Allies threaten retaliation for US ban of war critics from contracts

[joeunderdog]

snip

The White House says countries wanting a share of the $18.6 billion US in reconstruction contracts in the 2004 U.S. budget must participate militarily in the postwar effort.

The European Commission called the contract ban a "political mistake" and said it would examine the contracts to see if Washington had violated commitments to the World Trade Organization.

"This is a gratuitous and extremely unhelpful decision at a time when there is a general recognition of the need for the international community to work together for stability and reconstruction in Iraq," Chris Patten, the European Union's commissioner for international relations, said through a spokesman.

snip

Critics have said the ban could complicate U.S. efforts to restructure Iraq's estimated $125-billion debt, largely owed to France, Germany and Russia. The three countries are excluded from contracts under the Pentagon directive.

more...
http://www3.cjad.com/content/cjad_news/article.asp?id=w121123A

They shot back in the tarriff war. And it's no secret they hate the Chimp. Next move, Europe.

[Parche]

1. trade

The world needs even amounts of trade
By snubbing the world, GW Bush will help bankrupt the US
as the world will start to ban imports from the US.
And make it harder for our products here to be sold elsewhere.

[Robroy]

4. Hmm..

What products are still being made in the USA?

[furrylitldevil]

8. Our main export

is air planes, last I checked, the US led the world in the production of 747's and the like.

Next to that, our main export is pop culture. What would Germany be without Blockbuster movies or Britany Spears?!?

[akitamata]

13. I have an extended group...

of friends throughout Europe, and I must tell you that the boycott of American "goods" is pretty much total in my group. They won't even drink Coke, eat fast food, or go see any of your crappy films. This is bound to force us to maintain our political/economic boycott for the rest of our lives. Bush has fucked your country over so that no one will deal with you for a very long time. Good luck with your deficit and loss of rights, and "thanks for the fish"...Oh,we have also cancelled all future trips to see your marvelous countryside so no Euro currency to help float your boat. Sorry, NOT!

[nadinbrzezinski]

18. I know the question is

will Europe take up arms if need be?

And no I do not mean to sound flipant about it, but now trade, if Bush wins in '04 it may come to that.

[Cooley Hurd]

22. Not like the US doesn't have it coming...

...but please understand, Akita, that we here at DU agree with you about Bush, so try to keep your anger focused at Bush, not us. Our movies aren't ALL bad...

[htuttle]

10. Out biggest export?

Carbon Dioxide.

[Stuckinthebush]

2. Everything he touches...

turns to cr*p.

Bush is, by far, the worst president this country has ever had.

[theshadow]

3. Does this administration have to...

alienate EVERYONE we used to call "allies"?

[pinto]

19. Faux news read it this way:

"The Bush Administration took its strongest stand yet against our European allies..."

As if this was an accomplishment!

[Serenades]

5. aghhh

You's liberals just try'n ta spread fear and's lies. Ain't nuthin' Bush do'n bad. ;)

[Keebs]

6. pffft

[swittersnc]

7. it would seem to me

that if france, germany and russia aren't willing to reduce or forgive the debts then the u.s. will have to pay which makes this something that every taxpayer should be completely up in arms about.
seems even the most ultra-conservative around would much rather pay part of $18.6 billion as opposed to all of $125 billion.
of course, these are the same people who think supply-side economics works...

edits because i type faster than i think.

[salinen]

9. WMD

W's a Monster Disaster.

Weapons of Mass Deception.

Washington's Mindless Dictator.

Who's who of Most Deranged.

War Monger Dubya.

Where's My Democracy.

[54anickel]

11. What do you suppose James Baker will be up to on this debt

forgiveness mission he'll be on?

[pinto]

21. looks like he already "lost" his carrot, ie contract possibilities,

I guess its basic arm twisting time and rear guard legal maneuvering.

[pinto]

20. yep, 100% of profits of foriegn owned (US/UK) corps can leave Iraq...

doesn't leave much in the way of debt repayment. Iraq will default. It'll be a whole owned subsidiary of foriegn interests with permanent US/UK military bases to protect our assets. (sigh)

[kodi]

12. thank god, this reserves contracts of samoa & uganda, our allies!

i cant quite imagine a worse attitude towards those this adminsration is trying to get to help the US in iraq.

quite a deal the US is offering: forgive $125B in debt and we'll give them a chance to bid on $18B

no fucking wonder amway runs the GOP

[JailBush]

14. Good - Punish Those Bastards!

No more conditional threats. I want to see the European Union kick this country in the balls with a trade war that hits Republican states especially hard, and I want them to make it clear that their trade wawr is going to last at least until November. If Bush is booted out of office, they call a truce. If Bush remains entrenched, they turn up the heat.

[SnowGoose]

15. The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant

Hmmm... I'm alway struck by the irony when I get the impulse to cite the bible to make a point (because I'm not what you could call a believer).

That irony notwithstanding, I'm reminded of the parable of the unforgiving servant in the book of Matthew. For those who slept through church, this was the one where a man owed a whole lot of money which he couldn't repay. When he begged for more time to pay, the "master" forgave the entire debt. Later, when this man saw someone on the street who owed him a paltry sum, he had no mercy, and had the debtor thrown in prison for the debt. Of course, the "master" heard about this, he was understandably peeved.

At the risk of getting struck by lightning, I'll quote the ending (from the suitably archaic King James Version):

32 Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me:
33 Shouldest not thou also have had COMPASSION on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?
34 And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.
35 So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.

Hmmmm.... compassion. Fitting.

[tom_paine]

16. This time Amerika is the Axis

Make no mistake about it.

Allies...indeed...

[T Bone]

17. According to Greg Palast the largest part of Iraq's debt is to the SAUDIs

Is there a move on here with the Baker appointment and trip to overshadow the fact that if Iraq's debts are forgiven/restructered most of them will have to be forgiven by Saudi Arabia ? I just have this feeling that all this contract/debt discussion and argument with our 'Allies' is a smokescreen for something else. I find it almost anachronistic, as well, that France and Germany are still considered our allies. They did not go to war with us in Iraq. They want EU military manuevers outside of NATO. As much as we understand w's destabilizing effect on all of our relationships, I still don't think we 'get' what is going on, really. Nor the declining extent to which all those past relationships may now be retrieveable.

[truthspeaker]

23. I'd like to see France, Germany, Russia et. al. snub Baker

Just don't even talk to him. If things get worse, recall your diplomats from the US, and state publicly that it no longer seems to be in Europe's interest to deal with an uncompromising, arrogant US.

[mitchtv]

24. my sentiments exactly

.