Cutting off your nose...

Post-9/11 Era Forum

To spite your face.

This shows the American priority list.

What is more important?. Is it the American business market? or spite?.

Read http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/2969861.stm

So the Americans want to use American imports in order to "get back" at the nasty Germans for not supporting their little jaunt.

Now read http://www.usatrade.gov/website/web..._WhatsNew090402

This is the US commercial service detailing how important the German market is in key exports to not just Germany and Europe, but the rest of the world also, due to the large number of International trade fairs and the German thirst for technology.

You take from them, they will take from you. End result?. Everybody loses. Congratulations, American policy has taken the world one more step towards economic meltdown.

first off, it has been a policy in the House of Representatives for quite some time to award govt contracts to American companies first. This was pushed forward by a now imprisoned James Traficant of Ohio. It was always in the form of an amendment to any spending authorization bills, and was commonly known as the "Traficant Amendment". so, to now bring up this as something new is ridiculous. it has been a long standing program. if an American compnay can't provide a product, then it goes to outside sources, usually Canadian.

second,what does the second site have to do with anything? does it provide the trade balance? does Germany buy more from the u.s. than it sells? or does Germany currently have a surplus with the u.s. trade? without those FACTS, your statement is bogus!

First, if you actually read what was said within the bbc site, the reason for the renewal is to find an alternative to a German contract BECAUSE of the German refusal to bend over and bark.

Secondly, the US Commercial service is relevant, since if you actually bothered to read the text, the US commercial service is pointing out that Germany is the entrance point for American companies to export goods to not just Germany, but to do business in Germany with buyers from Europe, the Middle East and Africa, Asia, Latin America and even with other U.S. companies. What I did not say is that America exports more to Germany, but they are heavily reliant on Germany.

If you actually stop to think about the text, then you will realise that placing barriers to business is a bad thing. How can this help American business?.

What you are saying, however, is that you are against globalisation, so on this point you probably agree with most of the ardent anti war protestors. I suppose I can expect to see you outside the bank building come the next anti-globalisation protest?.

not hardly! i do not expect all nations to bow to everything the u.s does or wants. if a nation does not agree with another nation they have the right and the duty to say no. after the no , however, they must be ready for any reaction. now, if the German company is in contract with the u.s. govt, then by all means, the u.s has an obligation to carry out the contract. but any country will give as much business to their own private companies as possible. At Soesterberg AB in your country, the u.s spends alot of money each year. the bulk goes to the Dutch people and their companies. it is by agreements signed. and it is right. should to u.s insist that all $$ go to american companies? no. but the Dutch govt rightly awards contract to Dutch companies first. are there barrierrs to free trade- yup! should there be- nope. america buys many cars from the orient, but oriental countries throw up constant barriers to equal trade. same thing in europe. Why? well, follow the $$. iraq is a good example of fairness and how the $$ changes people. who was getting rich from the oil for food program? not your usual suspects. why is it no one wants to talk about the european countries who gained immensely from this fiasco? do you realize those that protested military action did so for no other reason than there was too much $$ to be lost? i want globalisation, but do not want countries to loose their identity, to loose their history, to loose their hard gained freedoms and rights to someone who has no interest in them, only in their $$. the EU is not going to work once people realize someone they did not vote into power is controlling their lives. sorry, common $$ does not a happy society make!

Just another example from state gov't purchasing within the USA...

Many states give a preference to purchasing from vendors who reside in that state as their principle place of business. Sometimes this gets in the way of "best value" for the state (read tax payer), but it is understandable in the sense that by promoting work with local vendors, it ceates local jobs, and actually increases tax revenue. Some states have open procurement policies except where a vendor is from another state that has a restrictive procurement policy tries to do business in that state - in which case they are penalized a little bit and work at a disadvantage. That seems fair enough. Everyone should play by the same rules.

I'm not sure how this works in the Europe.