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Politics : Foreign Policy Discussion Thread -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Rascal who wrote (6586)	1/26/2004 6:54:00 PM
From: Hawkmoon	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 15987

Time to kick butt and take names. Any suggestions for how we can all work together to solve some big problems we have right now? Let's save face and save lives. Well, I think one suggestion is already being followed, namely to engage in economic "warfare" in such a manner as to not make it appear it's actually directed squarely at Europe. The declining US dollar, influenced by low interest rates and increasing deficit spending, is placing the US in a position to disenfranchise its major economic competitors. Sure it increases the trade deficit over the short term and certain industries suffer in the US, but it hurts them worse, since their economies have been heavily subsidized by exports to the US. We're effectively forcing Europe to engage in the same form of deficit spending, something outlawed by the agreement that formed the EU. But as I was discussing with a colleague this morning, the Bush administration has performed poorly on the "propaganda" front against France and Germany.. But we were in a delicate position of not wanting to further distance ourselves from them politically.. However, it was apparent that Chirac, at least, had decided he had no choice but to personally, and publicly, oppose Bush in hopes of protecting his Iraqi economic nest egg. And the same can be said for Germany.. Other than those two nations, I don't know of many others who have voiciferously opposed what the US, and other coalition members are trying to achieve in Iraq.. But neither does that mean they have the will, or even the ability, to participate even if Bush should lean on them to play their part.. I think we have to just continue with what we're doing, and exact a political toll from those who continue to undermine the security situation in Iraq. I mean, what sovereign democratic government can legitimately be opposed to rebuilding Iraq? And if want no part in spending their blood and treasure in trying to create stability and political enfranchisement in that country/region, then the only alternative is to hurt them economically by denying them access to US markets. Other countries who might be suffering due to the currency fluxuations can be offered special trade relationships with the US as a reward for their participation.. That's the only realistic leverage we have. Hawk