We need to keep in mind that through the CRIMEX and COT (some transparency) we only see maybe 20-25% of the actual market with most transactions being derivatives in the OTC market and London which have little transparency. These same cartel banks could be doing the opposite somewhere else and actually be contributing to the rise in gold, these players use leveraged deriviatives and big hedging strategies and complex straddles, etc. All this to say that knowing the real picture is very difficult and near impossible unless you are one of the bankster cartel. We can however know the general trends and act accordingly and use technical history lessons to shed some further light on trends keeping in mind that fundamentals will always win out in the end, at least this has been my experience. When fundamenatls line up with technicals things can really happen that even the cartel can't control so they retreat to a new line of defense.

Although the cartel seems all powerful they are not and they can be over run and forced to flee and try to establish a new line of defense which is mostly what we have seen for years and will see for many more years yet.