Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

In interviews Jim Rickards frequently refers to his war games work with the CIA. He sure sounds like an insider and that's good right? It can be if your team has a good track record. So, who's on the team? In the Death of Money Jim Rickards calls the fictional 911 Commission Report a "monumental and excellent summary". He scoffs at the suggestion of US government involvement and, as expected, won't discuss the free-fall of Building 7 or the coincidental direct hit on the Pentagon in the exact area where they were investigating the trillions in unaccounted defense dollars. These and many other facts contradict the commission report but Rickards is able to compartmentalize away these exceptions to his preferred conclusion. He then discusses financial markets and the insider trading prior to 911. He says the trading was started by someone in the terrorists' social network (no proof supplied) and Wall Street traders piled onto the little trade to turn it into an innocent big trade. This was explained, Rickards says, by former CIA man Randy Tauss who likes to trade options as a sideline and figured it all out. Really! So, it was a foreign terrorist who did the insider trade and not someone in-the-know within the US? Not true. Max Keiser was one of Wall Street's biggest options traders at the time. He says the trades smell like CIA. "millions of dollars worth of profits from 9/11 insider trading still sit uncollected in an Alex Brown account in Baltimore, just down the road from the CIA's HQ at Langley." (rt.com/op-edge/158988-bankers-killing-suicide-fraud/) What else did Tauss figure out? I'd ask you to google Randy Tauss and TWA Flight 800. Rickards says Tauss while employed by the CIA solved the mystery of the 1996 TWA Flight 800 crash that killed over 200 people. Not so fast, Jim. Tauss has been accused of putting together an inaccurate video narrative which took researchers on the wrong path. "On June 19, 2013, a documentary alleging that the investigation into the crash was a cover-up ... with statements from six members of the original investigation team, now retired, who also filed a petition to reopen the probe." (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TWA_Flight_800_conspiracy_theories). Senior investigators say the NTSB final report is wrong and they were intimidated by the FBI to go along with the lie. Government claptrap and disinformation permeates the mainstream news. It wasn't a flash fire but a Navy missile mistake that brought down Flight 800. The facts support the dissenting investigators. [...] Randy Tauss and Jim Rickards both are managing directors at Onmis, an information analytics firm. (omnisinc.com/directors.php). Judging by the directors, this firm is loaded with CIA/Intelligence types. Another director, Charles Deulfler, "led the Iraq Survey Group (ISG) that conducted the investigation of the scope of Iraq's WMD". I get the feeling these guys are telling the intelligence community that their firm is available to spread preferred memes to the American public. Too harsh? Folks, look at the insane wars and now the activities of the NSA. In DC, influence and corruption are always for sale. Rickard's book reads like a scenario planning white paper. The IMF with its SDRs is the desired outcome for the security state because the existing framework provides for an orderly financial reconstruction and the possibility for renewed American dominance. To me, the book starts with the desired CIA conclusion and works backwards. I think Rickards is sincere and confident and his book is a smart analysis. However, we know the CIA has made a mess of the Middle East and is implicated in assassinations, gun running, importing cocaine into American inner cities and much more. White papers preceded each of these disastrous outcomes. I don't have a high confidence level in this kind of scenario planning but it's necessary to start somewhere. The Death of Money is a well written work by a keen mind and presents actionable advice. Mr. Rickards might be right but the actual end game could be much more chaotic. I agree with Rickards that American pensions and entitlements will be early victims of economic chaos. If nothing else the book should prod readers to take a defensive position immediately. Readers should keep in mind that Rickards seems to have a strong national security state bias. These people have a wag the dog world view that can be self deluding. I'm especially concerned by his belief in the 911 propaganda and question his judgment when he calls Rumsfeld, Cheney and Wolfowitz "giants of national security policy". I guess this obsequiousness is a requirement though for splashing around in D.C.'s profitable national security cesspool. Rickard's advice to buy expensive art and vacant land is not something middle class people should do. Readers should carefully consider his ideas but not abandon critical thinking.