outstanding post..just substitute oil derivatives for currency derivatives, currency being just another lessor commodity, and you'll know who runs the world and who putin has to fight....unlike teddy roosevelt who was the father breaking up his bully son in a family affair(the bust up of standard oil monopoly), putin has to break up an EXTENDED GLOBAL GANG comprised of the western mutinationals, opec, and his own standard oil monopoly called the euroside oligarchs....putin represents the good pacific oil, ironically stateowned, that gives him the power to take on the beast as all it takes is one to break up aprice cartel...it will show up in the continuing growth in asian economics which receives putin's oil at fair price..this asian growth, keyed to china, will drive down the price of durable goods and keep those prices down for good..