A very benign empire

Submitted by Jeff (United States), Jul 15, 2008 at 21:14

South Korea bans the import of US beef.

West coast fruit producers tried for decades to be allowed access to the Japanese market. Only recently have they had even a small amount of success. The farmers' lobby in Japan is a very strong one.

During the 1970's, at the height of the cold war, Italy and France in particular had active and successful communist parties. About 30% of Italy's parliament seats typically were held by communists throughout that time. In the European parliamentary system, a parliament seat is generally looked upon as a position of power; also the numerous communist mayors in France, Italy and other European countries. All without a single American tank ever showing up. Italy's current president, Giorgio Napolitano, is generally referred to as a "former communist" because a large chunk of the Italian communist party changed its name in 1991.

The fact that you don't know any of the above illustrates exactly how intolerant American policy has been to those acts of independence.

Europe protects is agriculture and industries with tariffs that lock out competitors from abroad. Ever see a Honda Accord in France? I think maybe there's one or two among the millions of Peugeots and Citroens. The money grubbing Americans, on the other hand, have reduced and eliminated tariffs to allow foreign products free access to our markets. Ask a small businessman in India if access to American markets is a bad thing. Ask him if his growing business, the growing Indian middle class, and the rising Indian standard of living are really all parts of an evil American plot. Ask him if his American education has ruined his life. Oh, and next time you're in France, order a nice carafe of Kendall Jackson and see what you get.

During the primaries, Barak Obama criticized NAFTA over and over when speaking to union workers in Ohio and Indiana. Then he sent aids to Canada to reassure officials there that what he said was just politics, that NAFTA would be safe under an Obama presidency. If our trade pacts are good for us and bad for them, shouldn't he have told his American audience that he'd protect NAFTA and tell the Canadians he'd dismantle it? Why the other way around?

The government of Afghanistan put out the welcome mat for Al Qeada when they were chucked out of Sudan, gave it a home base, gave it protected training camps, and they were clearly philosophical bedfellows. The fact that Al Qeada had cells in Hamburg, Newark and Los Angeles is irrelevant. No matter what Bill Kristol says.

You couldn't be more right about Cuba. With the Soviets, we had an embassy, consulates, we sold them Coke, Pepsi and wheat, and that empire is gone. With Cuba we embargo them for years, and the same old fossils are still in power. A pointless policy.

You're right about Pakistan, too, they're not our friends. This is common knowledge outside the DC beltway.

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