Fisking the RIAA #1

RIAA Lauds Senate Passage Of Measure To Stop Russian Intellectual Property Theft

I liked the digg posting for this, too. anyway, the quoted statements are from 'Chairman and CEO Mitch Bainwol'.

“With the passage of this resolution in the Senate, the entire U.S. Congress —

? aren't there two houses of Congress?

— has made clear that the Russian government must significantly step up the fight against piracy as a condition for both its acceptance into the WTO and for receiving preferential trade benefits from the United States.

being the Right Thing has nothing to do with it.

“The U.S.-Russia relationship must be built upon a mutual understanding of shared obligations and the application of the rule of law.

e.g. blackmail.

The effective protection of American intellectual property has been sorely lacking in Russia.

wow… it's almost like they don't have the same laws that we do!

next thing you know, the RIAA will be telling us that Russia has decided to secede from the United States.

This resolution is significant because it expresses the will of the U.S. Congress —

(half of it)

— that Russia must take effective action against those who would steal America’s knowledge-intensive intellectual property-based goods and services.

knowledge-intensive? American pop music? they must be kidding…

We must not enter into political arrangements with countries ill-prepared to adequately protect our greatest economic assets.

so, let me get this straight… we're going to pay them to not steal our stuff? doesn't this sound just a little like protection?