Coins DIG

Pentagon officials are voting for Gen. David H. Petraeus as the head of NATO. The opportunity of the top American commander of U.S. armies in Iraq to receive the high-level post for the period of the next administration, raised worries regarding the practice of rotating war commanders.

"He deserves one and that has also always been a highly prestigious position. So he is a candidate for that job, but there have been no final decisions and nothing on the timing," outlined an official from Pentagon.

This week the United States gold futures registered a record high slightly below $900 an ounce as funds discharged money after Ben Bernanke, the Chairman of the Federal Reserve, stated about speculation of the further rate cuts and slide of the dollar.

"The rate cut (speculation) has been driving the gold market through its impact on the dollar. I expect more of the same going forward," outlined Thomas Winmill, portfolio manager of Midas Fund in New York, an institution that oversees $265 million of assets under management.

A survey conducted recently showed 151,000 deaths of Iraqis. The deaths took place during the three years of violence and the invasion of the U.S. troops in the country. According to the statistics nine out of ten deaths were the consequences of the military operations performed by the U.S. troops, insurgent attacks and sectarian warfare.

California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger mentioned that he is going to sue the government of the United States because it does not grant a waiver that would permit California to enforce its own standards on emissions coming from motor vehicles.

Former United States vice-president and the Nobel Prize winner for battling global warming, Al Gore, will become a partner of a private equity firm from the Unites States. It is worth mentioning that the firm has a history of supporting "green technology".

The environmental activist, Al Gore, looks forward to become a member of the board of Kleiner, Perkins, Caulfield and Byers.

The secret of the spy budget has been disclosed by the Bush administration. The budget is estimated at $43.5 billion. It is interesting to note that the secret of the budget has been kept for more than 60 years.

"Disclosure of the amount of the budget is a good first step toward accountability," outlined Steven Aftergood of the Federation of American Scientists.

United States officials mentioned that new sanctions are being imposed against Iran by the Bush administration. These are aimed towards the Revolutionary Guard Corps and the Quds Force that the U.S. officials have accused of provoking trouble and disorder in Iraq and other countries.