[ordinaryguy]

These countries are essentially defending the Dollar for us while we don't lift a hand.

And what would happen if, at some point, others lost interest in propping up the value of the dollar? Perhaps after even more of our industrial base has been sent abroad? The resulting price shocks would probably make the price shocks during the oil embargo era seem tame.

[waterstraat]

And what would happen if, at some point, others lost interest in propping up the value of the dollar?

YOu mean like:

....when communist china finally realizes that since it is chinese labor, chinse factories, chinese land, chinese resources, chinese tools, etc that is producing everything so why would they need american shareholders anymore?