The city of Berlin went out and searched worldwide for virus-type masks for their employees (police, ambulance crews, etc). 3M had a big batch sitting in Thailand. So a deal was made, with cash laid down (3M says a actual deal was NEVER made.....at least they say that....NOT the Berlin folks who say they put the money already down). I won't say if Berlin over-paid or if the price was reasonable.
The odds that the masks were used as fake bait by someone to rig a bogus deal? I might think that. But lets assume it was a legit deal.
So a few days ago in the US....President Trump signed an 'order' (in the true sense of the word). If you are a US company.....everything you produce....is a US product, for the national 'good'.
Well....in the midst of doing business, someone for the US government found out about the masks in Thailand.....made by 3M. I won't say it was the CIA or whatever....that part doesn't matter.
The US presented paperwork yesterday....to 'grab' the mask shipment destined for Berlin. Yes, the Berlin folks are peeved to the maximum degree. Money coming back to them? No doubt.
Legal or illegal? This 'DPA' deal has been out there for decades, and companies (at least the lawyers) knew the deal could always be put down. A US company producing anything under the DPA period.....is producing for the US, and not for any other country.
The fact that this warehouse of masks was on foreign soil? Doesn't matter.....if you claim you are a US company.....you fall under the order.
More to come? Oh, I would imagine in various countries....South Korea, Mexico, etc....this problem is going to come up.
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