Lenin in Essen

[Seth Ackerman]

	Doug Henwood wrote:

> Yes, there are contradictions in the system; yes, 
> there are rivalries among the major imperialist powers; yes, the 
> three metropoles, the U.S., the EU, and Japan, each have their own 
> geographic spheres of particular influence. But conceding all that, 
> it's amazing how peaceful the coexistence is among the imperial 
> powers. The members of the EU fought among themselves over who would 
> be the first head of the European Central Bank, but they ended up 
> with a nominee. The major powers fought over who would head the WTO 
> and the IMF, but they ended up with nominees. The U.S. is the major 
> investor in Latin America, but the EU is the major investor in Brazil 
> and Argentina, yet all parties pretty much get along. The U.S. is in 
> the process of economically annexing Mexico, but you'll find Sony and 
> Volkswagen plants operating happily there. Maybe this comity won't 
> last forever; maybe they will come to blows someday. 
-

Financial Times
US 'is behind' on trade deals 
By Edward Alden in Washington Published: February 8 2001 21:45GMT | Last
Updated: February 8 2001 23:17GMT 	

Chief executives from leading US companies will warn the Bush administration
on Friday that US trade is falling behind while the European Union, Mexico
and even Japan forge ahead with new free trade agreements that could be
hostile to US interests.  

The Business Roundtable (BRT), which includes companies such as Boeing,
Caterpillar, Procter & Gamble and Archer Daniels Midland, says that the
domestic stalemate over trade liberalisation is leaving the US out of new
international trade and investment agreements.  The group's report, which
catalogues the recent explosion of trade agreements that exclude the US,
highlights a growing fear among US companies that the stalled trade agenda
could begin to hurt US export competitiveness.  

The chief executives warn that over the longer-term "our trading partners
are creating rules that cut against us and are forming strategic alliances
that are hostile to US interests".  BRT executives met in Washington on
Thursday and were expected to give final approval to a 17-page report called
"The Case for US Trade Leadership: The United States is Falling Behind."
Phil Condit, chief executive of aircraft maker Boeing, the largest US
exporting company, said: "It's time to reinvigorate our trade efforts and
push forward aggressively.  

"We can ill afford to be left behind as other nations reap the benefit of
trade agreement after trade agreement."  The sharp warning will amplify
pressure on the Bush administration to gain congressional consent for an
ambitious trade agenda. Robert Zoellick, who was confirmed by the Senate
earlier this week as US Trade Representative, sounded many of the same
concerns in congressional testimony last week.  The report will for the
first time spell out publicly the significant change in the US business
community's stance over linking trade agreements to labour rights and
environmental protection. The report will be available at 10am EST on Friday
at www.brt.org.