It's interesting to see Antigua's reaction to America ignoring the WTO. I think America is on shaky ground here, as many countries are getting sick of America overstepping their boundaries.
In theory, every country aligned with the WTO should back Antigua on this. In reality, America will threaten trade sanctions against them too, so it will be a question of who has big enough balls to stand up to the world's bully. Let's hope we can get a critical mass going.
What boundaries exactly got overstepped? It's a legal collision. US law says no online gambling. Antigua law says "Gambling is great, we welcome US consumers!". US tries to enforce its law via sanctions (I think). WTO law says you can't do that and awards Antigua $21M US in "equivalent sanctions" or somesuch (i.e. it's not a cash award).
Yawn. I mean, I think the US law here is dumb, but it's the law. I think the enforcement was clumsy, and it was rebuked. But this sort of nonsense happens all the time in international law. Must every trade dispute involving the US become some kind of para-nationalist rant against the "world's bully?". Can't it just be a dumb law like the literally thousands of other dumb laws?
No, see, this is wrong. The WTO ruling hinged on the argument that the US specifically allows gambling (horse, dog, state lotteries) but its prohibition Internet gambling amounts to restraint of trade and that Antigua was harmed by this. The only meaningful remedy was to give Antigua the "rights to violate" a certain amount of US copyrights (could you imagine the US actually paying a fine?).
> I think the US law here is dumb, but it's the law.
It is what it is, huh? 'It's the law' is a dose of propaganda so you don't feel bad about being forced to do something stupid.
A legal collision sounds so polite. To me, this resembles gang behavior. People want to gamble, so fuck the State. Statists are the hypocrites who let you buy lottery tickets at every corner store.
I agree with you that this isn't limited to the US, but the US wields pretty heavy influence and repercussions for disobedience.
It only becomes bullying if they start trying to do something like trade sanctions. Grecy is just worried that might happen. If there is no bullying, great!
In theory, every country aligned with the WTO should back Antigua on this. In reality, America will threaten trade sanctions against them too, so it will be a question of who has big enough balls to stand up to the world's bully. Let's hope we can get a critical mass going.