This Means War

[Louis VI the Fat]

The US embassy in Paris advised Washington to start a military-style trade war against any European Union country which opposed genetically modified (GM) crops, newly released WikiLeaks cables show.

In response to moves by France to ban a Monsanto GM corn variety in late 2007, the ambassador, Craig Stapleton, a friend and business partner of former US president George Bush, asked Washington to penalise the EU and particularly countries which did not support the use of GM crops.


[...]


"Opportunities exist to press the issue with the Vatican, and in turn to influence a wide segment of the population in Europe and the developing world," says another.

[...]

In addition, the cables show US diplomats working directly for GM companies such as Monsanto. "In response to recent urgent requests by [Spanish rural affairs ministry] state secretary Josep Puxeu and Monsanto, post requests renewed US government support of Spain's science-based agricultural biotechnology position through high-level US government intervention."

It also emerges that Spain and the US have worked closely together to persuade the EU not to strengthen biotechnology laws. In one cable, the embassy in Madrid writes: "If Spain falls, the rest of Europe will follow."
The cables show that not only did the Spanish government ask the US to keep pressure on Brussels but that the US knew in advance how Spain would vote, even before the Spanish biotech commission had reported.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011...us-eu-gm-crops

Washington is a mercenary war machine for US corporate interest.

Washington makes strategic interests subordinate to private interests, by running frivolous trade wars with its allies.

Spain must think it is 1939 all over, and is again a secret and willing accomplice to countries conspiring against its neighbour.


Finally, if Europe wishes to preserve its sovereignity in the face of bullies like the Washington mercenary machine, the Russian mobster state, or the Chinese klingon hyve, we ought to stick together instead of letting 27 small countries be picked off one by one. To preserve our sovereignity, we shall have to pool some of it.

[Husar]

Indeed, we need to establish our own evil empire ASAP!

I'm surprised the ambassador is a friend of the Bush administration after all the honesty and love for freedom and democracy that administration has shown I would have never thought one among them would try to further his own corporate interests through political means.
But how about the success? Ok, they try to influence Europe, but so do others, no?

[Louis VI the Fat]

Leaked embassy cables show that US diplomats aggressively pushed foreign governments to purchase Boeing airplanes, helping the US aviation giant in the bitter transatlantic battle with its European rival, Airbus.

In late 2007, the national airline of the Kingdom of Bahrain announced a huge deal to buy airplanes from European aviation giant Airbus. But only a few weeks later, Gulf Air’s decision was suddenly reversed and a new contract signing ceremony with US aerospace rival Boeing was scheduled to coincide with then US President George W. Bush’s trip to Bahrain – the first ever visit of a sitting US president. Airbus had been sidelined by backdoor dealings at the highest levels, and not even an eleventh-hour appeal by French President Nicolas Sarkozy could undo the damage. It was just one of many incidents of US diplomatic wrangling that led foreign governments to favour Boeing over Airbus.

Hundreds of newly leaked cables, obtained by the US daily the New York Times, show that US diplomats have aggressively lobbied foreign governments to buy commercial jetliners built by the Seattle-based airplane manufacturer.

“United States diplomats were acting like marketing agents, offering deals to heads of state and airline executives whose decisions could be influenced by price, performance and, as with all finicky customers with plenty to spend, perks,” the daily wrote.

[...]

In 2006, a senior Commerce Department official hand-delivered a personal letter from former President Bush to the Jeddah office of the Saudi King, urging him to buy 43 Boeing jets. According to the cables, the king replied in turn with a personal request: “all the technology that his friend, President Bush, had on Air Force One,” for his own private jet.

The US vacuum cleaner salesmen corps...erm...I mean the US diplomatic corps, caught with their pants down.

http://www.france24.com/en/20110103-...s-bush-sarkozy

[Fragony]

Oh don't be so boring (Spain huh)

[Furunculus]

hmmm yes, i remember those piles of british beef remaining banned in france long after it was declared safe.

i have little sympathy i'm afraid.

[rory_20_uk]

A Frenchman giving lessons on the State muscling in on behalf of its companies...

[Louis VI the Fat]

hmmm yes, i remember those piles of british beef remaining banned in france long after it was declared safe.

i have little sympathy i'm afraid.

But what of the infringement of sovereignty?

Surely you must be outraged at the foreigners strongarming Britain and other European countries to change their policies?

[Fragony]

But what of the infringement of sovereignty?

*cough* Europian Union

//gets water

[rory_20_uk]

But what of the infringement of sovereignty?

Surely you must be outraged at the foreigners strongarming Britain and other European countries to change their policies?

Exactly when has this not been a major feature of diplomacy?

[Seamus Fermanagh]

Exactly when has this not been a major feature of diplomacy?

Spot on.

[Husar]

Exactly when has this not been a major feature of diplomacy?

But the world has changed, it's all peaceful and nice now and problems don't exist!

[Fragony]

MUHAHAHA et HA

LOL@teh Frenchie

Just read this. Guess who is the undisputed world leader in industrial espionage, more than Russia and China combined? But you already knew that didn't you...

[gaelic cowboy]

@Louis

hmmm yes, i remember those piles of british beef remaining banned in france long after it was declared safe.

i have little sympathy i'm afraid.

It's too late anyway Louis a lot of animal feed for beef production is using ingredients that is GMO based.

[Sasaki Kojiro]

What the heck is a "military style trade war"?

[Fragony]

Which is a good thing as I don't have to turn the light on to find my toilet-paper after taking a dump

[Beskar]

Which is a good thing as I don't have to turn the light on to find my toilet-paper after taking a dump

I don't recommend using your Laptop screen.

[al Roumi]

I think what's not ok and not run-of-the mill (or bloody shouldn't be) is quite such blatant corporate cronyism at the very top of the United States of Umurica's administration. Yes lobbies etc always influence policy but actually having ex board members of a given industry handling the legislative portfolio as the same industry is always going to be wide open to corruption if not favouritism.

What divides the acceptability of state support for particular companies is your definition of national interest. If that national interest is the individual's "free" choice, then industrial favouritism is clearly wrong. If however you understand national interest to be the GDP bottom line (and by extension that of state champion's of industry), then it's a-ok.

T'is funny for France to complain about states' meddling in industries and leveraging state resources to the benefit of state champions... But then it's also equally absurd to hear the US protest against EU support to Airbus. The biggest joke is that Airbus and Boeing then point to each other saying they did it, so we need to aswell to keep things fair!

[Vladimir]

A Frenchman giving lessons on the State muscling in on behalf of its companies...

Was thinking the same thing.

I'm lacking in humor today so this is a non-story.

[Louis VI the Fat]

What the heck is a "military style trade war"?

It is the difference between using diplomatic leverage to promote business interest, that is, business as usual, and a diplomatic scandal, that is, the subject of this thread.

Washington is exposed as a government-for-hire. (Yes nothing new, but like all the other leaked cables that are 'nothing new', something still is exposed in broad daylight). Are none of the Americans here in the least bit annpoyed that their government is hired by private companies to start trade wars? That is, to use public power for private interest? That is, that the US government is used to take something from the average American to benefit other Americans? I thought you guys were supposed to be allergic to government redistributing wealth...
Why can Monsanto suck on Washington's tit but not some single mother?


As for Madrid - I suppose we needn't consult them then, but should directly ask for the manager in charge in Washington? Might as well, what with Washington being informed beforehand what Spain is going to vote when. Bunch of clowns. This rubbish is expected of Rome, and is why nobody takes Italy seriously.
What's the matter with all these weaklings? A century ago we ruled the universe. Now Europe is a continent of subservient wussies. Bunch of spineless dhimmis. Only France dares to formulate an independent policy anymore.

[Louis VI the Fat]

MUHAHAHA et HA

LOL@teh Frenchie

Just read this. Guess who is the undisputed world leader in industrial espionage, more than Russia and China combined? But you already knew that didn't you...

I would read it if you gave us a link.

[Furunculus]

What's the matter with all these weaklings? A century ago we ruled the universe. Now Europe is a continent of subservient wussies. Bunch of spineless dhimmis. Only France dares to formulate an independent policy anymore.

two world wars and a welfare state my son; we're post war....... well, most of us at least.

[Louis VI the Fat]

two world wars and a welfare state my son; we're post war....... well, most of us at least.

Oh why won't you join me in a fine war against the United States. I sense they are weak, what with their homosexual army and Muslim president....

[drone]

No big surprise here. Don't mess with Monsanto, they will put Round-Up in your irrigation systems.

[Hosakawa Tito]

Oh why won't you join me in a fine war against the United States. I sense they are weak, what with their homosexual army and Muslim president....

Hehehe, too late Frenchie. You gots gm in your foie gras supply.
U HAVE BEEN ASSIMILATED. Bon Apetit!

[Crazed Rabbit]

Washington is a mercenary war machine for US corporate interest.

Washington makes strategic interests subordinate to private interests, by running frivolous trade wars with its allies.

Spain must think it is 1939 all over, and is again a secret and willing accomplice to countries conspiring against its neighbour.


Finally, if Europe wishes to preserve its sovereignity in the face of bullies like the Washington mercenary machine, the Russian mobster state, or the Chinese klingon hyve, we ought to stick together instead of letting 27 small countries be picked off one by one. To preserve our sovereignity, we shall have to pool some of it.

Tell me why then, exactly, Europe (and the US, to be fair) keep restrictions on agricultural imports from third world countries?


Seriously, I think you need to up the stakes here Louis. I'm not fazed by a 'military style trade war' (isn't that why we call trade wars trade wars?). I want proclamations of doom for the environment, of giant modified chickens running rampant through Europe and eating small children, of vast masses of people going insane after consuming the hellish concoction that is genetically modified food, leading them to eat the brains of their fellow humans for sustenance. And I want assurances it will all end in a Nuclear firestorm over the earth unless we stop these evil Americans, who are doing something so evil no madman in the history of the world has considered it before.

CR

[Seamus Fermanagh]

Don't bother with it CR, he's just throwing a smokescreen for the Octasquids again. The real menace remains unseen....

[Greyblades]

...Realy? The United States is considering starting a trade war over other countries disapproving of modified plants. They realy dont have anything better to do?

[Louis VI the Fat]

I want proclamations of doom for the environment, of giant modified chickens running rampant through Europe and eating small children, of vast masses of people going insane after consuming the hellish concoction that is genetically modified food, leading them to eat the brains of their fellow humans for sustenance. And I want assurances it will all end in a Nuclear firestorm over the earth unless we stop these evil Americans, who are doing something so evil no madman in the history of the world has considered it before.

CR

You don't understand.

The prospect of US food being imposed on Europe IS the apocalyse to me. It IS the end of the world. American food already is a hellish concoction of madmen, to be forcefed that is the end of European civilisation.

See it is all a joke to Americans. Just some corn. To me, it is the beginning and end of everything, a nuclear missile aimed at the heart of my existence. I shall fight it to the bitter end, at least six weeks. I shall smash up a McDonalds in protest.

[Furunculus]

You don't understand.

The prospect of US food being imposed on Europe IS the apocalyse to me. It IS the end of the world. American food already is a hellish concoction of madmen, to be forcefed that is the end of European civilisation.

See it is all a joke to Americans. Just some corn. To me, it is the beginning and end of everything, a nuclear missile aimed at the heart of my existence. I shall fight it to the bitter end, at least six weeks. I shall smash up a McDonalds in protest.

i'd make a glib comment about CAP, but it might be too close to the mark! :D

[Fragony]

...Realy? The United States is considering starting a trade war over other countries disapproving of modified plants. They realy dont have anything better to do?

And how much does the USA export anyway. Not in my supermarket, all veggies come from the Eurozone and North Africa/Israel