Guatemala over Microsoft

Ok, they've officially pissed me off. Microsoft has no business pushing for specific interest-serving international government policies. They probably choose not to know what actually goes on in these countries, and the amount of fighting against CAFTA that's been happening on the ground.
It would warm my heart to see a few good people resign after this.

See below a Microsoft ad on the op-ed page of the NY Times extolling the virtues of CAFTA. (credit to my Guatemalan friend N.. for passing along).
Doesn't 'peace and progress' strangely resemble the language of 'shock and awe'?


http://www.microsoft.com/issues/essays/2005/02-09trade.asp

Peace and Progress

Congress has an opportunity to boost jobs in the United States and
reinforce stability in our hemisphere
Resources

Office of the U.S. Trade Representative
Read background and the full text of DR-CAFTA.
Business Coalition for U.S.-Central America Trade
Learn why hundreds of U.S. companies support free trade with Central
America
The Case For CAFTA
Get a briefing paper from the Center for Trade Policy Studies.

U.S. Department of State
Find out more about Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador,
Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua.
Microsoft Corporate Citizenship
Learn about the company's efforts on behalf of people and communities
worldwide.


Posted February 9, 2005

This year, decisions before Congress on three key trade issues may
determine whether the United States continues to make progress in
opening markets around the world - and whether we continue to nurture
rising democracies at our doorstep.

Congress will be asked to vote on maintaining U.S. membership in the
World Trade Organization, renewing the president's trade-promotion
authority and approving a free trade agreement, DR-CAFTA, signed last
year by the United States, the Dominican Republic and five Central
American nations: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and
Nicaragua.
Map of Central America
Click on map to enlarge

On all three issues, Microsoft urges affirmative votes that will help
create jobs, stimulate economic growth and sustain innovation here in
the United States and around the world. Staying in the WTO and renewing
trade-promotion authority will simply maintain policies that have helped
open global markets for U.S. goods and services. Approval of DR-CAFTA
will accelerate this progress and promote stability in a region vital to
U.S. interests.

In recent years, many of us in the United States have barely noticed as
peace and democracy have spread across Central America. Peace agreements
in El Salvador, Nicaragua and Guatemala have ended all guerrilla wars in
the region. All the nations signing DR-CAFTA have now had a string of
free elections of civilian governments.

Yet these countries still face enormous challenges - including
widespread poverty and growing competition from other emerging economies
in the markets for their agricultural and textile exports. To raise
living standards and stem the flow of emigrants headed north, these
countries are looking for help from increased trade with the United
States.

For the United States, approval of DR-CAFTA will immediately reduce
trade barriers that affect 80 percent of our industrial goods and more
than half our agricultural products. It will create the second largest
market for U.S. goods and services in Latin America, after Mexico.

Particularly important to U.S. technology companies, DR-CAFTA mandates
strong protection for U.S. patents, trade secrets and other intellectual
property - continuing the progress made in other recent trade
agreements. It also requires fair treatment for products delivered
online, and requires that government procurement be open, transparent
and based on merit. These policies are needed for the U.S. technology
sector to compete fairly in global markets.

Congress has consistently approved trade agreements negotiated and
signed by the president - a fact that has contributed to U.S.
credibility in trade talks. Approval of DR-CAFTA - along with continuing
membership in the WTO and renewed trade-promotion authority - will help
advance trade principles that the United States is promoting around the
world.

Favorable votes on all three issues will create jobs and economic
opportunities in our country - and help maintain U.S. leadership in the
global economy. As well, DR-CAFTA will aid six of our close neighbors in
their hard-won progress toward a brighter future.