BoA and Citi still have humongous derivative positions of respectively $38 trillion and $35 trillion, they can't be let to fail whatever the cost to the taxpayers, they would drag down the world with them with a big sucking sound.
for details see Chapter 9 near the bottom also for the Gold/ precious metals derivative players (3rd Qtr 2008).
http://www.occ.gov/ftp/release/2008-...