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--- bob.steel1@juno.com wrote: > > >> 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 > > We are not about to resolve the issues of GMO here > -- and they are > debatable, with competent people, including > scientists, on both sides. Indeed - it's a matter for further research by the scientific community. It does not need scare-mongering by the press. > Even if GMOs turn out not to be biologically harmful > (and for me the > question is *far* from settled) the economic > consequences alone, of > limiting markets where people oppose them must be > considered. When it comes to drugs, people tend to drop the environmental stance when their life is at stake. If they won't... well that's their choice. Many of our drugs are produced from GMOs anyway. > There is > also the issue of the cost of > eliminating/contaminating nearby species, > which has already happened. Keep in mind that > scientists have often been > wrong: I'm the first one to moan about scientists - I'm a mathematician! Even so, I trust them more than I trust the media - particularly when it comes to the science. > science is a method, not a royal road to > absolute truth. Indeed - which is why we need scientific testing. I say again (becasuse it is so important) - what we don't need is media hype. There are good arguments against using GMOs but I've never seen them in the press! All I tend to see is "This is GM - isn't it awful." No attempt is ever made to tell people the facts. > But the real issue is: do Iraqis get a choice? > Neither you nor I nor Mr. > Amstutz, nor anyone else has the right to make the > decisions for Iraq. > Only the Iraqis themselves have the right to > determine what is in their > interest - The fact is that Iraq is rule by a US adminitration - and will be for some time. While we need to put pressure on them to sod off, we must also realise that this is the situation and we must cope in this situation. The Iraqis are not in power in their own country. Somebody has to make the decisions! Where do you draw the line on what decisions the US can make? Surely you would support a decision to repair the water treatment facilities, no matter who makes it. The decisions that are made are my primary concern - who makes them is less important. > - once GMOs are introduced it is probably > impossible to > eliminate them, especially considering the amount of > chaos there. Use of terminator varieties stops this problem (not that I approve of such varieties - too much power with the biotech companies). 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