Sabotaging America’s Friends, Helping Its Enemies

Posted by Hans Bader

The Washington Post has an editorial debunking false claims made by House leaders against the proposed trade agreement with Colombia.  “There are two important countries at the north of South America. One, Colombia, has a democratic government that, with strong support from the Clinton and Bush administrations, has bravely sought to defeat brutal militias of the left and right and to safeguard human rights. The other, Venezuela, has a repressive government that has undermined media freedoms, forcibly nationalized industries, rallied opposition to the United States and, recent evidence suggests, supported terrorist groups inside Colombia.” Yet House leaders ”focus their criticism and advocacy on the former, to the benefit of the latter.”  Indeed, they have pushed through special tax breaks for an oil company controlled by Venezuela’s anti-American dictator, even as they seek to undermine Colombia’s pro-American government and block a trade agreement that would create even more economic growth in American than in Colombia.

The Post also has a short interview with Colombia’s president, Alvaro Uribe, about trade and terrorism.  “A staunch U.S. ally in a region where anti-American sentiment is fashionable, Uribe has successfully fought the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), which the United States considers a terrorist group, and has combated drug traffickers.”

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04/20/2008 @ 2:45 pm | Economic Liberty, International, Politics as Usual, Trade | Comments

2 Responses to “Sabotaging America’s Friends, Helping Its Enemies”

  1. Posted by: Stop Sabotaging America’s Allies and Exporters | OpenMarket.org - 05/21/2008

    [...] sabotaging American allies like Colombia, snubbing its democratically-elected president, they were passing a special tax break for an oil company controlled by Venezuela’s anti-American dictato….   They also have snubbed business leaders, who have called on Congress to pass the free trade [...]

  2. Posted by: Hostage Rescue and Free Trade with Colombia | OpenMarket.org - 07/04/2008

    [...] The free trade agreement would create jobs by eliminating Colombia’s tariffs on U.S. products.  Liberal congressional leaders have refused to even allow a vote on the deal.  They bash Colombia’s pro-American government, while cozying up to Venezuela’s anti-American ….  [...]

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