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U.S. Trade With Arabs Down 5%, Trade with Israel Up 25%
The questions Americans must ask themselves are many. Who benefited by restricting trade to a country representing only 9% of regional GDP while 91% was unserved and left to whither and die? Who was working diligently to restrict trade with Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and the rest, and why? 93% of the data set pre-dates 9/11. Were Americans working at jobs that were eliminated told that they had to suffer for some undeclared economic offensive? Would they have agreed to it? Now that the U.S. economy is in recession, will American companies be allowed to begin trading with the Arab Middle East?
Trade, rather than armed regime change is one of the best ways to promote American culture, values, and the economic well being of the United States. So why has the U.S. been forced to systematically put the brakes on trade with the Arab Middle East?
According to the U.S. Office of Trade and Economic Analysis (OTEA) data between 1997 and 2001, total U.S. exports to the Arab Middle East fell by 5%. Total GDP in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and neighboring countries excluding Israel tops USD $1.2 trillion and averaged 2-4% annual growth. Demand for products from high value-added sectors of the U.S. economy was ravenous, yet transportation and machinery exports from the U.S. to the region plummeted. The gem of the U.S. economy, information technology and telecommunications equipment stumbled forward, but never harvested the developing market export growth rates experienced in other markets.
Where lays the blame?
A general downturn in total U.S. exports is not the cause. Over the time period, total exports grew a healthy 6%. And not all countries in the region were losers. One, in particular, enjoyed a peculiar spurt of growth. Israel imports of U.S. products grew 25%. However, it is problematic to count this growth. As one analyst put it, due to the massive U.S. foreign aid to Israel, when the U.S. plays the game of exports to Israel, it is really playing with itself.
The questions Americans must now ask themselves are many. Who benefited by restricting trade to a country representing only 9% of regional GDP while 91% was left to whither ? Who was working so diligently to restrict trade with Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and the rest, and why? Remember, the 93% of the data set time series pre-dates 9/11. Were Americans working at jobs that were eliminated told that they had to suffer for some undeclared economic offensive? Would they have agreed to it? And now that the U.S. economy is in recession, will American companies continue to chaff at the fetters restricting their desire to trade with the Arab Middle East?
http://www.irmep.org
According to the U.S. Office of Trade and Economic Analysis (OTEA) data between 1997 and 2001, total U.S. exports to the Arab Middle East fell by 5%. Total GDP in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and neighboring countries excluding Israel tops USD $1.2 trillion and averaged 2-4% annual growth. Demand for products from high value-added sectors of the U.S. economy was ravenous, yet transportation and machinery exports from the U.S. to the region plummeted. The gem of the U.S. economy, information technology and telecommunications equipment stumbled forward, but never harvested the developing market export growth rates experienced in other markets.
Where lays the blame?
A general downturn in total U.S. exports is not the cause. Over the time period, total exports grew a healthy 6%. And not all countries in the region were losers. One, in particular, enjoyed a peculiar spurt of growth. Israel imports of U.S. products grew 25%. However, it is problematic to count this growth. As one analyst put it, due to the massive U.S. foreign aid to Israel, when the U.S. plays the game of exports to Israel, it is really playing with itself.
The questions Americans must now ask themselves are many. Who benefited by restricting trade to a country representing only 9% of regional GDP while 91% was left to whither ? Who was working so diligently to restrict trade with Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and the rest, and why? Remember, the 93% of the data set time series pre-dates 9/11. Were Americans working at jobs that were eliminated told that they had to suffer for some undeclared economic offensive? Would they have agreed to it? And now that the U.S. economy is in recession, will American companies continue to chaff at the fetters restricting their desire to trade with the Arab Middle East?
http://www.irmep.org
For more information:
http://www.irmep.org
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Ahh rational explinations
I hear that there are many a billboard about the massacre at Jenin saying "don't buy American, it supports Israel".
that would make me cough up *my* Big Mac.