New Front in Global Trade Wars

Review: New Front in Global Trade Wars

This week I read an article titled “New Front in Global Trade Wars”.  It discussed a 10 year trade dispute between America and Antigua and Barbuda.  It especially hit home to me because it mainly focuses on online gambling.  I happen to be an avid online gambler and have noticed recently the number of gambling sites have been dropping. Many poker and betting sites have been getting shut down in the United States and this article talked about why.  America has been cracking down on their policy restricting money transfers. Countries like Antigua and Barbuda’s economy depends on American’s participating in off shore gambling.  In fact, America’s restrictions have been directly linked to the loss of nearly 4000 online gambling jobs in Antigua and Barbuda.  America has shown no sign of lifting their restrictions on money transfers so Antigua and Barbuda has decided to play dirty.  The WTO has authorized Antigua and Barbuda to violate intellectual property protections on movies, books, and pharmaceuticals.  Antigua and Barbuda has threatened to pirate Hollywood movies and sell them online if America does not rethink their restrictions that are undercutting the online gambling industry.  The article states that this judgment could open up a new front in trade wars in which countries could retaliate against unfair practices by imposing tariffs and quotas on imported goods.  It sounds to me like the WTO has opened up a door that maybe they shouldn’t have.  Allowing other countries to infringe on American copyrights on intellectual property could harm American businesses.  It seems like a resolution needs to be reached between the two parties before things start becoming nasty.http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/08/opinion/a-new-front-in-global-trade-wars.html?_r=0