Bush wants MidEast Free Trade Zone

[The diplomat]

See:

http://www.cnn.com/2003/ALLPOLITICS/05/09/bush.mideast/index.html

Pres. Bush sure is busy reshaping the Middle East!

[MichaeltheGreat]

Free trade with the US for any country the US approves of.

[The diplomat]

Originally posted by MichaeltheGreat
Free trade with the US for any country the US approves of.

The carrot and the stick approach is an age old technique to inspire loyalty. So, why not?

If any other country were a sole superpower, I can garantee you they would be doing the exact same thing!

[The diplomat]

Furthermore, is it not in the US's best interests to motive as many countries as possible to adopt pro-US policies?

[DAVOUT]

I am interested to know what kind of international trade would be made easier by that free trade zone in the years to come.

But I see quite well the trades which could be made more difficult

[MichaeltheGreat]

Originally posted by The diplomat
The carrot and the stick approach is an age old technique to inspire loyalty. So, why not?

And there's not a lot of loyalty in the world, is there? Subservience for a time, yes.

If any other country were a sole superpower, I can garantee you they would be doing the exact same thing!

"Hey, officer, if anyone else got to test drive this Ferrari, they'd do 100 in a school zone, too"

What other countries would do in your opinion is relevant how?

[MichaeltheGreat]

Originally posted by The diplomat
Furthermore, is it not in the US's best interests to motive as many countries as possible to adopt pro-US policies?

It's in everyone's best interests to get everyone to adopt pro-them policies.

Unfortunately, national policy isn't so conveniently one-dimensional, nor is trade. Remember our "staunch allies" the Saudis?

Most of these countries have virtually nothing to trade with the US, unless they take China's place as sweatshop labor supplier of choice. Don't bore me with oil - there are no duties on oil, and it's a standard globally traded commodity, with prices set on open markets. Who buys whose oil is irrelevent, except wrt shipping costs. That's why we buy a lot from Nigeria, because it's closer and therefore cheaper to ship to US ports, not because there's a special deal on the oil or we like them.

[The diplomat]

Originally posted by MichaeltheGreat

"Hey, officer, if anyone else got to test drive this Ferrari, they'd do 100 in a school zone, too"

What other countries would do in your opinion is relevant how?

That is not a good example. Driving at 100 mph in a school zone is illegal, setting up a trade zone is not!

[Sava]

Wow! Things are going just as planned for Bushee... I wonder when the Iran war will start.

[MichaeltheGreat]

Originally posted by The diplomat


That is not a good example. Driving at 100 mph in a school zone is illegal, setting up a trade zone is not!

Whoooooosh, over your head.

I was pointing out the fallacy of arguing a point on the premise that, "well, someone else would do it too."

The illegality is core to that point that went sailing over your head. That point being that the merits or lack thereof stand on their own, and the whole "anyone else would do it" argument is meaningless.

[The diplomat]

Originally posted by MichaeltheGreat
Most of these countries have virtually nothing to trade with the US, unless they take China's place as sweatshop labor supplier of choice. Don't bore me with oil - there are no duties on oil, and it's a standard globally traded commodity, with prices set on open markets. Who buys whose oil is irrelevent, except wrt shipping costs. That's why we buy a lot from Nigeria, because it's closer and therefore cheaper to ship to US ports, not because there's a special deal on the oil or we like them.

What about the fact that a Free Trade Zone in the ME will improve the standard of living in the ME, which will reduce poverty and despair, which will make terrorism less popular.

After all, aren't commentators always saying:"Attacking the terrorist won't reduce terrorism, you have to reduce the causes of terrorism like poverty and economic despair"? Well, a Free Trade Zone could help reduce the economic despair that supposely contributes to terrorism.

If you want a peaceful ME, democracy and capitalism are the best ways of doing it.

[Sava]

If this free-trade thing didn't mean big bucks for MNC's, it wouldn't be happening; despite whatever possible positive effects it might have.

[Dinner]

A ME trade zone is a good idea since it will boost the ME economy. The grinding poverty and lack of international exposure feeds the xenopobes and extremists.

[DAVOUT]

Originally posted by The diplomat


What about the fact that a Free Trade Zone in the ME will improve the standard of living in the ME, which will reduce poverty and despair, which will make terrorism less popular.

After all, aren't commentators always saying:"Attacking the terrorist won't reduce terrorism, you have to reduce the causes of terrorism like poverty and economic despair"? Well, a Free Trade Zone could help reduce the economic despair that supposely contributes to terrorism.

If you want a peaceful ME, democracy and capitalism are the best ways of doing it.

Free trading is hardly the first step in development; in the absence of a viable industry, it could simply make its building more difficult or even impossible.

[Urban Ranger]

Originally posted by Oerdin
A ME trade zone is a good idea since it will boost the ME economy. The grinding poverty and lack of international exposure feeds the xenopobes and extremists.

What do the ME countries have to export besides oil now? In the eventuality that they might start some sort of industries, free trade ensures that these industries get crushed by transnational corporations.