http://government.zdnet.com/?p=4837

So, now the EC of the EU is going after MS for their IE that is packaged withing their OS called XP or W7.  Pretty crazy stuff.  The EC is just having a hay day targeting big corporations within the U.S.  It's nuts.  But, there is this thing called Article 82 of the EC trade treaty among the nations of the EU.  It pretty much says that businesses can't do certain things that are unfair towards their compettitors.  These things are kind of vague.  But, nevertheless, Microsoft must have signed such a treaty or else they would not be able to operate withing the EU.  Intel is also in the news for bad and unfair trade practices within the EU.

My question is this:  If a foreign government requires a U.S. corporation to sign some crazy trade treaty in order to do business in the country, why sign it?  This thing is really big.  Now the EU has a legal invitation to file suit against these business who would be otherwise protected by U.S. law.  Now the EU is going to be in the news weekly as they will be observed applying fines to U.S. companies for stepping on the toes of other businesses that have been educated in Socialist style business practices.

It's all about a level playing field, they say.  Well, here in the U.S.A., business owners have enjoyed the challenge of the playing field filled with obstacles. U.S. business are not used to foreign governments leveling the playing field for them.  Where is the challenge in that?  There is none to find. 

Microsoft and Intel, most likely, signed a treaty only so they could stay within the European market.  If they did not sign, citizens of the EU would not have Intel or Microsoft products.  AMD and Mac (Linux) would be kings in Europe.  But that is just weird because AMD's corporate HQ is practically within the neighborhood of Intel.  They are both HQed in California, USA.  So, these two companies have a dispute on foreign soil and as a result, have brought a foreign government to U.S. soil to attack domestic businesses.  This is just totally nuts

We are supposed to be a sovereign nation.  Businesses are supposed to be able to function producing things that can be sold around the world.  U.S. companies should solve their issues at home instead of taking the battles to foreign soil.  Why should the whole world have to rise up to pass judgement on a U.S. company?

The biggest thing these U.S. companies have done in this case is to be so unguarded as to allow a foreign government to get their little greedy fingers in the control room.  The EC of the EU will not be happy until all US companies are in compliance of their little level playing field where no one is the domminant force, but all sell a little and live within the confines of mediocraty.