Paul Bremer's Order 81
Order 81 is one of the most controversial of Paul Bremer's 100 Orders, issued during the so-called "reconstruction" of Iraq following the invasion of Iraq by the United States in 2003. The order establishes intellectual property restrictions on the use of genetically modified crops.

When former Coalition Provisional Authority administrator Paul Bremer departed Iraq in June 2004 he left behind a legacy of 100 ‘Orders’ for the restructuring of the Iraqi legal system. Of these orders, one is particularly pertinent to the issue of seeds. Order 81 covers the issues of ‘Patent, Industrial Design, Undisclosed Information, Integrated Circuits and Plant Variety’. It amends Iraq’s original law on patents, created in 1970, and is legally binding unless repealed by a future Iraqi government.

The most significant part of Order 81 is a new chapter that it inserts on ‘Plant Variety Protection’ (PVP). This concerns itself not with the protection of biodiversity, but rather with the protection of the commercial interests of large seed corporations.

To qualify for PVP, seeds have to meet the following criteria: they must be ‘new, distinct, uniform and stable’. Under the new regulations imposed by Order 81, therefore, the sort of seeds Iraqi farmers are now being encouraged to grow by corporations such as WWWC will be those registered under PVP.

On the other hand, it is impossible for the seeds developed by the people of Iraq to meet these criteria. Their seeds are not ‘new’ as they are the product of millennia of development. Nor are they ‘distinct’. The free exchange of seeds practiced for centuries ensures that characteristics are spread and shared across local varieties. And they are the opposite of ‘uniform’ and ‘stable’ by the very nature of their biodiversity. They cross-pollinate with other nearby varieties, ensuring they are always changing and always adapting.

Order 81 and war on Iraqi farmers by the likes of Monsanto

Vigil in front of Rosa De Lauro's office June 18

Save To Your Calendar: Outlook| | Apple iCal| | date:Friday, June 18, 2010

time:4:00 PM to 5:00 PM

venue:front of Rosa De Lauro's office

address:39 Elm Street

New Haven, CT 06510

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The vigil will be held to emphasize the connection between oil and the wars that we are engaged in; and the cozy relationship of the government regulatory agencies and the oil companies. Sponsored by the Greater New Haven Peace Council. Questions, call Henry at 203-389-9547, or e-mail grnhpeacecouncil@sbcglobal.net.

Stanley Greenberg Sourcewatch
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Stanley B. Greenberg was a co-founder in 1999 of Democracy Corps and currently in 2007 conducts polls for MoveOn among many other clients.

Background
According to his Democracy Corps biography, Greenberg is "Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Greenberg Quinlan Rosner. Greenberg has served as polling advisor to President Bill Clinton, President Nelson Mandela, Prime Minister Tony Blair, Prime Minister Ehud Barak, German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, and their national campaigns." [1]

"Greenberg's work for private sector organizations - including major corporations, trade associations and public interest organizations - focuses on managing change and reform. He has conducted surveys and focus groups for major corporations on both product and corporate identity and on corporate mission. He has conducted research for major corporations, both internally among employees and managers, and externally with relevant stake holders, opinion leaders and the general public." [2]

"Greenberg's private sector clients include: the National Basketball Association, BP Amoco, British Airways, The Boeing Company, Monsanto, United Healthcare, Business for Social Responsibility, the Recording Industry Association of America, the Business Roundtable, the Direct Marketing Association, and the Organization for International Investment. Greenberg has conducted extensive research in Europe (particularly Great Britain, Germany and France), Central and South America (Argentina and Brazil), and Africa (South Africa). He specializes in research on globalization, international trade, corporate consolidation, technology and the Internet.

"Greenberg directed a year-long project for the International Committee of the Red Cross, 'People on War' - a consultation with people in the principal war zones of the late 20th century, including Bosnia and Herzegovina, Afghanistan, Somalia, Nigeria, and Lebanon among others." [3]

"For organizations, Greenberg has helped manage and frame a number of issues - including education, school financing, American identity, the economy, environmental regulation, international trade, managed care, biotechnology, copyrights, privacy and the Internet. He has done groundbreaking work on the role of women in the electorate.

"Greenberg has advised a broad range of political campaigns, including those of President Bill Clinton and Vice-President Al Gore, Senators Chris Dodd, Joe Lieberman and Jeff Bingaman; Governor Jim Florio and gubernatorial candidate, Andy Young; former Vice-President Walter Mondale; and a number of candidates for the U.S. Congress. For many years, he served as principal polling advisor to the Democratic National Committee.

"Greenberg works jointly on private sector projects with prominent Republican pollsters in the United States - including Fred Steeper (pollster to former President Bush), Bill McInturff and Linda DiVall - to bring a bi-partisan focus to public issues.

"Greenberg founded the company in 1980 after a decade of teaching at Yale University where he received a Guggenheim Fellowship. He was educated at Miami University and Harvard University, where he received his Ph.D."

In 1997 Philip Gould, Stanley Greenberg and James Carville collaborated on a London-based opinion polling group and high-powered transnational consulting organization, GGC/NOP, owned by United News and Media [4]