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Most americans are unsure about Irac and really dont fancy going to war all over the place.
You've just got to remember that politics in the US is quite different from the EU and other places.
Most US voters pay all most no attention to foreign policy when deciding who to vote for, its such a large country a lot of people just dont really think about whats outside it.
Not really because they are narrow minded as such but just because its easy to, the US has a very low voter turn out as well which plays into the hands of somewhat extreamist elements getting into power.
I entirely know what you mean about the exploitation and nastiness that goes on in the US, but if everyone judged you on the basis of what your political leaders did you'd be preaty pissed off too.
The UK for example has sold guns too virtualy every nasty dictator this world has ever seen. Is that really the fault of every english person?
If Nike, Adidas, etc. pay the same wages in Bangkok as they do in New York (why don't you complain that workers in Des Moines don't make as much as workers in New York?), prices rise (they have to, someone has to pay for those wages). Since the price of rice will not rise to match the price rises (at least not in anything resembling a short timeframe), the rice farmer becomes effectively poorer, so he or she is forced into having to work in a factory if there are any factory jobs available. Rice is rather labor intensive to plant and harvest by the way. So you create both poverty and a shortage of rice farmers. Thanks.
Actually, Clandestine, I'm in one of those countries and very aware of what options the population of this country have and who is bringing those options to them. And virtually all those options come courtesy of western and Japanese corporations. Including the option to stay and work their farms in a way that is more than subsistence level, and see their parents live beyond 40 years old.
A person paid in Thailand at American wage levels would quit their job after 2 years and never work again. That's reality in a place where the cost of three meals a day is typically less than $2 and people believe in "Mai Pen Rai".
I'm sure you will agree that the comparitive difference we are talking about is far larger but I agree that regional disparities in the developed world are a massive concern to those that seek social justice, equality etc........
Prices do not have to rise (in the country where the workers are) because
a)few people will be buying the goods they produce thus the impact will be small and/or
b)the company should decrease the mark-up (and thus profits) not likely i know but ideally all companies would care for the communities they are involved in........
You have absolutely no idea of how business works, do you?
May I suggest you get a hold of a few typical multi-nationals annual reports (Microsoft is not typical) and take a look at the P&L statements. Use Nike as one, and IBM, and Unilever. Figure out the %s, not just the gross numbers. Might give you a different insight.
The %s of gross income that each of the figures on that P&L represent.