Join Us at the 2023 World Economic Conference in Orlando, Florida!

? Dates: November 17, 18, and 19 ? Location: Orlando, Florida, USA (or tune in from home with our virtual ticket options)

Are you ready to unlock the future of economics and finance? Prepare for an unforgettable World Economic Conference experience in sunny Orlando, Florida! This premier event is your gateway to insights, networking, and valuable resources that will supercharge your understanding of the global economy.

?️ What’s Included for In-Person Attendees:

1. Event Admission: Enjoy reserved seating assigned based on the order of ticket sales, ensuring you have a prime view of every presentation.
2. Presentation Slides: Gain access to the presentation slides from all speakers, allowing you to delve deeper into the topics discussed.
3. Video Recording: Can’t make it to a session? No worries! You’ll receive access to video recordings of all conference presentations, so you can catch up at your convenience.
4. WEC Event App: Connect with the conference on a whole new level. Access presentation slides, bonus reports, recordings, and more via the official WEC Event App.
5. Bonus Conference Materials: Get a package of bonus conference-related materials, including exclusive bonus reports and videos (as provided by Martin Armstrong).
6. Morning Information Sessions: Don’t miss out on important morning information sessions, screened on-site in the meeting room on Saturday and Sunday.
7. Networking Opportunities: Exclusive access to the Event App Networking Feature allows you to connect with fellow attendees, both in-person and virtual, fostering valuable professional relationships.
8. Culinary Delights: Savor delicious breakfast and lunch on Saturday and Sunday, prepared to keep you energized throughout the day.
9. Cocktail Reception: Kick off the conference in style at our Friday evening cocktail reception. Meet and mingle with fellow attendees while enjoying refreshing drinks.
10. Swag Bag: As a token of our appreciation, each in-person attendee will receive a swag bag filled with goodies, including an Armstrong Economics notebook, pen, and an event collector’s mug!

Unable to travel? We also have two different ticket options for those wishing to attend virtually! 

Don’t miss this opportunity to be part of a global gathering of economic and financial minds. Secure your spot at the World Economic Conference in Orlando, Florida, and gain the knowledge, connections, and resources you need to thrive in the world of finance and economics.

Space is limited, so act now and reserve your seat! Visit our Events page to register and join us in sunny Orlando this November.

Now available at all major retailers!

The eBook will be available shortly.

The second edition of “The Plot to Seize Russia – The Untold History” is now available for purchase in paperback and hardcover on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. The ebook will be available shortly.

Book description:

“Take care of Russia,” Boris Yeltsin said as he departed his presidency in August 1999. These words were directed at current Russian president, Vladimir Putin. Yeltsin specifically picked Putin as his predecessor to prevent the takeover of Russia.

So, who was Yeltsin warning against? Newly declassified documents from the Clinton Administration prove that there was a plot to rig the Russian election of 2000. These never-before-seen documents confirm numerous attempts to implement pro-Western policies using the Russian oligarchy headed by Boris Berezovsky.

On the other side were the communists who desired a return to the glory days of the Soviet Union. As one of the largest international hedge fund managers, author Martin Armstrong found himself in the middle of perhaps the greatest espionage, or attempt at a regime change for Russia, in modern history.

The Plot to Seize Russia pulls back the curtain to expose the most extraordinary attempt to seize power in modern history, but with the pen rather than armies. These declassified documents reveal a plot that has altered our thinking about the relations between the United States and Russia. The thirst for power comes seething through every line of these papers that alter our perception of reality, change the course of history, and now threaten us with World War III.

QUESTION: Marty, looking at Socrates, it does not show that this release of 400 million barrels of oil will do much. Am I reading this correctly?

ANSWER: The International Energy Agency released 400 million barrels of oil into the global market, the largest release of emergency oil stocks in history. This is just for show. However, it actually makes things far more vulnerable. This is all predicated on a quick victory with the conquest of Iran. If that assumption is wrong, this will not help.

1. MATHEMATICALLY INSUFFICIENT (won’t even cover 2-3 months of lost supply)
2. STRATEGICALLY STUPID (leaves U.S. vulnerable to future crises)
3. POLITICALLY DESPERATE (election-year panic move)
4. ECONOMICALLY FUTILE (treats symptom, not disease)

Let’s get real. Global oil consumption is about 100 million barrels/day (mb/d). U.S. consumption is about 20 million barrels/day. The disruption of the Strait of Hormuz supply affects about 21 million barrels/day (21% of global supply).  Releasing 400 million barrels at the global consumption rate would last 19 days (400M ÷ 21M/day). There is no way this will calm markets in the long term.

As I have been warning since the turn in the ECM in 2024, the US would enter STAGFLATION but Europe would be more of an economic Depression. The Marxist agenda of the EU oppresses the economy and it has posted the lowest economic growth of the major powers in the world. They hatred of the rich and insistance on exploiting them is why the economic growth is pathetic. As I have said, the capitalization of just the NYSE is nore than all the exchanges of Europe, including London, combined.

The Trump administration has wisely invoked the Defense Production Act and had overriden California which shut down offshore oil operations in California.  Trump has wisely addressed oil supply disruption risks and reduce reliance on foreign crude by increasing domestic production. Releasing 400 million barrels is just not a real solution.

The Trump Administration has directed Sable Offshore Corp., an oil and gas company headquartered in Houston, to restore operations at the Santa Ynez Unit and the Santa Ynez Pipeline System off the coast of Santa Barbara. Failing to do so allows Iran to engage in a supply war like the 1970s. Trump is also lifting sanctions on Russia. The best thing to come out of this Iran War is to put a check against Zelensky.

I am still concerned about June/July. While President Trump said “Iran wants to make a deal, and I don’t want to make it because the terms aren’t good enough yet,” on NBC on Saturday, saying that a “very solid” agreement would have to include a commitment by Tehran to abandon nuclear ambitions. However, the Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the Islamic Republic is open to “any regional initiative that leads to a fair end to the war,” according to an interview published by the UK-based Al-Araby Al-Jadeed news website on Sunday.

Let me cut through the diplomatic bullshit and tell you what’s really happening: Netanyahu is absolutely pushing for regime change in Iran, and Trump is going along with it. But the relationship is more complex than simple puppet-master dynamics.

NETANYAHU’S POSITION has been clear and consistent. He wants the complete destruction of Iranian regime (not just nuclear program, not just military degradation—REGIME CHANGE). He has wanted this for 40+ years (documented, consistent). He has stated this explicitly multiple times in recent months (post-Feb 28 strikes). The first strike was to implement his insane policy of DECAPITATION assuming that would cause the government to collapse assassinating Khamenei and the IRGC leadership.Let’s be clear. That is not “deterrence,” that’s REGIME CHANGE operation and Trump agreed.

TRUMP’S POSITION looking at his public statements, suggests  “maximum pressure,” “they must change behavior.” He has also made occasional regime change hints. His actions are consistent with regime change decapitation strikes, “every weapon” threats, no clear offramp for Iran. This presents the problem of no exit strategy all based on the assumption Netanyahu whispers in his ear that DECAPITATION will succeed. Yet, Trump is also transactional might accept “deal” if Iran capitulates completely, but that does not see likely based on our computer models. Netanyahu absolutely in his ear, but Trump has own motivations (political, ego, strategic)

The real question is: Why is Trump doing this BECAUSE Netanyahu demands it, or are their interests ALIGNED? It appears that Trump and Netanyahu both want regime change, yet for independent motivations. Netanyahu has been pushing Trump further/faster than Trump would go alone.

Netanyahu does have domestic US support he is using against Trump. The Evangelical base (30-40% of Trump’s coalition) are fanatically pro-Israel, see Iran as biblical enemy as the Amalek of 1 Samuel 15:2-3! Then there are the domestic Jewish donors who are also major Republican funding such as Sheldon Adelson’s widow Miriam, others—billions at stake. There is also the AIPAC influence, which is a powerful lobbying group that can make/break candidates. Add to this, the media support, which spins the Neocon agenda and is Pro-Israel amplifying Trump when he’s tough on Iran.

The Byzantine Empire did try to defeat the early Arab-Islamic Caliphates and lost a significant portion of its territory. However, the Empire managed to survive, fight back, and eventually reclaim some of its lost lands. Yet the conflict was not a single, short war but a protracted series of campaigns known as the Arab-Byzantine wars, spanning over four centuries from the 7th to the 11th century. The outcome was a mixture of catastrophic defeat and eventual resurgence. They conquered Constantinople and the last emperor died fighting on the walls trying to save the last remanent of the Roman Empire.

This war is pushing the system over the edge and at stake will indeed be the 2026 Midterm Elections. The vast majority of congressional Republicans are publicly supportive of President Donald Trump’s decision to launch a war on Iran. This does not help matters. My concern is that nobody seems to comprehend that this is NOT the same as Iraq. Saddam was just a head of state. This is a religious war as was the case in Afghanistan. There is no historical precedent for winning such a war when the core is to undermine or destroy a religion.

QUESTION: Marty; I was rereading the Middle East report from the 2023 WEC. You had everything pointing to this starting in 2025. Even your Wave 10 on Islam pointed to 2025. Do you still see this ending bad for Israel and a broadening war? It is obvious, the press is told to stay far away from you because they do not like your computer’s forecast. They treat you like they did Kondratieff because Stalin did like his cyclical forecast either.

HG

1. – Complete withdrawal of all U.S. military forces from the Middle East within 30 days
2. – Immediate lifting of all sanctions on Iran
3. – Payment of $500 billion in compensation

1. – Close the Strait of Hormuz to all maritime traffic
2. – Pursue nuclear weapons development, including possible deployment
3. – Allow China and Russia to establish military bases on Iranian soil\

1. To international shipping nations: Allow safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz only if they expel U.S. and Israeli diplomats
2. To Azerbaijan: “Expel the Zionists” from its territory or face military consequences—a demand Baku has rejected as a violation of international law.

Talk about destiny: I even grew up at 314 South Lippincott Ave, Maple Shade, NJ.

QUESTION: Marty, I want to thank you for your warning about Blackrock. I took out 90% with the October high and the rest in January when Socrates showed a Panic Cycle Year in 2026. I did not invest in their Ukraine project. I heard because of your advice to stay out they could not raise any money. A BlackRock spokesperson admitted: “Obviously you cannot launch a fund with no money in it”

I can see that this is lining up with the ECM and war. Do you see this getting much worse into 2028?

KC

ANSWER: You are seeing them all preventing withdrawals – Blackrock, Black stone, Morgan Stanley, and Blue Owl. They were lending at high rates to businesses that are in trouble. About 40% with loans from these people have negative cash flows. I do not see this bottoming before mid 2027.

We are in a global recession that will bottom in August 2028. This war on Iran is braindead. I warned that all the models on crude, gasoline, and natural gas all had Directional Changes for 2025 and were pointing higher. I have also warned that the extreme target for oil by 2028 is $200-$225.

Even our Chaos Model picked 2025 and shows a gap until 2033. The war with Iran comes exactly on target for this economically is far worse that the Ukraine War because it is not just energy flowing through the Hormuz, but fertilizer and this will impact both gasoline as well as food. Trump’s advisors are biased Neocons. They see themselves as all powerful. They never consider the possibility of a loss and certainly never collateral damage. Here is Tony Blair’s apology for listening to Neocons for Iraq.

These people never understand markets and certainly not capital flows. All they see is their tactical objectives and never consider long-term. They are going the same all over again. Israel is getting pummeled. As some point, Netanyahu may push the button for he has no choice.

PRIVATE BLOG – Iran = Vietnam 2.0: Will Middle East War Turn Nuclear?

Private blog posts are exclusively available to Socrates subscribers. To sign-up for Socrates or to learn more, please visit Ask-Socrates.com.

https://ask-socrates.com/

COMMENT: I am very disappointed in the Trump Administration. He promised to stop the endless wars and has done the opposite. Your track record is far beyond that of any forecasting operation, and they threw you in contempt because you would not turn over your code to people like Anthtopic. Trump should be calling you ASAP. You warned Iran would attack the refineries of neighbors, close the Strait of Hormuz, and activate sleeper cells in America. We have had two local terrorist attacks within hours after an ISIS-linked gunman opened fire at Old Dominion University, and another attacker rammed a vehicle packed with explosives into a Michigan synagogue school. Meanwhile, missiles exploded near Jerusalem’s most sacred religious sites, including the Temple Mount. If the Temple Mount is destroyed, the Evangelicals will be cheering the end of the world. You wrote in the WEC Agricultural Report:

“wheat is not just a commodity; it has historically been a weapon. It has toppled more empires than gunpowder and will likely do so again. The current 2021–2025 wheat bear market is the calm before the most violent upward surge in agricultural history. Our models indicate a phase-transition target of $21.00 per bushel by the peak of the 2032.95 turning point. This is not inflation. It is systemic food scarcity intersecting with the War Cycle, Climate Cycle (volatility, not “warming”), and the Monetary Crisis Cycle (1971–2032).”

You should be in the White House. You warned that wheat became a weapon in the Ukraine vs Russia war and now with 10-15% of fertilizer going through the Strait of Hormuz, your computer has forecast what nobody saw. The only reason you are not there is that these neocons block you. Anyone in Congress who is not calling you in at this point is not worth reelecting.

Bret

ANSWER: Yes, about 30% of all fertilizer flows through the strait of Hormuz. This is not just about oil. This is also about a food shortage as I warned at the WEC. Last year was the 3 year reaction low that came in on the Directional Change. The computer has mapped this market out as well. We will see a third spike to new highs. Trump has been hoodwinked by the Neocons thinking that Netanyahu is somehow an independent head of state. He is deeply in bed with the American Neocons and they used Netanyahu to manipulate Trump into another unwinnable endless war.

I will do an update on the Agricultural Report since this is critical. I have been warning to keep 2-year supply of food. For those who attended the WEC, it will be in your Portal. Since this is critical, it will be made available for sale. I will post it when it is ready.

The global food system is a MIRACLE of modern logistics and chemistry. Eight billion people fed daily through complex supply chains spanning continents, dependent on synthetic fertilizer produced from natural gas and shipped through narrow chokepoints. It’s also insanely FRAGILE. One major disruption = cascade failure within months. We’ve lived with this fragility for 50+ years and gotten away with it. The cycles say our luck is running out. The Strait of Hormuz is 21 miles wide. The margin between civilization and famine is even narrower. Don’t say you weren’t warned.

QUESTION: You said they always kill the assassin when there is a conspiracy. I think you said that about the attempted assassination of Trump. You also said that about Oswald and Epstein. You said the only question about Epstein you wrote “When will Epstein be found Dead? Before or After a Deal?” I know you are a history buff. What is the precedent for this plot?

Jake

ANSWER: This is pretty standard throughout history. The Roman Emperor Caracalla was assassinated in just such a conspiracy. A disgruntled soldier named Justin Martialis, whom future emperor Macrinus had recruited to assassinate Caracalla so he would become emperor. The soldier stepped forward and stabbed Caracalla to death. Martialis was immediately killed by one of Caracalla’s bodyguards, conveniently silencing the direct link to the conspirators. The primary conspirators also included two tribunes of the Praetorian Guard.

After the failed boat trap intended to kill his mother, Agrippina Jr., Nero had Anicetus kill her. To provide cover, Nero framed Agrippina’s freedman, Agermus, as an assassin and had him killed, claiming Agrippina’s murder was a suicide resulting from her own failed plot.

Killing the assassin ensures their silence. Oswald was killed to prevent any trial. His wife had said he was innocent, but was intimidated by the FBI. While everyone is focuses on Epstein and the people who flew to his island, that is all the distraction and it’s a good one as people think they are protecting “pedophiles.” It was a blackmail ring. The real question is who was this for. It was not for fun. All the people were high profile. They characterize the girls who accepted money and gifts somehow did not understand at 17 this was prostitution? That knowledge only comes at 18?

I have said before that Maxwell was part of the Club. Robert Maxwell did not simply “lose” money before he died; he stole approximately £460 million from his own companies’ pension funds to prop up his failing business empire. These were indeed the pension savings of his employees. While there is substantial evidence of his deep and questionable ties to Soviet/Russian intelligence, the money he stole was used to cover his massive personal and corporate debts—not directly to “manipulate Russia,” though his espionage activities were likely a significant financial drain.  Maxwell died on November 5th, 1991. This was linked to the Russian 1991 coup against Gorbachev. Epstein points out that he tried to blackmail Israel for £400 million. That probably served the justification for his death. Bill Browder was Maxwell’s right hand man covering Russia. He then went into partners with Edmund Safra and formed Hermitage Capital Management. That was the company I was solicited to put in $10 billion and I refused.

Russia experienced a profound and multifaceted financial crisis in 1991. However, it’s crucial to understand that this was not just a financial crisis in the modern sense; it was the total economic collapse of the Soviet Union, which led to the state’s dissolution in December of that year.

This crisis was a complete breakdown of the Soviet system, characterized by the failure of its core institutions. Here is a breakdown of the key dimensions of the 1991 crisis. The central government literally ran out of money. By late 1991, the Soviet state bank (Gosbank) could no longer meet its financial obligations. The Soviet Union was on the verge of defaulting on its foreign debts, with the foreign trade bank (Vnesheconombank) running out of cash

I wrote in the Plot to Seize Russia that Maxwell was widely suspected of being a triple agent, with links to MI6, the Israeli Mossad, and the Soviet KGB. The coup against Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev occurred in August 1991. It began on August 18 when he was placed under house arrest and officially commenced on August 19, collapsing just a few days later on August 21. Maxwell brokered a deal to support the 1991 coup in Russia in return for the release of all Russian Jews so they could migrate to Israel. When the coup collapsed, Maxwell was on the wrong side.

The evidence suggests his relationship with the Soviet state was one of mutual benefit. He gained unparalleled access and prestige, while they gained a useful asset with access to Western leaders and information. The money he stole was to cover the debts of his business empire, which was likely financially weakened by the costs of his espionage activities and his prestige-driven, often unprofitable, global ventures. His espionage was a separate but parallel operation to his business fraud.

I believe Maxwell took a swim aided by Mossad to ensure he was silenced. Browder abandoned ship, and the Neocons looked to blackmail Yeltsin to step down sticking in Boris Berezovsky as their puppet to run Russia. Eventually, his bodyguard said Berezovsky dod not commit suicide, he was killed by MI6 to cover up the plot to seize Russia.

They will never allow a trial when something behind the headlines will surface. In my own case, I had ZERO restitution because to impose restitution you still have to get  trial. I could have called all the bankers to the stand. They already tried to kill me. I was in a coma for three days but survived. They could not allow any trial that would expose their involvement with the bankers to take over Russia.  The bank’s involvement with the US Treasury et al shipping billions to Russia in case would have also been fully aired.

Money Plane Congressional Record, Volume 142 Issue 19 (Tuesday, February 13, 1996)

The resignation of Caitlin Kalinowski from OpenAI has triggered a debate that goes far beyond Silicon Valley. Kalinowski stepped down shortly after the company entered into an agreement with the United States Department of Defense to deploy its artificial intelligence models on government systems. The issue was not simply the partnership itself, but the speed at which the decision was made and the implications for how such powerful technology could be used as a weapon against American citizens.

“I resigned from OpenAI. I care deeply about the Robotics team and the work we built together. This wasn’t an easy call.” She was not rejecting national defense outright. She even acknowledged that “AI has an important role in national security.” Yet she warned that certain lines had been crossed. In her own words, “surveillance of Americans without judicial oversight and lethal autonomy without human authorization are lines that deserved more deliberation than they got.”

When someone inside the system walks away and raises that type of alarm, you should pay attention. For years, I have warned that governments are steadily constructing the infrastructure necessary to monitor populations in ways previous generations could not even imagine. After the September 11 attacks, intelligence agencies dramatically expanded their surveillance powers under the banner of protecting national security through the Patriot Act. Phone data, internet activity, and financial transactions became data points feeding enormous intelligence databases. The public was told these programs were narrowly targeted at foreign threats. Behind the curtain, the databases were growing larger every year. Governments now have access to EVERYTHING we do.

What most people do not realize is that the financial system was also pulled into this surveillance web. I have written before that governments began monitoring bank accounts and financial transfers on a scale that few citizens fully appreciate. Under the administration of Obama, programs quietly expanded to allow intelligence agencies to track international banking activity, financial flows, and transaction patterns in the name of national security. Those systems became permanent fixtures inside the intelligence community.

The trend accelerated under Joe Biden, when federal agencies aggressively pushed for greater reporting requirements from banks and financial institutions. Governments argued this was necessary to combat tax evasion, money laundering, and illicit activity. The financial behavior of ordinary citizens came under scrutiny, and Biden’s team was caught red-handed spying on anyone who supported his adversary. Donated to Trump? You’re on a list to be monitored. Hold religious beliefs that do not coincide with current political leanings? Anyone who purchased a Bible was placed on a list. Your bank account, your transactions, and even your spending patterns increasingly became part of enormous government databases.

What Kalinowski exposed is that the next phase is already underway. Once AI becomes embedded in national security systems, the surveillance state moves to an entirely new level. Governments will have the ability to monitor populations in real-time. Populations—not merely persons of interest—but the entire population. The people operating these systems are rarely elected officials. They are bureaucrats, intelligence officers, and agencies operating behind the curtain where the public has almost no visibility. Then the power is placed into the hands of a computer system that can instantly flag and target people or groups without moral discernment.

This is why the Kalinowski resignation matters. She warned openly about AI being used for domestic surveillance without oversight. Once these systems are integrated into government networks, the temptation to expand them becomes irresistible. Governments always claim these tools are necessary for security. But history shows that the definition of “security” tends to expand until it includes monitoring the population itself.

What is even more revealing is that officials within the Pentagon have already begun describing certain advanced AI systems as potential national security risks if they cannot be controlled by the government. In other words, artificial intelligence itself is now viewed as a threat unless it is firmly under the state’s control. That should tell you everything you need to know about where this is heading.

Do not assume these systems will remain limited to foreign adversaries. Surveillance infrastructure rarely stays confined to its original mission. Once built, it inevitably expands. The technology now exists to construct the most comprehensive monitoring system ever devised in human history. And if you think governments will not use it, you have not been paying attention.