Subject: Re: Reading tea leaves
But this isn't true. You can't avoid taxes on an IRA, you can delay them, but you can't avoid them, they will "ultimately be paid". After you die, whomever inherits your IRA will pay ALL the taxes due by the end of the 10th year.

That's exactly what I'm saying. As I said (and you bolded), the purpose of RMDs is make sure the taxes are ultimately paid and not avoided. Beneficiary IRAs also have RMDs. That's why.