"It's just that when I see Butlers' title of a "massive" withdrawal, that tells me that there was a large amount taken out recently."

I don't understand your discussion very well. Butler is talking about "number one of concentrated shorts" JP Morgan, which has brought down its short position with 39 million ounces in a few weeks time to 26 million ounces. He also makes it clear that part of that short position has been taken over by others.

The point is that, when JP Morgan (and HSBC?) decide to walk away from their disproportianate short posistion in the silver market, the scam is no longer a scam, because the level of concentration goes down to normal market levels. Manipulation will be no longer that easy.

The withdrawal by JP Morgan remains pretty massive though.