The following is an archived copy of a message sent to a Discussion List run by the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq.
Views expressed in this archived message are those of the author, not of the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq.
[Main archive index/search] [List information] [Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq Homepage]
--- bob.steel1@juno.com wrote: > Here is an interesting juxtposition of two items > concerning agriculture, > and a hint for an area of research by those with the > resources. > > I don't know if the US is a party to the 1992 > Convention on Biological > Diversity, but given it's recent activities and > attitudes towards > international law and GMOs I suspect that one thing > on the agenda of the > US corporations would be the introduction of GMOs > into Iraq, with > long-term and widespread consequences (assuming the > GMOs are not already > there). You should bear in mind that many here are experienced scientists who don't believe everything they read in the press. Praticularly when it's science. Last year, you could fly over huge areas of cotton fields in India and all the cotton was *completely* destroyed by blight - except small patches here and there of illegally planted GMO cotton. Cotton is the only cash crop in the area the majority of people are in agriculture. For many people - if they can't grow cotton they can't buy food. Those who were growing GMOs supported their extended families, saving many lives. Some of us don't want to go 'green' or do 'God's will' and reject science because we know that 'God's will' means an average life span of 7 years. Instead of simply fearing what you don't understand - find out about it. I totally approve of growing GMOs in Iraq - I care about where people have enough food, and that food is of good enough quality. I don't care about press hype from people who don't know what they're talking about. > Will the occupying forces (US) adhere to the > Cartagena Protocol > on Biosafety any more then the Geneva Conventions, > UN resolutions, or > other international laws? The Geneva Convention and the United Nations Universal Declaration on Human Rights certainly concern me far more. This is clearly the area we need to focus on. > > With the recent flaps in the US about pharmacultural > research products > (to produce drugs from GM plants -- usually corn > (maize)) and GMOs > escaping from the test fields I would expect there > to be efforts to plant > these in Iraq. And it's a good thing too. I don't care where they're grown as long as they're grown. Media non-sense should not stop scientific progress. > (I can almost hear the arguments now, > that since people > take such small quantities of drugs that since > radioactive contamination > from DU runoff would not be significant, > pharmaculture in contaminated > areas would be acceptable.) Indeed. The amount contained in a pill will be totally insignificant. The problem is if you LIVE there! > > If Mr Amstutz decides to plant GMOs do the Iraqis > get a choice? Probably not - but if it's in their interest I don't mind as much. Alun Harford __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? SBC Yahoo! DSL - Now only $29.95 per month! http://sbc.yahoo.com _______________________________________________ Sent via the discussion list of the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq. To unsubscribe, visit http://lists.casi.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/casi-discuss To contact the list manager, email casi-discuss-admin@lists.casi.org.uk All postings are archived on CASI's website: http://www.casi.org.uk