your first BIG job (oil). You've been wanting it for a while, you have made sure all your cards were played well to get this job. You're extatic about it, you cant believe it. First thing you do is you move out, second thing you do is you buy what you need to live, third thing you do...you buy a credit card. You decide you want a new T.V. (weapons) but you dont have the MONEY now, but its all good you're making decent money. So you put money on your card (federal reserve.)
Great job! You've been working for a while, now you got a premotion(technology exports). More money coming your way. You figure you need more money, so you up the limit on your credit card(rasing the national debt ceiling.) You max out your credit card, you get paid again and you pay off no problem. You start to realize though that other people in the office are gaining the same skills as you. Big trouble. You find an opening for your buddy to get a job (foundation of Israel). You start slipping a bit of money (weapons) to your buddy down the hall . He'll tell you whats going on with the competition, and maybe do a bit of sabatoge here and there, bit of cloak and dagger stuff.
Things are looking great, so you get another credit card and you max that out. You got a whole bunch of new entertainment at your house, its great. Then you get more premotions, more money, more credit. You move into a bigger house, get more things and keep paying your credit card off. Then horrible news comes your way from down the hall, one of or all of your competition is about to get a premotion(Iraq selling oil in Euro's.)
You're desperate, you might loose your job and every thing you've worked so hard for. You come up with a brilliant scheme, you beat your self up in the washroom and say you're competition did it (September 11th.) However you realize you dont like him, but your true enemy is the guy who sits beside him. So you get them both fired and to spice it up you make it seem like one of your competition is stealing money out of the company (weapons of mass destruction.) Then you encourage for more of your friends to get a job. Problems arrise, both of your friends are being hassled endlessly by the rest of your competition (insurgency). One of your competitors is working so hard and is going too break through on that premotion.
You're running out of cards to play, your credit cards are maxed out, your home is starting to degrade and the company just wont buy the fact that another one of your competition is stealing money from the company. You got to try it though...you need to survive(we're up to date now, prepared to go to war with Iran.) BANG, your competition gets a premotion(Iran sells oil in Euros, Rubals or Yuan). You're going to get fired, you know it. Are you going to play the "I got beat up by him" card? Risky, what are you willing to do? Do you risk having every one in the office hate you, and an inevidable gang up or... you cant afford your rent, you cant afford to get food, you cant afford your car.
This is where the United States is at ladies a gentleman. Yes on a national scale its way more complex than this, maybe this comparison is not perfect but its indeed more easy to grasp.