But beyond all that is that the global monetary system is absolutely fucked. How long can countries print money and expect that money to be taken seriously?

Guess we're about to find out ...

I watched (most of) the DW video. It's been as plain as day for nearly 30 years that allowing yourself to become reliant on a totalitarian regime was/is an idiotic strategy. Someone talks about it being a 'different attitude' back then (getting into bed with CCP), which is a normal way to shirk all responsibility. Why was it a different attitude? Attitude by whom?

It's interesting the video was made during the initial years of 'Corona'. Covid marked an unceremonious pivot-away point (by the US) from the pivot to China. Nothing changed apart from that - China was persecuting HK, Tibetan, Uyghur, Falun Gong people & threatening Taiwan before Covid - it had just been profitable not to talk about it.

There's a tacit understanding now by govts that it did come from the Wuhan lab, but it's best not to talk about it, seeing how we dutifully helped cover it up. Only question is was it deliberately released with a goal in mind? It definitely works as a weapon. Worked great.

The total back-flip towards China, suggests some intel indicating it was deliberate. Otherwise why backflip?

On the medicine reliance scandal, there are still shortages in Aus on crucial drugs, including antibiotics.

9 News: There are currently 424 medicines listed on the Therapeutic Goods Administration's (TGA) medicine shortage database, at least 20 of those are at critically low levels.

Unlike the DW story, there's no questioning, whatsoever, by 9 News of the shortage being caused by becoming utterly reliant on China.