Continuing in this thread the discussion about international aspects impacting Tesla, and in particular the role of the SWIFT system in US foreign policy in response to my post on
the current US administration being so oddly anti Tesla *and* anti SpaceX
There are a fair number of exaggerations and mistakes in this post. As one example the SWIFT system had nothing to do with the US$ nor the US at all. SWIFT had Scandinavian roots and has always had a strong European structure. It si worldwide and includes all tradable currencies. There are more problems than that, but this one is a good example of how easy it is to overstate political opposition to environmental progress.
The truth is hazardous enough without exaggerating the reality. I don't dismiss risks, and there is serious risk regarding positive governmental actions in most of the world. Still, we should not be completely dismissive of potential progresss.
Since I live between two of the worst offenders in the US and Brazil, perhaps it is odd I'm naive to suggest things might not be totally bleak. I admit I also have some very dark days.
OTOH, BEV manufacture is growing rapidly, renewables and already cheaper than are fossil fuels for energy production, so even recidivist governments are relenting a bit.
@jbcarioca: I may have had the same reaction way back, being brought up in a family and social system where my reality was what I experienced in my upbringing - which turned out to be super biased...
[ Disclaimer: this is all my opinion, based on what I have observed, not claiming I am right, even 50%, but I *do* believe personally, possibly erroneously -I have made my share of mistakes- I am mostly right] .. anyways .. To delve first into SWIFT.
The SWIFT system is really a major asset to enforce foreign policy - forcing all international transactions to be denominated in US Dollars means they have to go through the SWIFT system, and if the powers that be (PTB) decide to
block all transactions it practically isolates your country from any foreign trade - for example see North Korea, and previously Cuba.
Another blatant example, irrefutable thanks to these
Panama Papers leaks " ..showed that Libya’s plan to create a gold-backed currency was a motive for NATO’s intervention. Libyan leader Muammar al-Gaddafi, murdered by Western-backed rebels on October 20, 2011, planned to create a gold-backed African currency to compete with the dollar and euro "
This should not be all that news if you have read "
Confessions of an Economic Hit Man" (which of course the PTB have tried to debunk, but historical facts are tough to debunk /s).
The SWIFT system actually needs to be seen in the larger context of the US foreign policy, here's an account from a Croatian ex general whose historical perspective is worth studying. Pretty rough writing, but interesting because it's his personal research/ experience, which in a sense is more valuable than the polished studies of well funded institutions who clearly have their carefully vetted versions to sell ...
History of US foreign policies
OK - hopefully we stay out of debating politics as normally understood ( "
The Rashomon Effect - multiple simultaneous contradictory truth are possible" ) and instead see what we can learn from contemplating differing points of view at the same time.
segarlaw.com
www.talkaboutcoffee.com
