country enough. Denying contracts to companies in countries that didn't
support or openly opposed the war might be a minor issue in the grand
scheme of all facets of international commerce, but is much more
significant on a publicity scale. Even Bush's father had something of a
"good neighbor" doctrine - well, when he wasn't vomiting on prime
ministers - but this sort of pigheadedness could come back to bite us
when we sincerely do require some sort of international cooperation in
the future.
On top of that, a long-term occupation by US soldiers will look like
just that - an occupation. It's got to be harder to rally the troops
against an occupying force when it's an obvious international coalition
focused on rebuilding the infrastructure of the country. There will
always be lunatics who will want to car-bomb anyone they can get within
50 yards of, but at least giving the impression of cooperation will
engender a better perception of the post-war activities in Iraq, and
help smooth over the international relations mess this war started.
- Jim
Andy Ousterhout wrote:
>I don't see the connection you are making. One side says we are funding the
>rebuilding, why shouldn't our companies benefit from it. Your response has
>nothing to do with this argument, dealing with general trade. Are you stating
>that we might as well open up a full trade war over this?
>
>Andy
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
>From: Jim Campbell [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>Sent: Thursday, December 11, 2003 11:14 AM
>To: CF-Community
>Subject: Re: Bush gives the finger to the world again
>
>
> Why should we then import anything from French, German or Russian
> companies, or a company from any state that happened to think Bush's war
> plans were based on conjecture? We're importing oil from Russia. Why
> is that ok? We're giving tax dollars to Russian companies from that.
> Why is it ok for Daimler-Benz to own Chrysler? They didn't support the
> war, but thousands of people buy Mercedes and BMW's and Minis every
> month. There's American money going straight to Deutschland right there.
>
> Singling out this particular arena for denying particpation is nothing
> more than childishness on Bush's part. If he was serious about
> isolating non-participants, they'd assign massive tariffs to imports of
> ALL products. But they can't, and they won't. The WTO said assigning
> steel tariffs was illegal, and Bush stopped it. If they tried it on
> anything else, it would be denied just as quickly. You don't get to say
> you're a member of the "international community" then try to not play fair.
>
> - Jim
>
> Jerry Johnson wrote:
>
> >Jim,
> >
> >Why in the world should the United States government give American tax
>dollars to French companies, regardless of their stance on the war?
> >
> >I don't see a single reason that they should get dollar one.
> >
> >Jerry Johnson
> >Tax payer.
> >
> >
> >
> >>>>[EMAIL PROTECTED] 12/11/03 11:36AM >>>
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >Who says that companies in France, Germany or Russia didn't agree with
> >the government's official position? Governments are meant to take
> >stances, but I guarantee companies with international business
> >relationships are *far* more pragmatic. Do you really think that some
> >electrical services firm officers in France sit around in street cafes,
> >wearing striped shirts, pencil moustaches and berets, chain-smoking and
> >saying "Zees Boosh, 'ee ees a merde-de-tete, non?" and singing "La
> >Marseillese"? Wake up!
> >
> >Bush simply cuts off nations that saw through his flimsy excuse for a
> >war like some sort of impetuous child. Russia is THE largest producer
> >of oil in the world today. You don't think there are some experts in
> >the field of oil field maintenance and management there, do you?
> >Obviously, though, we don't want them competing with American firms! I
> >mean, all the manuals will be in Russian or something.
> >
> >Anyone can criticize the faux-socialist French government or Russia's
> >questionably stable democratic underpinnings, but these are not
> >oligarchies. They're home to trillions of dollars of private enterprise
> >who could possibly benefit from contracts in Iraq - money that would go
> >not only to those organizations, but to the people that work for them.
> >
> >Bush said the war in Iraq was against the rulers of Iraq, not against
> >the people. Funny that his backlash against the nations that opposed
> >his war is against the people, and not the rulers.
> >
> >- Jim
> >
> >John Stanley wrote:
> >
> >
> >
> >>the us and the other sixty-odd countries who helped us get to bid. now I'm
> >>not arguing the fact that the us companies may get the bulk of the
> >>contracts, but I as a taxpayer would rather my money go to US companies
>than
> >>another countries.
> >>
> >>i am also not arguing that there wont be corruption in the contract
>process,
> >>ahem Halibuton, but it is still better than the French getting my money.
> >>
> >>-----Original Message-----
> >>From: Kevin Graeme [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> >>Sent: Thursday, December 11, 2003 10:46 AM
> >>To: CF-Community
> >>Subject: Re: Bush gives the finger to the world again
> >>
> >>
> >>Why should US companies benefit from a war manufactured by our own
>country?
> >>When organized crime does that it's called a "protection racket".
> >>
> >>-Kevin
> >>
> >>----- Original Message -----
> >>From: "John Stanley" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> >>To: "CF-Community" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> >>Sent: Thursday, December 11, 2003 9:32 AM
> >>Subject: RE: Bush gives the finger to the world again
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>>The countries in question can still do business with Iraq, they just cant
> >>>bid on the contracts that the US taxpayers are paying for. They can be
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>hired
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>>as subcontractors for the contracts as well. I dont see why this is such
>a
> >>>huge deal? Why should the US taxpayers pay french companies to rebuild
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>Iraq
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>>when they werent willing to support the US efforts in the first place?
> >>>
> >>>-----Original Message-----
> >>>From: Kevin Graeme [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> >>>Sent: Thursday, December 11, 2003 10:28 AM
> >>>To: CF-Community
> >>>Subject: Bush gives the finger to the world again
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>Former top U.S. officials are blasting the Bush administration for
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>reopening
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>>a rift with Europe by excluding critics of the war from prime contracts
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>for
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>>Iraq's reconstruction.
> >>>
> >>>http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,105433,00.html
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >><http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,105433,00.html>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>><http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,105433,00.html>
> >>>
> >>>"I thought we were in the process of acquiring support rather than
> >>>alienating it," former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright (search)
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>said.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>>So let me get this straight.
> >>>
> >>>1. Economy is bad.
> >>>2. Find a patsy country and accuse them of something unfounded.
> >>>3. Get called on it by other countries.
> >>>4. Attack anyway
> >>>5. Deny reconstruction contracts to countries that wouldn't help in an
> >>>illegal war.
> >>>
> >>>And people are complaining? I don't get it. It looks like a perfect plan
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>to
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>>boost the economy by giving local companies big contracts.
> >>>
> >>>-Kevin
> >>> _____
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >> _____
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >
> >
>
>
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