Ron Paul On Conflicts in Syria

Ron Paul here. I want to inform you about the recent events in the Middle East and how that has reignited fears of a possible worldwide conflict. Read on…

President Trump’s missile strikes on a Syrian airbase roiled world markets. The major fear is that continued military action United States forces will inevitably result in an inadvertent strike against Russian forces, provoking a response and bringing both Russia and the United States into direct conflict with each other. As anyone who lived during World War II or the Cold War understands, a hot war between the world’s two largest nuclear powers could result in a horrifically long, expensive, and painful war.

While the effects of war on soldiers and on civilians in war zones would undoubtedly be horrendous, the negative effects would trickle down to everyone. Even those who think of themselves as not affected will still be affected indirectly. War between the United States and Russia could very easily snowball into World War III, bringing Europe and China into the fray. Global trade would slow down tremendously, stock markets would tank, and the world would enter an economic malaise. War in the Middle East would undoubtedly drive the price of oil higher, taking more money out of the pocketbooks of American households.

War Brings Economic Uncertainty and Inflation

The threat of war, the uncertainty regarding the future, the possibility of nuclear missile strikes, all of that would combine to diminish economic activity. Businesses would reduce production and hold off on investing in future projects. The economy would act just as did in the initial years after the last financial crisis, stuck in a rut of non-existent growth with little hope of ever pulling out. All of that would have an effect on overall investment activity and the ability of workers to save for their futures.

Even during a war, time goes on and careers advance. Workers still want to save for the future, but the choices available would be far more limited than they are now. And of course, governments always try to pay for wars by creating more money. This monetary inflation would lead to a rise in prices and make it much more expensive for people to maintain their standard of living. It would also mean that the already-weak investment choices available would not hold their value against rising inflation.

Protection Your Portfolio

So how should people try to protect both against the reduced value of their financial investments and the potential rise in inflation? One of the best ways to to protect against both of those eventualities is to invest a portion of your portfolio in gold and silver. Gold and silver keep their value over time and they don’t lose value during times of crisis. In fact, they even gain value during crises because so many people want to buy gold and silver to protect themselves. Wouldn’t it make sense to start diversifying your portfolio before the rush?

Central banks and governments know that gold is the ultimate store of wealth and value. That’s why, when war threatens to break out, they make sure that their gold is safe and sound and protected from the enemy. By investing in a gold or silver IRA, you too could make sure that your retirement nest egg is protected against the negative effects of market crashes, whether they are caused by central bank monetary manipulation or by heightened military conflict. While I certainly hope that cooler heads will prevail in the Syria conflict, in the event that things heat up, an investment in gold or silver would ensure that your assets remain safe, and that you won’t be sorry.