The 'hoarding' of gold by the US continued well beyond the events of the 1930's with US holdings peaking in 1949 at 699Moz. That's 20 years after the world left the gold standard ver 1.0.
I'm saying they never left it, and the US understood utterly what holding excess gold reserves meant. Now in 2010, this same principal extends to holding oil reserves since they equate to the exact same thing.
It is holding a reserve held against future debt. As sure as night follows day, oil will go to $500/bbl, and gold to $5000.
Bank it. This is needed to balance the Treasury, period. It establishes economic supremacy over weaker nations.
The US does not actively engage in war that does not provide some direct economic benefit - whether to revive failing US industries or to win prized assets. There is no benevolence behind the US military complex.
What they do in the mean time is present opportunities, and placate the masses. I wouldn't flip you a nickel for all the patriotic sputim that flows from the political circus. It is condescending in it's obvious transparency, and is desperate politics.
The same can be said of many political games being played elsewhere.
