Netanyahu plays a Russian rope trick, The words that make the English, Obama clings to hope as Iran hawks circle

Netanyahu plays a Russian rope trick The top-secret dash that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made to Moscow on September 7 is believed to be the latest chapter in the maritime saga involving the "hijacked" Russian ship, the Arctic Sea, and its alleged arms shipment to Iran. The gambit was done as a hedge, because in Tel Aviv these days, trust in the United States is rapidly eroding. - Sreeram Chaulia

Obama clings to hope as Iran hawks circle Hundreds of activists from America's pro-Israel community descended on Washington last week to lobby for harsher sanctions on Iran, even as reports came out suggesting Tehran is on the verge of nuclear capability. President Barack Obama is under heavy pressure to act, and his end-of-September deadline for Iran to respond to his engagement offer is fast approaching. - Daniel Luban and Jim Lobe

Language is more subtle and complex than we think. Jolly Wicked, Actually author Tony Thorne shows how speech reveals national character - The words that make the English

SPENGLER : Gold a hedge and no more - yet
Gold's re-emergence above US$1,000 indicates neither the early demise of the United States nor of its currency. The world is stuck with the US - and wants to be stuck with it, while even an indifferently managed reserve currency with a broad capital market behind it is better than gold.