AMERICA MAY WALK FROM WTO TRADE TALKS

[tedzbear]

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines03/0914-04.htm


I find it fascinating that India, China, and Brazil are forming a trade cartel to counter the United States and EU. Wow.

:bounce:

[jos]

1. Start walking

Based on the track record, any trade deal is worse than no deal at all.

[kalian]

2. The have's and the have-not's....

That's where we're all heading...

[IMayBeWrongBut]

3. oh! oh! I want to be one of the have's...

You mean I don't get to pick! drat!

[ret5hd]

4. GO LULA!!!...

_snip_

'The Brazilians have brought a sense of social justice to this conference which is a great antidote to the faux development agenda of the European Commission and the bullying behavior by the US.'

_snip_

between lula and chavez, maybe the poor stand a chance.

[baby_bear]

5. U.S. picks up toys, goes home

This is absolutely shameful. Finally a chance to make real progress on poverty, based on true free/fair trade, and the U.S., unwilling to share the pot, puts a stick in the spokes.

<snip>
International power brokers are increasingly pre-occupied with a deepening alliance between Brazil, India and China, representing half the world's population. Senior government officials in Mexico say this will alter the geo-political balance, and it is understood to have made Washington deeply uneasy about a new rival to challenge its economic supremacy.

A statement by ActionAid, War on Want and the World Development Movement said: 'The Brazilians have brought a sense of social justice to this conference which is a great antidote to the faux development agenda of the European Commission and the bullying behaviour by the US.'

</snip>

s_m

[Resistance Is Futile]

8. Regime change

International power brokers are increasingly pre-occupied with a deepening alliance between Brazil, India and China, representing half the world's population.

The odds are looking pretty good that at least one of those countries will experience a right-wing military coup in the near future. Just like Chile....

American business does not take 'no' for an answer.

[htuttle]

10. Actually, that hasn't been working too well lately

I think Chavez's overturning of the coup attempt in Venezuala further empowered people all over Latin America (and perhaps the entire 'non-aligned' world).

Once the people in these countries realize that they can, in fact, say NO to an unjust coup by puppets of the US, I don't think that tactic will work anymore as it has in the past.

Coups rely on being able to utilize a country's existing power structure -- that means they need at least a measure of legitimacy. Without it, they are just a dozen scared old men hiding behind the walls of a palace -- just as the unfortunate Pedro Carmona ended up before he fled to the US embassy.

[G_j]

12. well there is always the

chance that Brazil is linked to 9-11 and has been secretly stockpiling WMD.

[leesa]

6. Completely predictable that trade would exclude the US

due to the US' abominable behavior. Maybe NOW the dead-head Republicans will get a clue that the bullshit philosophies they have been sold for the last fifty years by the foolish neocons are BAD, BAD, and BAD.

[baby_bear]

7. Here's another enlightening article, also from the Observer

http://www.guardian.co.uk/wto/article/0,2763,1041486,00.html

Poor rattle doors of WTO club
Sunday September 14, 2003
The Observer

<snip>
Routinely shown the rough end of the world trading stick, the beaten hit back last week at the Cancun talks. 'No more are we sitting outside in the corridors being given sweeteners,' said Malaysian Trade and Industry Secretary Rafidah Aziz. 'No more.'
A new alliance emerged last week in the drippingly humid Caribbean beach resort. It has the potential to alter radically the way trade is weighted in favour of mature, post-industrialised econ-omies. Known as the G23, and growing by the day, this new band of countries, led by Brazil, India and China, represents more than 63 per cent of world farmers. It has shattered the power imbalance at what has been dubbed the rich man's club. Suddenly the World Trade Organisation - and in particular the dominant European Union and United States axis - does not look quite so cosy any more.
...
The US and EU are fighting tooth and nail to dilute the alliance. US Trade Representative Robert Zoellick has tried to 'bribe' Costa Rica, Guatemala and El Salvador, telling them they would get guaranteed increased production quotas if they left the G23 but that quotas would fall if they did not.

Meanwhile, President Bush last week telephoned Brazil's President Lula and the leaders of India, Pakistan and South Africa to persuade them to soften their line. The EU has also pressed countries to abandon the group. But there appears little chance of that this weekend. In fact what is the G23 is soon - incredibly - to become the G60, G70 or G80.

</snip>
more...

G70 or 80 --- sounds good!!

s_m

[jeter]

9. Since Bush became President

US Trade talks have gone to shit.

The cartel idea is very bad. But it's a result of the US's and EU's horrible agricultre policies. They want want want when it benefits them, but to these countries that rely so heavily on farming - ask for something. The US and EU refuse to make any concessions. In the meantime, many people in those countries go hungry because they can not compete with the large subsidies paid out by the US and EU. And we in these "advanced" countries have to pay higher prices in food.

You see. Protectionism is very very bad.

Support Free Trade. Oppose Bush.

[Enraged American]

16. Stop smoking weed

Free trade costs the American worker more than it costs the big dogs.

I hope America continues with its subsidies. In fact, America should subsidize its native industries too.

Get a clue.

[wuushew]

18. Wrong answer

subsidizing domestic industries costs a lot of money in the long run, I propose buying American workers out with generous benefits and making sure there is a social safety net to catch them if they fall.


Surely you do not support tabacco and sugar tarrifs as these are the heights of insanity.

[cosmicdot]

11. likely the most important thread of the day

the Bu$h-Cheney Corporation can't play their own 'you are either with us or against us' game

they choose to be against us and the world community ... such short-sightedness will have its repercussions

[Robbien]

13. The poorer countries don't want the US/UK corporate raiders

raiding their countries any more? What is wrong with them? </end sarcasm>

[G_j]

14. Developing countries unite for stronger position at WTO Ministerial

http://www.emedia.com.my/Current_News/NST/Sunday/National/20030914084440/Article/

Developing countries unite for stronger position at WTO Ministerial Conference
Hardev Kaur

CANCUN, MEXICO, Sept 14: DEVELOPING countries have come together in Cancun, Mexico, as never
before in international trade negotiations.


They have formed alliances to safeguard their position, to seek a fairer world trading regime and to counter the demands of developed countries.

Poor countries from across the globe, from Latin America to the Caribbean, from Africa to Asia, have joined forces to speak with one voice at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Ministerial Conference on a number of issues.

The developing countries, which account for the bulk of the WTO membership but find that their views are often not heard by the rich and powerful members, are beginning to demonstrate solidarity in an effort to unify their positions.

One of the alliances is the group of like-minded developing countries which have come together on "New Issues", the other is the Group of 23 which is opposed to the agricultural subsidies of the US, EU and Japan.


...more..

[G_j]

15. breaking

according to NPR they have reached a complete stalemate.

[fabius]

17. Don't walk, RUN...

Away from the WTO.

Bad for us, bad for the poor countries. Now if we can just abolish the IMF and World Bank...except the US may need them to finance OUR debt...