Thursday, April 10, 2008

Corporatizing Iraq

From this dkos diary, "Food as a weapon - the rape of Iraq", US Occupation Authority's Paul Bremer issued among other edicts, Order 81 to make Iraq a "model for Genetically Modified or GMO agribusiness." The effect?

If a large international corporation developed a seed variety resistant to a particular Iraqi pest, and an Iraqi farmer was growing another variety that did the same, it was illegal for the farmer to save his own seed. Instead, he is obliged to pay a royalty fee for using Monsanto's GMO seed.

Upon purchasing the patented seeds, farmers must sign the company's technology agreement (Technology User Agreements). This agreement allows the company to control farmers' practices and conduct property investigation. The farmer becomes the slave of the company.


Reality One is that the free market does not support GMO business. It needs government edicts and protections in order to work.

Reality Two is that the list of crimes committed by Bush and his minions is endless.

Reality Three is that Bush & co did not spring out of nowhere. People who think like them occupy high positions in government, in the courts, in the media, in business, in every walk of American life; all supporters of monarchy at home and colonialism abroad. Not in a crude and blatant way, but disguised in blather about "free markets" and "preemptive wars" and "threats to the homeland".