The Petrodollar Is More Important Than You Think

Is no one in the popular press talking about this?

Since World War II, with roots extending decades back, the United States has primarily exerted its international influence - not by wars - but by manipulating financial markets.

Prussian General Karl Von Clausewitz stated:

War is the continuation of politics by other means.

(and, I’d say, vice versa)

Presumably, waging competition with money rather than bullets and bombs is kinder and gentler. Certainly, the impacts are less immediately visible.

Credit Canva for generating this cartoon. I was going to edit the text in the speech balloons, then I realized that the dialogue makes no sense to anybody.

In the current world order, use of financial influence to avoid hot war is most obvious in the imposition of economic sanctions. If you follow the headlines, you no doubt know sanctions exist against Russia, Iran, and North Korea - to name the ones we hear the most about. The US hasn’t targeted these countries unilaterally but in concert with economic allies. Undoubtedly, the American influence is the greatest because of the size of its economy.

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