USA Forces GM Crops Via Trade War Tactics, Says Wikileaks
Newly released Wikileaks documents suggest the United States is willing to wage trade war tactics on the European Union in order to force acceptance of genetically modified (GM) crops.
If this smells like another evil Monsanto plot, your nose has got it right. Monsanto, for those of you new to the debate, is a massive biotech company that’s big on creating genetically modified crops and forcing them past any legal opposition despite real health concerns. They’re apparently also big on the idea of controlling the world’s supply of food, since they can patent their seeds and sue farmers who use the age-old method of using seeds from last year’s crops to plant this year’s harvest (the NERVE of those farmers!).
As usual, big money special interests that are borderline Darth Vader-evil have managed to hijack the power of the US federal government for their own ends. A series of Wikileaks cables shows that embassies in Europe are calling for the United States government to put pressure on the European Union to block any opposition to GM crops, using so-called “trade war” tactics if necessary.
Studies have already shown that GM crops, and Monsanto crops in particular, are dangerous and cause organ damage, but apparently, the stance of the US government is screw all that because tons of money is at risk for a giant faceless corporation who tried to hide those risks with statistical trickery.
I don’t want to get off on a rant here (oh, who am I kidding, sure I do), but is this what I’m paying taxes for? So that some a-hole ambassador or other government employee who’s bought and paid for by one Evil Empire or another can use their influence to force unhealthy and dangerous genetically modified crops on foreign lands? Meanwhile, our roads and bridges are crumbling, an entire generation is suffocating with student debt, and drug companies have completely taken over our health care system.
The cables themselves are pretty creepy if you read through them. One flat-out acknowledges that 85% of the local population thinks GM crops are dangerous, and yet, still advises that pressure be brought against the government on behalf of GM crops and Monsanto. And there’s talk of the Vatican’s stance on GM crops… really? We’re spending our resources convincing the Pope that God digs GM crops?
I don’t know about you, but I have a serious problem with Mosanto railroading their dangerous GM crops into production in THIS country, much less allocating taxpayer resources to insure they can destroy the health of foriegn lands as well. Let’s not forget that trade war tactics usually hurt our economy as well as theirs… something the US economy can hardly afford just so Monsanto can march a little closer to world food crop domination.
Many thanks to my friend and fellow health blogger Emily Giuffre’ for bringing this to my attention!
Includes links to some individual Wikileaks cables: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jan/03/wikileaks-us-eu-gm-crops?utm_source=streamsend&utm_medium=email&utm_content=13190181&utm_campaign=Food+News+Tuesday%2C+January+4
I’m not super-convinced that GM crops are going to turn us all into three-eyed fish. The really worrying issues for me are twofold:
1. Choice. OK, I think that lots of people waste stacks of money forking out for anything with the word ‘organic’ plastered over it. But hey, that’s their choice and what they buy should be correctly labelled. Ditto for GM. If it’s got GM content, then label it as such. The public can then vote with their wallets, just the way the capitalist system intended. Unless Monsanto et al want to socialise food consumption!
2. Monopolies. So GM food is going to be oh so plentiful and we’re going to feed the starving millions? OK, stop laughing. Once a couple of companies get their greedy mitts wrapped around the world’s food production they’re not going to turn themselves into charities now are they?
This is one stouch we can’t afford to lose. Because once we lose the right to know what genes are in our food, we’ll never get it back.
Exactly. Choice is the real issue. I feel very strongly that GM crops are a bad idea (read the article that I linked to about the study on Monsanto crops and organ damage as an example of why I feel that way), but really, if someone wants to roll the dice, that’s their choice…. as long as they GET the choice! But as you mentioned, monopolistic control of the food supply is a very real possibility. Monsanto is already creating a track record of stomping on small farmers, and the fact that we’re seeing evidence that they are getting the US government to act on their behalf is what’s really disturbing to me.
Thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts, Ian!