sammyg123

Lost Decade for Stocks?

And as for pinning down Usama Bin Laden, have a look at the map of Afghanistan some time. I think it's obvious that he Osama wasn't pinned down - he got away.

Lost Decade for Stocks?

Thanks for all of your kind responses. I don't think that we are in debt because of the Iraq war, or just because of it. The vast majority of our debt comes from unbridled government spending, and I lay that at the doorstep of congress and our President. I like our President's nerve and I agree with the Iraq War, regardless of the cost. I don't agree with his spending program, but I think he compromised with congress and agreed to their spending as long as they also spent on the Iraq War. This was a mistake, but understandable. Our President's main responsibility, according to the constitution, is to conduct our foreign affairs. You may not like his attitude in foreign affairs, but he did show strength to our enemies. Al-Qaeda, and all of its relative and associated groups, only understand strength. I shudder at the thought of some amateur coming to run our country, who wants to "talk" with the people who murder our citizens. Of course they want to talk, and they will continue using violence to intimidate us as we "negotiate" with them. That's the way these "people" work.

Anyway, thanks again for reading what I wrote. Sorry about being so long winded.

Lost Decade for Stocks?

The cost for the war in Iraq is a drop in the bucket compared to our GDP, and will cost less than the subprime crisis and credit crunch when all is said and done. Potential losses from the subprime crisis could be over a trillion dollars according to some. So, if you want to complain, then look no further than institutional financial irresponsibility and moral hazard.

The war in Iraq costs about 100 billion per year. This is a lot of money, of course, however, at least there is something to be gained out of the Iraq war. It is arguable that risking a few hundred billion to improve the status quo in the world order is worth it for the US, as we are the hegemon. Of course, things may not get better, and it may turn out the the Iraq war was folly and not worth it at all.

Regardless of economics and stock market profits and lossess, I revere our soldiers' sacrifices in Iraq, and I sincerely hope that their sacrifices were not in vain. So, let's leave the Iraq war out of it. War is the cost of a country's business, and such things are pursued towards furthering a nation's interests.

If you think that the nation's interests are less important than a stock's PE ratio, or the balance of your investment account, then perhaps it would be best to simply anticipate market moves based on your convictions, and let history decide what is right or wrong. Let the pentagon do it's job. Yes, it will cost us, but I'd rather we preserve our hegemonic status and enjoy the fruits of that then surrender to head-chopping cave-men who worship blood.

I would give all of my money up if it meant that my country and my family are safe for generations to come. If that means our recession lasts a little longer, SO BE IT. It's a small price to pay as long as we remain free, and under OUR RULE OF LAW, not theirs. If you think things are bad now, just wait until you start paying taxes to practice Christianity or Judaism to the head-chopping Islamo-fascists. Don't believe in God? OK, well, then you don't have to pay religious taxes. They just kill those kinds of infidels.

The war in Iraq, dear friends, puts the fight in the middle-east, where it belongs. Better that than war in our streets. Concerned about your house price? Well, terrorist acts are not good for real estate prices, that is for sure. Remember, there are soldiers out there fighting to make sure that our way of life, including our economy, has a future in this world.

The stock market, and all investing, is subordinate to global stability. If you don't believe that, then have a look at the price of gold and oil. It's pretty easy to assess that as global instability increases due to our "friends" in the middle east, the higher prices for these two commodities will go. This global instability will continue whether we withdraw from Iraq or not. If we are successful in Iraq, stability will return to Iraq, and spread throughout the middle east. Figure it out for yourselves. Either we fight them where they live and win, or they will fight you where you live and you personally will lose. That's just a cold fact. Success in Iraq means "stability" dividends, to which your precious stock market will respond quite kindly.

Of course, there are those dogmatists who believe that the war in Iraq "is all about oil." Wrong. It's all about global stability in general. Perhaps you think that we created instability in Iraq? Oh, ok, well, then research Saddam's financing of Fedayin Saddam - his international terrorist group financed with oil money. If you think Al Qaeda is bad, then imagine a better trained, better financed state terror group and what they could accomplish with rich Saddam's financial support! International affairs is a complex business, and decisions to go to war, regardless of the WMD market, are complex and involve thinking over time periods that span generations. Investors concerned with profits must take this into account when they make investment decisions. If you can't see the ramifications and inevitable consequences of globally strategic moves, then I am afraid that you are swimming in dangerous water when it comes to finance. I pray that history will show the decision to go to war in Iraq was correct. If you or I end up losing money because of bad investment decisions based on our limited understanding of global events and their consequences in the financial markets, well, then, too bad for us. Cry me a river, or learn from it. These financial catastrophes that we see today are not the last. Just be thankful that someone, somewhere, is trying to protect our way of life. Read "Black Swan" by Nicholas Nassem Talib, and learn from a genius.

Here's a question: What the next inevitable crisis? How should you position your "investments" based on this? Instead of crying about the Iraq war, prepare yourself for the next shoe to drop. It will definitely drop. Wars will happen, financial crises happen - these things are bigger than us all. Sit and point fingers all you like, or move on, adjust, improvise, and exploit.

Or, continue to be baby and blame everything on Bush and the Iraq war. Silly liberals, finance is for capitalists.