The Antigua/USA War Is Getting Ugly!

[Mben]

Almost a month ago, Antigua declared war on the USA ... a finacial war that is.

Well now, according to the article, In Geneva on Monday, the World Trade Organization gave permission to the tiny Caribbean nation of Antigua to suspend US copyrights as a form of relief for the US Government's failure to abide by a WTO decision on Internet gambling. Local authorities in Antigua may now move forward with the development of a download portal for pirated movies, television programs, CDs and games. The decision comes at a time of heightened tensions between the two nations and almost simultaneously as the US issued a stern warning against Antigua should they elect to pursue the pirate site. The WTO awarded Antigua a multi-million dollar settlement for the US government's failure to abide by a ruling set forth making the Caribbean nation's online gambling sector immune from prosecution in the States. Instead, the US Attorney in Maryland unsealed an indictment against Antigua operator Bodog.com last spring, seizing the company's domain name. Antigua claimed successfully that the US efforts violated international fair trade policy. The approved download portal would likely result in billions of dollars in losses to US digital firms including software giant, Microsoft, which stands to lose the most.

These aggressive efforts to shut down the remote gaming industry in Antigua has resulted in the loss of thousands of good paying jobs and seizure by the Americans of billions of dollars belonging to gaming operators and their customers in financial institutions across the world, Antigua's Finance Minister Harold Lovell If the same type of actions, by another nation, caused the people and the economy of the United States to be so significantly impacted, Antigua would without hesitation support their pursuit of justice, the Finance minister adds.

Here is the US government's response ... (Reuters) - The United States on Monday warned the tiny Caribbean nation of Antigua and Barbuda not to retaliate against U.S. restrictions on Internet gambling by authorizing the theft of U.S. intellectual property. Government-authorized piracy would undermine chances for a settlement in the Internet gambling case, said Nkenge Harmon, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Trade Representative's office. It also would serve as a major impediment to foreign investment in the Antiguan economy, particularly in high-tech industries, Harmon said.

 

[Calig116]

So happy to see someone fight back! The greed of the US government may be what keeps us all living a decent lifestyle, but the Constitution of the United States is based upon individual freedoms. Some in the government appear to think it's big business, conveniently forgetting about individual freedoms. Just because they can't tax it doesn't mean they have to restrict it, so long as no one is being harmed. This same greed is what's pissing off over half the world at it.I'm rooting for Antigua on this one! Hit 'em in the pocketbook, I say, and perhaps, for once, they'll reconsider their ways.

 

[Mben]

I agree with you 100%, Calig!

 

[Calig116]

Thanks for posting this article. There IS hope.

 

[PSP]

When is the invasion supposed to happen? ... or is that what Captain Morgan is all about?  To put things in perspective, the GDP of Antigua is around $1.6 billion. Disneyland in Anaheim pulls in around $2 billion a year...

 

[Mben]

And the GDP of the US is 15.09 trillion dollars. I can see why Antigua did not appreciate the US gov't sticking their nose in where it didn't belong. Financial loss, thousands of jobs lost .... in a country much poorer than ours but did that stop our, what did you call them Calig? Oh yeah .......... those greedy sobs who run the US gov't.

 

[Mben]

According to this <a href="http://www.gambling911.com/gambling-news/some-antigua-oppose-sanctions-us-fear-%E2%80%98severe-retaliation%E2%80%99-013113.html" >article</a>, some officials in Antigua fear the backlash from the US govenrment and are opposed to the sanctions placed on the US. Finance Minister Harold Lovell on Thursday morning urged those across the aisle to support sanctions against the US Government in the Caribbean island nation's decade-long dispute over Internet gambling.On Monday, the World Trade Organization awarded Antigua the right to develop a web portal for sale of 'pirated' US copyrighted DVDs, video games, television programs and more. Some legislators in Antigua have opposed the sanctions, fearing retaliation from the US Government would be 'too severe .The US has already threatened tiny Antigua with venomous words earlier in the week.  The Caribbean nation plans to approach the WTO complaining of what they call Washington's misinformation . I propose that we adopt a resolution of the house and make clear that we say to the world that the parliament and people of Antigua & Barbuda stand together in defending our just rights at the world trade organisation. One side brought the case and the other took it to a successful conclusion, so let us now make common cause to defend the rights we both fought hard to win and to stand together in the face of threats and misinformation, Lovell says.Lovell also refuted a US trade representative statement that pursuing the sanctions would be illegal. I further assure the house that Antigua and Barbuda, whatever we ultimately decide to do, will always adhere to the rule of law as embodied in the relevant WTO and other agreements. It is unprecedented for one country to threaten another for one country to threaten another based on its utilisation of a lawful WTO trade remedy, says Harold Lovell.Antiguan officials have made it clear they have no intent of launching the pirate site should US finally decide to abide by the WTO decision for monetary damages.