President Bush signed the Clean Diamond Act

Las Vegas Sun ^ | April 26, 2003 | Central_Floridian

[Central_Floridian]

President Bush signed legislation banning the sale or import of diamonds that are, according to the Kimbereley Process, illegitimate. While supporters claim that they are supporting human rights, all this law would do is destroy much of the funding of insurgent groups (in several cases, pro-freedom former allies), no matter how just their cause or how honorable their conduct, while securing valuable resources for whatever government in power, regardless of how well proven their ties to communism or how well proven the fact that they have brutally murdered tens of thousands of innocent people. President Bush said, "Conflict diamonds have been used by rebel groups to finance their atrocities against civilians and their insurrections against internationaly recognized governments". I would like to point out that the diamonds in question are not "conflict diamonds" any less because of this legislation, they are simply more likely to fund one side (the governments) wether or not the government is in the right. I think we should remember that Hitler, Stalin, and Castro were/are all "internationaly recognized". Just because the UN, an organization filled with terrorists and tyrants recognizes a person or group as the "legitimate government" does not mean they ARE the rightful government. Those whe supported this law like to say that it will ensure that traded diamonds come from "legitimate sources", but I would like to see them explain why the only legitimate diamonds are those that a government will profit from. I think the government has the right, constitutionaly and morally to ban the import of diamonds if the sale of those diamonds would fund an insurgent group OR government that routinely engages in murder, plundering, or other crimes. Cutting the resources from all rebel groups in the world will do good in some cases and bad in others. I think Congress should have banned the sale of ANYTHING that would benefit ANY group or government whose policy is to plunder and murder. At the least, revoking Red China'a MFN (Most Favored Nation) status would have been a good place to start.

[Libertarianize the GOP]

http://www.freerepublic.com/perl/bump-list

[Archangelsk]

As long as diamonds are a girl's best friend this act will be ignored.

[ohioWfan]

When I saw the headline, I thought it had something to do with Texas Rangers' groundskeepers........

[thepitts]

Has there ever been a bill that W didn't sign?

[WFTR]

Good point! I'm having trouble thinking of one. I'm not sure whether that's generally a good thing or a bad thing. I think he's threatened a few vetos and gotten some bad legislation changed while still in Congress (a good move). I wish he had not signed campaign finance (destruction of the First Amendment). His signing of that bill was certainly a bad thing.

Diversity Is Not Our Strength
Bill

[Arpege92]

"As long as diamonds are a girl's best friend this act will be ignored."


You got that right but I could also live with other precious stones....ruby, emerald, saphire.....oh ya, that reminds me, Mothers day is coming so I guess it's time to leave all kinds of clues around the house for my hubby to see!

[Teacher317]

He's the best domestic rubber-stamp President of our day.

[Bernard Marx]

I agree completely. This has been the biggest class warfare scam ever. You only need to see who's behind all the intimidation and scaremongering -- Marxist outfits like Oxfam -- to know what the game is.

Sadly, the movers and shakers in the U.S. diamond industry seem to be the ultimate appeasers and left-wing wusses. When the "Conflict/Blood Diamond" propaganda began they folded like an accordion. They were in a cold panic, terrified of any negative publicity -- which they'll get anyhow from the left-wingers in the media.

Kimberly doesn't stand a chance of working. I've been around the colored gem business for 40 years and have a few insights into how things really work. I wonder how long it will take for smuggled African "conflict" diamonds to start showing up with cute little "clean" Canadian polar bears lasered into their girdles? Canadians are no less prone to bribes and skulduggery than human beings elsewhere on the planet. They're already supplying black market cigarettes to Americans who've been taxed and legislated out of their pleasure. They supplied booze during Prohibition, and they'd supply massive amounts of drugs if the Mexicans hadn't beaten them to it. Maybe they do anyhow.

The net impact will be just as you say: to finance corrupt Communist and socialist governments in their efforts to brutally put down pro-democratic movements. It's very dicouraging.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Zimbabwe diamond deals exposed (Mugabe's Corrupt Party)

Mugabe's 'Taliban' torture opponents in terror camps*** Addressing thousands of supporters in Mashonaland, his tribal homeland, Mugabe dismissed international criticism last week, vowing to remain in power for the next six years whether the international community accepted or rejected the outcome of the poll. The opposition, which believes in non-violence to achieve its aims, fears that there will be a mass uprising if Mugabe rigs the election or introduces martial law. Senior MDC officials claim they do not have enough weapons to wage a war against Mugabe, who has reportedly ordered home more than 8,000 soldiers fighting over 'blood' diamonds in the Democratic Republic of Congo.***

Mugabe and family loot blood gems***Top Zimbabwean generals, government Ministers and close relatives of President Robert Mugabe have made millions of dollars from the illegal smuggling of 'blood diamonds', a US diamond executive has claimed. In a series of extraordinary encounters with the diamond dealer last year, senior Zimbabwean officials, including the President's nephew, Innocent Mugabe, offered for sale gems looted by Zimbabwean forces fighting in the Congolese civil war.

The allegations by John Marsischky, who runs the American-based diamond firm Flashes of Color, cast a spotlight for the first time on the vast smuggling network of blood diamonds at the highest levels of Mugabe's regime. It portrays a government engaged in plundering a neighbouring country and a shady world of contraband and backhanders involving some of the most valuable gems in the world.

Marsischky's account also accuses controversial Canadian lobbying firm Dickens and Madson, which recently released a video claiming Zimbabwe opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai plotted to kill Mugabe, of also being involved in diamond smuggling. The firm is headed by former senior Israeli secret service agent Ari Ben Menashe. Marsischky alleges that Dickens and Madson ran security checks on him and were to arrange bank accounts to pay for illegal stones.***

[MHT]

Could there really be any business "dirtier" than the diamond industry? The exploitation of generations of workers in Africa, which kept a handful of foreign businessmen mega-rich while the citizens lived in dire circumstances, is beyond belief. How ironic that some laws forbid the native residents to even touch the stones, their own natural resources, lying on the ground! And how quick we are to condemn the oil industry yet stay blindfolded to the absolute control and monopoly that Debeers holds on diamonds, making one of the most common substances in the world ones of the most parsimoniously distributed.

One need not look any further than Jackie Kennedy and her boyfriend Maurice to see who benefits most from the global diamond "system", whether "dirty", "registered", or "lasered"--and it's not the little people who take the risk mining them, labor cutting them, or save forever to own a chip!

[Bernard Marx]

Could there really be any business "dirtier" than the diamond industry?

Absolutely. Lots of them. Your response deserves a detailed reply but I'm rushing to leave on a week-long business trip right now. I'll do my best to remember to post to you when I return late next week or the week after -- I'll be computerless while traveling.

[Central_Floridian]

The Clean Diamond Act provides for violators to be punished by a fine up to $50,000 and imprisoned up to 10 years. Thats what someone who tries to help foreign freedom fighters could get in the land of the free.

[Central_Floridian]

Thank you for your reply. I first read about this law a few weeks ago and would have thought it was a good idea had I not read Doug Phillips' articles about Angola and Sudan on VisionForum.org. I've read that most of the big diamond/jewelry companies and groups supported the Clean Diamond Act. Will they make money off this somehow? Will it get rid of competition for them?

[Central_Floridian]

Thanks for the info on Zimbabwe and Mugabe. Mugabe and his cronies are less honest than the Iraqi information minister it seems, just less riciculous. It's a shame that so many of our tax dollars are going to support that guy.

[Bernard Marx]

I'm essentially just heading out the door on a trip. I'll post a detailed reply in a week or so. There are big changes underway in the diamond business and I think that many in the trade are 1) naive enough to think this will work; and 2) will do virtually anything to get rid of bad publicity.

Out of curiosity I did a very informal poll among diamond dealer friends in Los Angeles recently. I asked: "Are you getting a lot of customer resistance due to the Conflict/Blood Diamond issue?" Out of six or so only one had even heard of it and he said no customer of his had ever mentioned it. On the other hand, one of my clients tells me she has a current order to make an engagement ring from a colored gem that has been mined in an "ethical" fashion, whatever that means; and from gold that wasn't mined in Africa. Sure.

Wouldn't it be interesting if we were that picky about the gasoline and oil we put in our cars, the honey on our tables (Al Quaeda has a huge trade in honey), etc., etc.

[Central_Floridian]

Thank you for your replies, I look forward to hearing from you again. God bless