Palisades Gold Radio

Stijn Schmitz welcomes Colonel Douglas Macgregor to the show. Douglas is a retired U.S. Army Colonel & Decorated Combat Veteran. In a comprehensive analysis, Macgregor provides a dire assessment of the current geopolitical and economic landscape, focusing on the potential escalation of conflict in the Middle East and its global implications. Macgregor warns of a severe global crisis emerging from ongoing tensions, particularly highlighting the devastating impact on the global energy and fertilizer markets. He explains that approximately 15-20 million barrels of oil have been removed from the market, and 35% of global fertilizer production has been disrupted. This disruption could lead to widespread food shortages, potential famines in the global south, and significant economic challenges for countries worldwide.

The discussion centers on the potential for a massive air and missile campaign against Iran, which Macgregor believes could be catastrophically counterproductive. He argues that Iran has substantially rebuilt its military capabilities, with an estimated 45-50,000 drones and 15-20,000 ballistic and cruise missiles, supported by improved air defense systems from China and Russia. Macgregor critically examines the motivations behind the potential conflict, suggesting it stems from Israeli demands and pressure from what he calls the “Zionist billionaire class.” He emphasizes the potential economic consequences, including a possible global recession or depression, disruptions in shipping, and severe energy shortages.

The conversation also delves into broader economic implications, including the potential death of the petrodollar, resource nationalism, and the importance of hard assets like gold and silver. Macgregor strongly advises investors to prepare for challenging times by investing in tangible assets and maintaining cash reserves. Ultimately, he calls for rational leadership to prevent a potential humanitarian disaster, warning that the current trajectory could lead to significant global instability and economic upheaval. Macgregor’s analysis presents a stark and sobering view of the current geopolitical and economic landscape.

Timestamps:

00:00:00 – Introduction

00:00:38 – Welcoming Colonel McGregor

00:01:02 – Iran War Ceasefire Analysis

00:01:53 – Global Energy Complex Crisis

00:02:36 – Fertilizer Shortage Famine Risk

00:04:35 – Diesel Supply Europe Challenges

00:07:09 – Petrodollar System Collapse

00:09:16 – Trump Israel Iran Demands

00:13:00 – Iranian Defense Blockade Issues

00:15:08 – Upcoming Air Missile Campaign

00:20:09 – Infrastructure Destruction Escalation

00:22:01 – Global Recession Depression Warnings

00:25:13 – Gold Silver Investment Urgency

00:27:49 – Oil Market Reality Discrepancy

00:34:53 – Resource Nationalism Sovereignty Path

00:45:26 – Concluding Thoughts

Guest Links:

Website: https://douglasmacgregor.com

X: https://x.com/DougAMacgregor

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@douglasmacgregorTV

Articles: https://breakingdefense.com/author/doug-macgregor/

Substack: https://substack.com/@coloneldoug

Douglas Macgregor is a decorated combat veteran, an author of five books, a PhD, and a defense and foreign policy consultant.

Macgregor was commissioned in the Regular Army in 1976 after 1 year at VMI and 4 years at West Point. In 2004, Macgregor retired with the rank of Colonel. In 2020, the President appointed Macgregor to serve as Senior Advisor to the Secretary of Defense, a post he held until President Trump left office. He holds an MA in comparative politics and a PhD in international relations from the University of Virginia.

Macgregor is widely known inside the U.S., Europe, Israel, Russia, China and Korea for both his leadership in the Battle of 73 Easting, the U.S. Army’s largest tank battle since World War II, and for his ground breaking books on military transformation: Breaking the Phalanx (Praeger, 1997) and Transformation under Fire (Praeger, 2003). Macgregor’s recommendations for change in Force Design and “integrated all arms-all effects” operations have profoundly influenced force development in Israel, Russia and China. In 2010, Macgregor traveled to Seoul, Korea to advise the ROK Ministry of Defense on force design. In 2019, Transformation under Fire was selected by Lt. Gen. Aviv Kohavi, Chief of the Israeli Defense Force (IDF), as the intellectual basis for IDF transformation. His fifth book, Margin of Victory: Five Battles that Changed the Face of Modern War from Naval Institute Press is available in Chinese, as well as, English and will soon appear in Hebrew.

In 28 years of service Macgregor taught in the Department of Social Sciences at West Point, commanded the 1st Squadron, 4th Cavalry, and served as the Director of the Joint Operations Center at SHAPE during the 1999 Kosovo Air Campaign for which he was awarded the Defense Superior Service medal. In January 2002, at Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld’s insistence the USCENTCOM Commander listened to Colonel Macgregor’s concept for the offensive to seize Baghdad. The plan was largely adopted, but assumed no occupation of Iraq by U.S. Forces.

Macgregor has also testified as an expert witness before the Senate and House Armed Services Committees and appeared as a defense analyst on Fox News, CNN, BBC, Sky News and public radio. He is fluent in German.

Stijn Schmitz welcomes Dr. Stephen Leeb to the show. Dr. Stephen is Author and Founder of Leeb Capital Management. In this wide-ranging discussion, Leeb provides a comprehensive analysis of the global economic landscape, focusing on commodities, geopolitics, and the potential role of gold in reshaping the international monetary system. Leeb argues that the world is at a critical juncture, with natural gas and gold emerging as key strategic assets. He highlights the United States’ unexpected advantage in liquefied natural gas (LNG) and suggests that cooperation, rather than conflict, is the path forward for global economic stability.

The conversation then delves into the declining status of the US dollar and the potential for a gold-backed monetary system, with China and Russia playing significant roles in this potential transition. Stephen emphasizes the critical shortage of fundamental commodities, particularly copper and silver, and the need for sustainable energy solutions. Leeb warns that a shortage of any major critical commodity could lead to severe economic consequences, underlining the importance of international cooperation in resource management.

A central theme of the conversation is the potential for gold to serve as a unifying monetary force. Leeb views gold as more than just a commodity, describing it almost as a spiritual bridge between beauty and materiality. He suggests that countries adopting a gold standard have historically performed exceptionally well, and that gold could be instrumental in creating a more cooperative global economic system.

Leeb is particularly critical of current geopolitical tensions, especially between the United States, China, and Russia. He advocates for a collaborative approach, arguing that cooperation is the key to addressing global challenges in resource scarcity, technological innovation, and economic development.

Timestamps:

00:00:00 – Introduction

00:00:50 – Iran War Economic Impact

00:01:22 – LNG US Strategic Advantage

00:03:41 – Petrodollar System Origins

00:04:45 – Natural Gas Byproducts Value

00:08:47 – End of Petrodollar Era

00:11:21 – Europe’s Economic Crossroads

00:13:41 – Global Cooperation Imperative

00:18:07 – Gold Monetary System Role

00:21:03 – Oil Price Discrepancies Explained

00:24:50 – Market Manipulation Concerns

00:25:52 – China’s Gold Wealth Strategy

00:50:11 – Commodity Supercycle Potential

00:52:04 – Sustainability and Resource Scarcity

00:64:81 – Concluding Thoughts

Guest Links:

Website: https://tti.kartra.com/page/AboutTTI

Substack: https://drstephenleebphd.substack.com/

Website: https://www.stephenleeb.com/

X: https://x.com/DrStephenLeeb

Book Sample: https://read.amazon.com/sample/126044127X?clientId=share

Dr. Stephen Leeb is a recognized authority on the stock market, macroeconomic trends, and commodities, especially oil and precious metals. As Chairman and Chief Investment Officer of Leeb Capital Management, Dr. Leeb combines his knowledge of macro-economic trends and current market conditions with detailed information about specific companies he follows to guide the Committee’s investment decisions.

Stephen Leeb is a financial author, wealth manager, and publisher of a family of investment newsletters. He has been a recurring guest on CNN, Fox News, NPR, Bloomberg, and many others through the years. Leeb was also said to be one of the country’s foremost financial experts, with Charlie Gasparino in 2016 recommending Leeb as a good candidate for Federal Reserve Chairman.

Leeb earned a B.S. in Economics from the Wharton School of Business. He also earned a Master’s in Mathematics and a Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Illinois. He authored research papers on psychology and statistics in the peer-reviewed journal Psychological Reports. Stephen Leeb is married and lives in New York City, New York.

Leeb has written nine books on macroeconomic trends, finance, and investment, including the New York Times Best Sellers. Stephen’s recent book Red Alert was awarded the 2012 Axiom Business Book Awards silver medal in the International Business/Globalization category.

Stijn Schmitz welcomes David Skarica to the show. David Skarica is Contrarian Investor and the Founder of Profit From Pessimism. In this wide-ranging discussion, Skarica offers insights into current market dynamics, focusing on gold, commodities, and investment strategies. Skarica views the current gold market as part of a long-term macro trend that began in 1999, with potentially another four to six years of growth ahead. He attributes this potential to global debt levels, which have reached unprecedented heights. Central bank buying and potential retail investor interest are additional factors supporting gold’s trajectory. While gold has already seen significant appreciation, Skarica believes we are only in the first or second stage of its bull market in terms of pricing.

Regarding mining stocks, Skarica is particularly interested in smaller miners near production or with strong cash flow potential. He sees opportunities in junior mining companies that can potentially increase their market capitalization significantly. His investment approach focuses on finding undervalued companies with asymmetric risk-reward profiles, preferring to make concentrated bets on a handful of carefully selected investments.

Stijn also explores energy markets, with Skarica noting potential opportunities in oil, natural gas, and even renewable energy sectors. He suggests that the ongoing geopolitical tensions and increased energy demands from technological developments like AI could support higher energy prices and create investment opportunities. Skarica’s investment philosophy emphasizes contrarian thinking, patience, and seeking value in overlooked or undervalued assets. He warns against over-concentration in any single investment and recommends diversification across sectors and careful position sizing.

Timestamps:

00:00:00 – Introduction

00:00:42 – Market Volatility Overview

00:01:49 – Precious Metals Bull Market

00:03:54 – Opportunities in Miners

00:07:48 – Gold as Ultimate Hedge

00:08:47 – Central Bank Buying

00:11:13 – Debasement and Debt

00:16:22 – Bull Cycle Analysis

00:20:29 – Gold Majors Valuation

00:24:14 – Junior Miners Strategy

00:33:54 – Oil Energy Outlook

00:43:13 – LNG Natural Gas Plays

00:50:42 – Concluding Thoughts

Guest Links:

X: https://x.com/DavidSkarica

Website: https://profitfrompessimism.com

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@profitpess

David Skarica had an interest in financial markets at an early age. At the age of 16, he read the small booklet “The Plague of the Black Debt”, by James Dale Davidson, which was given to him by his uncle.

David was always a sports stat nut, loving football, hockey and baseball stats, which lead to David becoming intrigued with economics and markets. David is such an avid Football and Las Vegas Raiders fan — his principal in grammar school was Bernie Custis, who was the late Raiders owner Al Davis’ roommate at Syracuse University, and the first ever African American quarterback in college and pro football history — that he also runs his own football vlog, Raiders Greats, which discusses great Raiders player of the past. He also is a soccer fan who supports Leeds Utd., as his father was born in Leeds, England.

In 1996, at the age of 18, David became the youngest person on record (that he knows of anyhow) to obtain the Canadian Securities Course (CSC) license to trade investment securities.

In the late 1990s, David felt that the market was becoming another epic bubble similar to the bubble of the 1920s, so he decided at the tender age of 20 to write his first book, Stock Market Panic!, which was published in 1998. Over the next decade, gold soared from $250 an ounce to nearly $1900, while the S&P 500 lost value.

In the same year that this book was published, he decided to start his newsletter, Addicted to Profits. The newsletter’s name was a spin on Robert Palmer’s famed song Addicted to Love. The irony was Robert Palmer recorded this song in the Bahamas ay the famous Compass Point Recording Studio, and David himself would end up moving to the Bahamas in 2005 (another Irony about David moving to the Bahamas is that his mentor Sir John Templeton also resided there).

Stijn Schmitz welcomes back Josef Schachter to the show. Josef is Founder of Schachter Asset Management Inc. The discussion centers on the significant disruptions in the global oil and gas market caused by recent geopolitical conflicts in the Middle East. Schachter provides a comprehensive analysis of the current energy landscape, highlighting the potential long-term implications of supply constraints and infrastructure damage. According to Schachter, the conflict has already removed approximately 14 to 16 million barrels of oil from daily production, with strategic petroleum reserves and shadow fleet inventories currently offsetting the supply shock. He anticipates that if the war continues, oil prices could reach $80-$90 per barrel by year-end, with potential risks of prices climbing to $150-$180, which could trigger significant demand destruction.

They discuss the broader implications for the energy sector, with Schachter emphasizing that the current environment presents attractive opportunities for investors. He recommends focusing on companies with large reserve life indices, low operating costs, and attractive valuations. Specifically, he highlights Canadian energy companies in natural gas and oil sands sectors as promising investments. Schachter notes that the energy landscape has fundamentally changed since March 1st, with companies now needing to focus on growth strategies. He believes the sector is still in early stages, comparing it to being on the fourth hole of a golf course, with significant potential for future development. Companies with strong balance sheets and the ability to capitalize on higher commodity prices will be best positioned.

The conversation also touches on potential demand impacts, with Schachter suggesting that prices above $150-$180 per barrel could trigger severe economic consequences, potentially leading to demand reduction that would stabilize prices. He recommends investors carefully evaluate energy companies, looking at metrics like finding and development costs, operating efficiency, and management’s equity stake. Ultimately, Schachter believes the energy sector offers significant long-term investment potential, particularly for those willing to be patient and strategic in their approach.

Timestamps:

00:00:00 – Introduction

00:01:05 – Long-Term Conflict Implications

00:04:04 – Geopolitical Risks and Escalation

00:05:09 – Oil Price Dynamics Forecast

00:08:18 – Futures Curve Analysis

00:10:18 – Supply Shortage Timeline

00:11:24 – Energy Sector Investments

00:13:19 – Infrastructure Damage Assessment

00:16:35 – US Geopolitical Oil Strategy

00:18:14 – Historical Price Parallels

00:21:29 – Stock Valuation Opportunities

00:25:13 – Iran War Possibilities

00:29:20 – Attractive Oil Gas Picks

00:32:38 – Canadian Oil & Gas

00:35:41 – Oil & Gas Producers

00:40:32 – Assessing Companies

00:45:58 – Concluding Thoughts

Guest Links:

Website: https://schachterenergyreport.ca

Subscription Discount for Palisade Listeners, $100 off the first year of our subscription, use coupon code “POD100”
https://schachterenergyreport.ca/subscriptions/

Josef Schachter is a 40+ year veteran of the Canadian Investment Management Industry, Josef Schachter has experienced several exceptional and turbulent global economic and stock market cycles. With his primary focus in the stock market and the energy sector, Josef is able to weave global political, economic and monetary issues with current energy data into a compelling story of what’s going on, what is to come, and why.

Josef is a frequent guest on Michael Campbell’s Podcast ‘Mikes Money Talks’ and other podcast and radio shows and is often quoted in the media. He is a regular Guest Speaker at the annual World Outlook Financial Conference in Vancouver and he delivers presentations to various companies and organizations. For several years, he was a frequent and notably colourful commentator on BNN Bloomberg’s Market Call.

Josef provided Oil and Gas research to Maison Placements Canada geared to their institutional clients for 15 years ending April 2017, and was acknowledged as the first analyst in Canada to predict the Oil Price Plunge of 2014.

Prior to establishing his firm Schachter Asset Management Inc. in 1996, Josef was the Chief Market Strategist at Richardson Greenshields, a Director of RGCL and a member of its Investment Policy Committee. He holds a Chartered Financial Analyst designation and is a past Chairman of the Canadian Council of Financial Analysts.

Stijn Schmitz welcomes Lobo Tiggre to the show. Lobo Tiggre is the founder of the Independent Speculator. The discussion explores the current state of commodities markets, with a particular focus on precious metals, energy, and geopolitical dynamics. Tiggre provides a nuanced perspective on the gold market, emphasizing that despite recent volatility, the long-term outlook remains positive. He argues that gold trading around $4,500-$4,700 is still a strong position, and the current correction should be viewed with perspective. The fundamental drivers for gold remain intact, including de-dollarization trends and global economic uncertainties.

Regarding silver and platinum group metals, Tiggre believes they will not be left behind in the broader precious metals rally. He notes that silver is particularly volatile and can present unique buying opportunities during market corrections. For uranium and copper, he maintains a strongly bullish long-term outlook, viewing them as critical energy metals with structural supply constraints.

The conversation delves into the geopolitical landscape, with Tiggre discussing how current global tensions are accelerating trends like de-dollarization and creating potential opportunities in various commodity markets. He emphasizes the importance of disciplined investing, advocating for a “buy low, sell high” approach and maintaining cash reserves to capitalize on market corrections.

Timestamps:

00:00:00 – Introduction

00:01:05 – Market Volatility Discussion

00:04:14 – Gold Bull Market Fundamentals

00:06:59 – War’s Impact on Gold

00:09:30 – US Dollar Reserve Status

00:12:37 – Oil Market Complacency

00:20:14 – Disrupted Commodities Overview

00:21:16 – Silver Supply and Demand

00:27:02 – Gold Miners Risk Reward

00:32:45 – Copper Long-Term Outlook

00:38:32 – Nickel and Coal Thesis

00:41:09 – Uranium Investment Opportunities

00:45:59 – Wrap Up

Guest Links:

Website: https://independentspeculator.com

X: https://x.com/duediligenceguy

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/louis.james.965580/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lobotiggre/

Lobo Tiggre, aka Louis James, is the founder and CEO of Louis James LLC, and the principal analyst and editor of IndependentSpeculator.com. He researched and recommended speculative opportunities in Casey Research publications from 2004 to 2018, writing under the name “Louis James.” While with Casey Research, he learned the ins and outs of resource speculation from the legendary speculator Doug Casey.

Although frequently mistaken for one, Mr. Tiggre is not a professional geologist. However, his long tutelage under world-class geologists, writers, and investors resulted in an exceptional track record.

A fully transparent, documented, and verifiable track record is a central feature of the IndependentSpeculator. Mr. Tiggre will put his own money into the speculations he writes about, so his readers will always know he has “skin in the game” with them.