" What is more relevant to this discussion is that if the COMEX operated a fair market and within the rule of laws pertaining to price fixing, no such shorting scam would be able to succeed. I place the blame squarely on the CFTC for this one." Coach.

This may be more of a semantic argument which will not be resolved here or in any court, but I note two things:

1. If the Chinese own silver and JPM are shorting silver for the Chinese, then U'd need a pretty big team of lawyers to prove to the courts that this wasn't "legitimate" hedging. U can't argue INTENT in a court of law very easily. I agree coach, it is not China's intent to ever deliver into those contracts, but how can U fault the CFTC for allowing it, if it fullfills the rule of law - backed up by physical silver.?

2. I don't have a problem with ANY of this. Remember, that it takes this kind of manipulation (which happens all the time), in order to create BIG value misalignments that we the value wolves can trade. If everything in the world was a PERFECT market, I wouldn't be making huge bucks buying silver shares at rock bottom prices! Silver would already be trading at a GOLD:SILVER ratio of 15, and the $US would already be backed by gold, and I'd still be working...so please be careful what U wish for...we are (in some ways), blessed to have a corrupt system that we can trade to our own selfish ends. jmho. Humans are greedy and imperfect...and we complain a lot...be grateful.

lotus petals,

gildage