Chief executive for the Recording Industry Association of America, Hilary Rosen, is helping draft copyright legislation for the New Iraq, according to investigative journalist Gregory Palast.

"Who's really going to win this war? It looks like Madonna," Palast told Democracy Now radio. "Where before, they feared Saddam Hussein, now they have to fear Sony Records will chop off their hands if they bootleg a Madonna album."

Under Iraqi copyright legislation, passed by The Revolution Leadership Council in 1971, a copyright lapses 25 years after the death of the author, but no more then fifty years after the publication of the work. It's shorter for private works, and there are several public interest exemptions.

We wonder which member of The Revolution Leadership Council penned this, or whether someone wrote it for them, but the real author of this enlightened document ought to step forward. Maybe they could help liberate the USA - which extended copyright to seventy years after the author's death - from Hollywood.

(Do we sense a campaign coming on?)

But if true, and Palast has a good record for trade politics, Rosen's dash for Baghdad isn't hard to explain.

Iraq does not have a reciprocal copyright agreement with the United States, which means that US works are not protected.

Hilary will almost certainly be setting to work on the current law's Article 13:- "The author may not prevent a person making one copy of a published work for his own use."

And she will want to stiffen the penalties for infringement:- one hundred dinars, or three hundred for repeat offenders. Maybe she will shoot for something closer to the $97 trillion the RIAA has claimed as damages from the file-sharing students back in the Homeland.

With the effective collapse of the UN's food program, it's nice to see Rosen's humanitarian impulses remain untarnished by war.

A month ago Congressman Darrell Issa (R., San Diego) introduced a bill ensuring that Qualcomm, based in his congressional district, be given a foothold in the New Iraq. Europe and the Middle East use the global GSM standard.

-Andrew Orlowski (The Register)

:noriai: ? ...:noiraq: ? ...I'm still tryin' to figure out where the letter representing "America" comes in here.

I have yet to find confirmation on this one myself, other than The Reg, which is generally pretty good about that sort of this. However, this is so ludicrous, especially after reading CBC's story on how the US claims to not want to model Iraq after itself, rather letting the people take care of it.

The gall of Hilary et al has reached a new level. To draft laws properly, one would require an intimate knowledge of the people who will be living under said laws, something Hilary certainly doesn't have.

The kicker here is that Iraq already has a good set of copyright laws, according to the article. It is fair and not overly excessive in my opinion, and it spells out fair use.

I hope that fanatacism like this will finally cause people to see what the RIAA truly is. It no longer stands for the artist, it no longer helps the artist. It is, in face, a hinderance to the artist. People will eventuallu get tired of these strongarm tactics and the RIAA will be relegated to the same level of other fanatical groups out there. Hopefully record companies will see this as well and start to distance themselves from the almost militant actions of the RIAA.

Iraqi's being killed and tortured under Saddam's rule? Iraqi's starving in the street? Who cares! I want my money!!!
~From the desk of Hilary Rosen~

At least now the Iraqi's will get the chance to give Hilary the finger.

I'll comment after this is confirmed.

What difference does it really make?
Did you learn something here that you didn't already know? Maybe it's one more instance, but it's simply more of the same lie.

This isnt even newsworthy...

I would think that something as small as copyright infringement is at least 5 years away from being even remotely important in Iraq.

They kinda sorta need electricity and running water...and maybe a...you know...government...before non-crucial laws can be written and enforced.

Thanks george

The fact that, if this is true, Hilary feels she has so much to contribute is the newsworthy element here M1. Who is she to hop in and determine what laws should be in place for copyrights?

I think this is the root “source” of the article.

http://www.jayreding.com/archives/002660.php

(QUOTE)
The RIAA is targeting U.S. Naval Academy cadets and accusing them of downloading copyrighted movies and songs.
Yes, in a time of war, the RIAA wants to kick out members of the US Naval Academy for something as piddling as downloading a few songs. Granted, they shouldn't go off scot free, but this is ridiculous to the extreme.
Then again, perhaps we should be sending Hilary Rosen to Iraq instead of Hans Blix. She'd probably do a better job of crippling the Iraqi military than the US does... "DID YOU PAY FOR THAT COPY OF THE AMERICAN IMPERIALIST PIG WHORE BRITNEY SPEARS CD?!"
Posted By Jay Reding on November 25, 2002
(UNQUOTE)

But it was obviously motivated by:

http://www.europemedia.net/shownews.asp?ArticleID=15965

Which concludes:

(QUOTE)
"Who’s really going to win this war? It looks like Madonna," said BBC Newsnight’s Greg Palast in an interview on the subject with US radio show Democracy Now, "because there’s a whole team of people re-writing Iraq’s laws for them, in particular Hilary Rosen – who is the lobbyist for the Recording Industry Association of America. They are re-writing Iraq’s intellectual property laws for them. So that where before, they feared Saddam Hussein, now they have to fear Sony Records will chop off their hands if they bootleg a Madonna album."

So it looks like the anti-war protesters were wrong, the war wasn’t about oil - the post-war carve-up of Iraq shows that it was about mobile phones and mp3s too.
(UNQUOTE)

Are y'all's sure that Rosen and her drones aren't in Iraq to study Saddam's torture tactics against his people for the purpose of adapting such tactics to further the RIAA's own selfish aims? (I can see it now: Multiple copyright infringers in this country, if found guilty, having their hands or other limbs chopped off, if not executed outright. Torture chambers for computer users with a CD-burner in their home. I can go on and on -- but I'll leave the rest to your imaginations.)

Also, an aside . . . how many of those college students who protested the Iraq campaign initiated by 'W.' are among those targeted by the vindictive RIAA?

1. Of course america wants to model Iraq after itsself. America wants to model the whole world after itsself.

2. The power and water are down because some US military idiot wanted to see how well carbon filiment bombs works and fried half the grid, then blew the rest up with ordinary weapons.

3. The RIAA and all other major copyright holders are probably worried about Iraq, where US copyrights mean nothing, becoming a big counterfit manufacturing country, and the resulting goods being imported into the US. It happens in other countries.

4. The war was about oil. But it was also about the expansion of the american way (extremeist capitalism), which as every american knows is Right, and anyone who disagrees must be some kind of terrorist!

5. Now is a convenient time to sneak all sorts of nasty laws through in iraq, while everyones distracted with the rebuilding. Since the bombed buildings, overloaded hospitals and other humanitarian concerns are currently getting most intrest things like copyright extensions and US-manufactured mobile networks can be done quietly.

Hey now, let's slow down here. I'm sure that Hilary is just working with US forces to locate WMP's, weapons of mass production. I have no doubt that an announcement of a cache of 48x cdr's will be found, and as everybody knows, that's the equivalent of 248 cd burners. EACH! She's over there protecting American freedom and everybody's rights. I'm sure of it.

lol @ W-B & goofycaca ...I don't doubt either speculation. heh

Hilary Rosen? I thought that dyke was stepping down and retiring?

I thought that too, but that just goes to show you that all of them in hollywood and RIAA are evil and can't be trusted.

LAMO @ gofycaca's comment...

goldenpi:
1. We only want the iraqi people to live under an government that gives them at least basic human rights...
2. actually we tried to get Saddam, and ended up taking out a part of the grid, the rest was destroied by saddam's republican guard, and the fact that there where no utility workes to prevent further problems that had a snowball effect.
3. Yep! the RIAA is only in it to protect it self no matter if it's illegal or not.
4. The war was about getting rid of Mr. SoDamn Insaine, not oil, if we needed the oil, we would have made a deal with Saddam, which would be kinda an you give us oil at $15 a barrel or we will nuke you, but we are really in there to free the iraqi ppl.
5. US manufactured mobile networks, wtf? Only the RIAA would try to do something like that, oh yeah so would any other liberal out there..
By my knowledge you are either an anti american living in France, or in some other part of europe, or you are an Liberal in the united states, who also are anti-american, and lie and or get the facts wrong... Just my 2 cents

Let them find a stash of CDRW drives in iraq used for copying.... theres the WMD's the US was looking for!! lalala

Still seems more like a BLOG-joke than real.

She's really over the top with this one. Like the poor people of Iraq can even aford to buy music CD's? Or, go online for that matter. Honesty, the RIAA needs to be stopped. Like the Iraqi people would really give a rats behind about the RIAA. I think they have better things to worry about like food and water than to worry about American copyright laws, no wonder why the ME hates US so much.

justed,
Im beginning to think the samething.

goldenpi

"1. Of course america wants to model Iraq after itsself. America wants to model the whole world after itsself."

If that were true wouldn't we be launching campaigns against everyone?
Wouldn't we retake the Panama Canal?
Wouldn't we have blasted North Korea to smitherenes in the Korean war? Wouldn't we have done the same to the Viet-Cong?
Instead of making trade deals with China and hoping they stay friendly towards us wouldn't we just turn the whole continent into a sea of molten rock? Would we have provided aid to all the countries we did after WWI and WWII?

"2. The power and water are down because some US military idiot wanted to see how well carbon filiment bombs works and fried half the grid, then blew the rest up with ordinary weapons."

Please see mtekk's point # 2

"3. The RIAA and all other major copyright holders are probably worried about Iraq, where US copyrights mean nothing, becoming a big counterfit manufacturing country, and the resulting goods being imported into the US. It happens in other countries."

Ofcourse, but does that entitle one to the oppion that the entire populous of said country that the association represents agrees with said association's actions and ideals? HEEEEEEEELLLLLLL NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

"4. The war was about oil. But it was also about the expansion of the american way (extremeist capitalism), which as every american knows is Right, and anyone who disagrees must be some kind of terrorist!"

There's enough oil in Alaska to keep us for another 500 years. Organizations like the EPA keep us from getting it. If we really wanted Iraq's oil though would we be putting Iraqi citizens in the government for Iraq and then telling them we'll give you food from our own farms which we could use for millions of other things that would benefit the U.S. for the oil? If we wanted the oil why not just say "Ok this is ours now. If you want to work for us ok, but if you want any of it you have to pay for it like we had to." I'm not sure what you mean by extremist capitalism other than what the RIAA is attempting to do and if that is your definition then please see my comment on your point # 3. A terorist is someone who attempts to tear down a society's way of life through fear by committing random acts of terror, hence the name terrorist. Where you got the idea that we all think that this extremist capitalism, what ever that is, is right and that anyone who believes differntly than America is a terrorist I have no idea. I do however believe that somewhere along the line your impression of us got twisted by someone, badly. Maybe you twisted it yourself I don't know, but I can tell you what I am against and what I do hate. Stereotypes which, judging by your previous comments, you seem to be through and through.

"5. Now is a convenient time to sneak all sorts of nasty laws through in iraq, while everyones distracted with the rebuilding. Since the bombed buildings, overloaded hospitals and other humanitarian concerns are currently getting most intrest things like copyright extensions and US-manufactured mobile networks can be done quietly."

That would be a tactic of any money grubbing, "pirate" hating, name calling, bastard corporation that worships nothing but the almighty dollar. However if anyone tried that in any of the branches of U.S. government and word got out they would be voted out in a half blink of an eye.

@Litheon: While I otherwise respect your post…

(QUOTE)
That would be a tactic of any money grubbing, "pirate" hating, name calling, bastard corporation that worships nothing but the almighty dollar. However if anyone tried that in any of the branches of U.S. government and word got out they would be voted out in a half blink of an eye.
(UNQUOTE)

Ugh… DMCA…?

Ugh… “Super DMCA’s”…?

Ugh… MPAA… (“mastermind” behind State-by-State introduction of “Super DMCA’s”)?

Duh… please tell me when I can start to blink… I’m ready.

Yes, there are many examples of unpopular laws being quietly passed, often using political "back doors" such as last-minute changes to an unrelated bill. The super-DMCAs were one example. I didn't even hear about those until they had just passed, and I actively follow many sources of news and am very active in many newsgroups and forums full of anti-copyright people wou would point it out in a second if they knew. A more famous example is the SHVA and the work-for-hire extra added at the last minute.

The sudden speed the super-DMCAs, which are really not similar to the DMCA at all but contain completly unrelated restrictions, appeared does suggest someone was manipulateing things. No proof through.

When I used the word "terrorist" I was actually refering to the way terrorism is now being used as a PR aid. Remember how throughly the US government searched for a link between Iraq and Bin Larden and his terrorist group? No link was found. Or the way the Homeland Security is being allocated a slightly larger piece of taxpayers money every year?

The mobile phones were another example os the US meddleing in things that should not concern it. The Iraq mobile network is undersized and obsolete. It needs replaceing. There are two mobile technologies which could be used. One is a technological mess, but the equipment using it is mostly manufactured in the US. The other is technicly far better, but its a european standard and many manufacturers are french. The US presence in Iraq is currently trying to ensure that when the network is edventually replaced it will be replaced with american technology and US manufacturers will build it.

I never said the war was entirely about oil. It was caused by many factors. Oil was one, and a fairly major one. Another was the political benefits of getting rid of someone as unpopular as Saddam. Yet another was the risk that Iraq, which has no WMDs, may develop them at some point in the future. Also important, Iraq was a threat to american military power in the middle east. Many factors.

The supplies of oil under Alaska are good for a few more hundred years, but long before then the price of oil would rise greatly as the easyily extracted oil was used and only the deeper oil remained. Bush's plans for antartic oil were ruined when congress said the enviromental damage would be unacceptable, so alaska will probably be off limits for a few decades anyway.

Actually, a Canadian reporter (and remember Canada wasn't exactly behind us on this whole thing) found many documents relating to a 1998 visit from one of bin Laden's envoys, at the invitation of Hussein, to attempt to establish ties between Iraq and al Qaida. You might want to read the paper, since it's been all over the place for the last week.

These are a few things people need to remember when discussing this war and its relations to oil.
First, the oil found in Iraq is of low grade, and more expensive to refine. Second, Britain is actually an oil exporter, thus, would have no interest in oil.
Third, as discussed by many, us Capitalist Pigs in the US are using American Companies to rebuild Iraq. As the US, Britain, and all others involved, went out on a limb to "Free" the Iraqi people, why then would we open the gates for those opposition countries such as France, Germany, Russia, and China to fund their economies by contracting to rebuild the infrastructure? This is especially important to consider in those countries in which there is no free-trade (China, Russia (to a certain extent)).
Lastly, although we see many pictures of the Iraqi desert and vagabonds with their goats, remember that there are many EXTREMELY WEALTHY people in Iraq. The city of Baghdad did not build itself. The people can afford many CD-Burners, CDR's etc. Although we see picture of them hucking rocks at Police, we also see them holding rather expensive grenade launchers and sub-machine guns. Watch the interviews on television. These children wear nice clothing and have very expensive taste. And they have many strange, yet catchy eletronic musicians in Iraq. They do have a need for copyright law. To what extent is needed, should be the major topic of discussion.

In closing, although I do not support them, the RIAA is not some extremist organization going radically outside its boundaries. There are many lobbying groups for everything from agriculture and vacuum cleaners, to cell phones and music. They all contribute politically, they all have at least one bleading heart politician which they have in their pockets. Don't make it sound so exteme. This is not particular to the US. It is this way in every country. We just have less restrictions on the Press and freedom of information. Many journalists would turn up "missing" in other countries if they extensively reported on the use of their government's caufers.

Sorry, I hope this rambling wasn't too jumbled.

Some good points. The RIAA is a little extremeist through, perhaps not as much as some people on this forum suggest, but definately a little. I think its because they dont have that much to do. Occasionally a law threatens to cencor music and there are sales awards to deal with, but most of the RIAAs money and power is intensly focused on just one issue. Piracy.

If a few countries oppose the war that is no reason to keep them out of the rebuilding profits, espicially if they will do a good job. When a company has to be chosen to rebuild part of the country it should be decided based on price, quality of the work and other significent factors. Not politics. Decisions like that will be regretted in ten years.

I never said Iraq has a copyright problem. Add one of those copyright agreements with America and the rest of the convention and it should be perfect. I dont see any need to extend Iraq copyrights to the rediculous 95 years or life+70 of America, but thats what will happen if its not subjected to enough public scrutiny.

I was expecting some changes to the Iraq copyright law, but didn't think it would be so soon

Sad, maybe they will create a music for oil program ...

Most of the RIAA's money is spent on one thing, but it isn't piracy. It is spent on maintaining the stranglehold that they have had on the American music industry for decades. Because if we start realizing that in a supply and demand economy, the consumer is King, then we've got them by the short and curlies, and they don't like that idea one bit. They use their money and power to trample on the rights of everyday citizens, such as in the Verizon case. They use their money and power to control the marketplace, as evidenced by the nearly-overnight disappearance of vinyl albums from music stores, forcing us to buy the more expensive CDs. They have steadfastly refused to reveal any infomation regarding their practices, yet expect us to continue to take their word that what they are telling us it true. They want to keep all of the money and all of the power. The reason they are fighting as loud and as hard as they are now is because they can see that both the money and the power are slipping away from them, as more and more artists go to independant labels where they have more creative freedom, and receive more of the actual proceeds from their work. Art Alexakis be damned, (even though I really like Everclear) The RIAA and their vice-like grip on the marketplace is directly to blame for the current climate in regards to file-sharing. Had they not forced us for years to buy THEIR technology at THEIR prices, we wouldn't have been quite so quick to start shopping for a better deal.

sigh, why do people have such closed minds about the war? we do not need IRAQI OIL. US doesnt even use Iraqi oil..The war was fought to free the Iraqi's from a cruel dictator..off topic but I'm tired of reading the war was fought for oil. it's old and tiring propoganda.

applauds @ Jynnantonix

Jynnantonix, are you suggesting a monopoly?

::::Hilary's Rules of Recorded Media::::
.1 What's mine is mine!
.2 What's yours is mine!
.3 Any Questions refer to rules 1 and 2.

Justed I would like to refer you to goldenpi's statement:

"Yes, there are many examples of unpopular laws being quietly passed, often using political "back doors" such as last-minute changes to an unrelated bill."

Pay close attention to the words quietly and back doors. Mitch Glazer comes to mind. He changed the royalty agreement for the webcasters five minutes before the bill went before Congress so that it would screw them over royaly. This is why there are no more webcasters except for major radio stations that already broadcast on the radio. No one can know about the last second deviousness unless there is a leak on the inside and the RIAA has been pretty good about containing its plans. This whole copyright garbage and DRM crap that Hollings, Berman and all the other politcal RIAA lackeys are pulling is gaining a lot of notice. People are slowly gaining awareness about things like the Fritz chips and such. I'm doing what I can to spread the word in my area. So now that people know you can be assured that some of the current seat holders in Congress will be replaced in the upcoming election. I'll admit that there are a lot of people that forget to screw their heads back on when they get out of bed in this country and I nearly plaster atleast 6 to the guard rail on my way to work every morning. There are a lot of informed people too though and as I said I'm trying to inform as many as I can about the politicians that are advocating things like the DMCA and TCPs etc. There are others like me here
and we will affect a change. As the first three words of the Constitution say "We the people".

@ Litheon: I really don’t want to (I mean REALLY don’t want to) ‘rain-on-you-parade’ but: The ‘beauty’ of a two party system (not that multi-party systems address it any better) is that when you vote, you don’t vote for (or against) a single issue. (This can’t be ‘news’ Politicians have been getting re-elected ‘thanks’ to it for a long, long time.)

Oftentimes this is referred to as: Choosing the lesser of two evils.

The way it works, is to drag an issue that motivates your core-constituency to the forefront. Then, prophesy the ‘end-of-the-world’ if the candidate is not re-elected.

Consequently all other issues of malfeasance are overlooked and elected representatives (of both parties) are free to do all the damage their little hearts desire.

So excuse me if I’m not ‘heartened’ by your “There are others like me here
and we will affect a change.” Because: I really don’t want to (I mean REALLY don’t want to) ‘rain-on-you-parade’.

However as long as people don’t raise the consideration that there are / need to be limits on just what their elected representatives can do (CAN do), then I think (as so many have come to conclude) that it doesn’t matter who you elect (or block from re-election), they’re all the same.

Hilary who? Oh yeah, her. Oh well, maybe she should call Jane Fonda and they can find lunch in some 3rd world country that the US has problems with?
ttmmm

This is the letter I sent to both of our state senators, and my congressperson. I sent it to everyone in my inbox, and 143 people claim to be sending it to their elected officials, also. They may not, but it couldn't hurt to try, right? Those who sit by and do nothing while bloodsucking corporations bleed us dry have no right to complain. Stop the apathy! No one says it has to be this way. We the people determine our elected officials, but unfortunately, only a very small percentage of people in their 20s and 30s actually make it to the polls to vote. You may think that one person cannot make a difference, but hey, it worked for Noah. When one person gets one more person involved, and that person brings in another, and so on, pretty soon, you have a strong "grass-roots" movement, and that is when true change begins! Copy and print this letter. Send it to your elected officials. Send it to people you know feel the same way, and encourage them to do the same.



Dear Congressperson/Senator _________,

I am a voting member of your constitunecy, and I would like to address a situation with you, that is causing me, and others like me, great concern. I don't feel it is appropriate for you to accept campaign funds from the RIAA. The RIAA is an organization that uses its power and money to fix prices, to guarantee that it retains control over the way that people access their music, and the format in which they are allowed to play said music. This organization has, for years, rabidly promoted its own interests at the expense of taxpaying citizens, like myself, and has long given money to politicians to ensure that they allow its chokehold on the marketplace to continue. If you feel that this is an organization that you want to associate yourself, and your elected position with, then I cannot, in good concience, vote for you. In addition, I am encouraging every person I know to boycott not only the RIAA, but all elected officials accepting money from them. Any organization that thrives on secrecy, while attempting to limit the freedoms of the general public has no place influencing my elected officials, so I will endeavor to elect people wo will not be intimidated, or bought, by this organization.

Sincerely,

Stoopid Americans. Stop trying to justify your beliefs. Accept that other people believe differently, think differently, but are no more wrong or right as you. Accept that the world has a variety of views. Iraq should choose it's own path, without being restricted by the expectation of gratitude from America and it's allies. They never asked for this war, whether it was right or wrong. Goldenpi made some statements, and all the americans on this site became defensive and tried to argue the points made - do u really think that's going to change how people think? You should ACCEPT that these are the views of other people, and not just Goldenpi (come on, u should AT LEAST be able to see that), and then analyse yourselves as to WHY people think like that. Why do people think that America's trying to impose their views on the rest of the world, why does the rest of the world believe the war was more about War than terrorism or WMD. The answer, is that that is how America comes across to the rest of the world. Rather than spend all your time defending yoursleves in an "us vs them" debate, try and understand the why.

Do not expect that the Iraqi people in their freedom want life the American way. Do not expect them to show their gratitude by giving Americans their contracts for rebuilding the new iraq. Do not get pissed off when they award a contract to Russia. Instead, analyse WHY the Russians won the contract. Yes, i know that YOU americans put the most effort into liberating the country of Iraq, but the reason you did it was to give the Iraqi's their freedom. Which means no strings attached. They will still think the same way they always have, whether that's pro or anti American.

....i think i've said enough.

the monkey has spoken - you don't like it - then spank me!

Hey... isn't this site supposed to be about the evils of the RIAA? Could we leave the rest of the world-events crap out of it?