« Taiwan Intellectual Property Academy Opens | Main | Independence Day »

June 30, 2005

Is IP Harming American Troops in Iraq?

When I saw the headline Soldiers vs. Intellectual Property Rights in a Google search for the IP news of the day, I had to check it out.

The article, which is apparently written by someone in Iraq, starts with reports of how soldiers don't have proper equipment to adequately protect themselves. This was nothing new to me, but I was really surprised at the author's explanation for the reasoning: "Why? It turns out that US capitalists are at war with US troops."

The author states that the production of armor for Humvees is limited to a single source, which cannot keep up with demand, concluding "[s]oldiers' lives are evidently less important than intellectual property rights that confer monopoly profits on capitalists. The Iraq War is the best crash course in the ABC of capitalism."

Unfortunately, the author doesn't realize that there would be no armor at all if it weren't for the incentive to innovate. However, I do wonder why the government doesn't just manufacture and pay a "reasonable and entire compensation" under 28 USC ยง 1498.



Digg!


Posted by Melody Wirz at 10:01 AM.
Permalink: Is IP Harming American Troops in Iraq?
| Comments (3) | Sphere: Related Content

Comments

I tried to post a comment but your server kept rejecting it, saying "Your comment was denied for questionable content." My comment contained no profanity or language that would be considered offensive by any normal standard. If this comment gets rejected too, I'm not going to waste my time fighting your malfunctioning content filter.

Please fix your content filter.

Posted by: Anonymous at June 30, 2005 12:48 PM

The company in question, Armor Holdings, has issued a response to the feeling that Humvees are being uparmored because of its inability to keep up with demand. Check out: http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/050627/flm019.html?.v=12

Posted by: Anonymous at July 6, 2005 11:37 AM

Ok the real reason troops are getting killed i Iraq, is that the american government and the majority of it's people. Support killing as a revenge sport. Quite simple nothing more and nothing less.

Posted by: AEnertia at July 7, 2005 01:02 AM