I am reasonably sure that most nations except for Britain, Israel and the various US puppets wish the US ill in iraq. Somebody obviously giving sophsiticated bombs to the insurgents.
Russia probably trying to repay the US for its support of anti-Russian Moslem insurgents in Afghanistan during the 1980s and anti-Russian elements in places like the Ukraine.
The surge in gold obviously reflects some very big buyers who are not at all happy with the dominant role of the dollar and do not like other fiat currencies either.
“The things that will destroy us are: politics without principle; pleasure without conscience; wealth without work; knowledge without character; business without morality; science without humanity; and worship without sacrifice.” Mahatma Gandhi