[ordinaryguy]

Suppose all the anti-terror experts at CIA, Pentagon, NSA and State, active and retired, had been in a betting pool

Is Pat suggesting that active officials would be allowed to participate in this sort of gambling?

Not only could that be an excellent example of the whole loose lips thing, but it seems to me that they would be engaging in insider trading. Insider trading makes for lousy markets, which is why it is outlawed on the US securities exchanges.

[WoofDog123]

"Not only could that be an excellent example of the whole loose lips thing, but it seems to me that they would be engaging in insider trading. Insider trading makes for lousy markets, which is why it is outlawed on the US securities exchanges."

Insider trading, if my understanding is correct, is legal in the commodities futures markets.

It is illegal in the equity-based markets (i.e. stocks, stock options, stock futures), and I am not sure about the treasury markets (I assume it is illegal).