USA trade hypocrisy [was 'Re: FrameMaker Gets a Boost (news item in IndiaTimes, Nov. 24)']

[hedley_finger@xxxxxxxxxxx]

All:

While it is always sad for anyone to lose their jobs -- if in fact Adobe is
REPLACING USA staff and not merely AUGMENTING them -- but you won't arouse
cries of sympathy beyond your shores from the international community.

While the US Government gets very hairy chested about free trade and how
other countries should open their borders to USA companies and how
developing countries should tighten their belts and boost their economies,
suddenly the tariff barriers are up when some of these countries actually
DO this.  For example, the Asian-tiger countries like Singapore and others.

The WTO and IMF are largely perceived as stalking horses of the USA
government, not surprising when the UN is so undemocratic and run as a
private club for the rich nations.  After the Asian crash, the countries
that recovered most quickly were those that did NOT swallow the medicine
prescribed by the IMF.

Why are Japan, Asia, and India continuing to grow their economies while
most of Africa languishes in poverty, disease, and violence?  Because the
former are competing with manufactured goods -- which are allowed into
Western countries -- but Africa is almost entirely dependent on agriculture
for export income.  But we couldn't have the good ol' boys of the Mid West,
or France, or Japan, or the United Kingdom, losing their subsidies and
tariff barriers so a few millions of starving African children could have
decent lives, could we?

I have no sympathy at all for the fanatic militants responsible for 11
September and the Bali bombings, but you can begin to understand the
understrata of resentment that fuels recruitment when the USA and European
Union wag their fingers about free trade to the rest of the world but are
suddenly very shy when that world takes their empty rhetoric seriously.

A good many of us wonder why the USA is so eager to impose 'democracy' on
its enemies but a little tardy to do so on its 'friends': Saudi Arabia
springs to mind.  And why the USA refuses to be a party to the
International Criminal Court: I mean, surely no USA citizen commits crimes
against humanity, and therefore wouldn't be a defendant?  And why there
aren't any weapons inspectors unearthing WOMD in the USA, Europe,
Australia, etc.

It sure is a hypocritic old world, ain't it?

Regards,
Hedley

--
Hedley Finger
Technical Communications/Technical communicator and FrameMaker mentor
MYOB Australia <http://www.myob.com.au/>
P.O. box 371   Blackburn VIC 3130   Australia
12 Wesley Court   Tally Ho Business Park   East Burwood VIC 3151
Australia
<mailto:hedley_finger@myob.com.au>
Tel. +61 3 9222 9992 x 7421,   Mob. (cell) +61 412 461 558

(C) MYOB Limited 2002


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