Harvey, you mischaracterized my 'Cruising into Bruxelles' comments. I do NOT advocate Tomahawk attacks on people who don't wish to trade with others or who will only buy from a favoured source, or who put tariffs on certain products from certain countries. People should be allowed to do what they like.
Not only that, it is also foolish to put revenge tariffs on products from countries which don't use free trade practices in conducting their international business. It is foolish because if a country makes the best products and consumers want them, those consumers in the USA or elsewhere should not be penalized because the other country won't buy their products. Money flow will take care of trade balances. Maybe the money will flow through half a dozen other countries first, but it always has to close the loop.
Where the attacks come in is if they STEAL somebody else's property - in this instance talking about Q! IP. If Ericy or the EU steal the property, then the USA should be prepared to cruise into Bruxelles if necessary. Of course some discussion first would be appropriate. It is like training a child to respect other people and their property. A lot of adults never learned the rules very well when young and need to be trained as adults when their learning capacity is so much more limited. Sometimes it even takes major force.
Sorry if this seems like a mountain out of a molehill, but I'd like my threats of violence kept in accurate context.
You'd said:
"...Perhaps the banana volley was just a notice that the US means business when it comes to free trade and that we will look unkindly at and even act against non tariff (or tariff) barriers, especially if they are in contravention of WTO rules. In spite of Maurice's militaristic characterization of a "big stick" policy, I don't think we would start launching cruise missiles at EU cell sites in retaliation (at $1,000,000 per missile, the cost would be too great), but the message on the banana page is clear that appropriate trade restriction might be undertaken."
Mqurice
Dow 16000 Feb 2002.
Bruce, Some wimp talking about 36000 in 16 years and 18000 in a decade is pathetic! We are talking a major paradigm shift here, not patsy in the sandpit.
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