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Politics : The Donkey's Inn -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?


To: Mephisto who wrote (3187)3/8/2002 4:42:09 PM
From: TigerPaw  Read Replies (3) | Respond to of 15516
 
How the Clinton Administration and the Democrats Tried to Prevent the Enron Disaster from Happening

democrats.com



To: Mephisto who wrote (3187)3/23/2002 11:49:41 PM
From: Mephisto  Read Replies (1) | Respond to of 15516
 
Europe targets guns, garters and
lentils in trade war


By Stephen Castle in Brussels
news.independent.co.uk
23 March 2002

The transatlantic trade rift over steel erupted into the pantihose and
suspender war last night as the European Union drew up an
extraordinary list of 325 American products that it may hit with huge
tariffs.


The document, being circulated among diplomats, includes items
ranging from the prosaic to the comical, as the European
Commission deliberately targets industries in states where
President George Bush needs political support in the forthcoming
congressional elections.

Protesting against levies of up to 30 per cent on steel imported into
the US, the European Commission has drawn up a list of products
that could face duties of between 8 and 30 per cent if the US fails to
compensate the EU for the €2bn which it says the steel tariffs will
cost industry.


Pascal Lamy, the man running the EU side of the looming trade
war, has identified Harley-Davidson motorbikes and guns for
retaliation because they are mostly made from steel. The Florida
fruit juice business will be targeted with levies, as well as dried
grapefruit and pistachios, kidney beans and even lentils.

But Mr Lamy seems to have lingered longest over the lingerie sector
while making his hit list. Corsets, braces, garters and suspenders
as well as tights and "brassieres of all types" are included.

The EU is convinced that Mr Bush drew up his steel tariffs for
narrow political reasons - protecting endangered industries in key
states such as Florida, where he had so much trouble in the
presidential election - before the mid-term elections in November.

The European reprisals - €2.5bn worth - are designed to hit Mr
Bush where it hurts: in the swing states which are all-important in
American politics.