Posted on 06/30/2009 5:51:50 PM PDT by Kaslin
Trade: President Obama's encouraging words to Colombia's president Monday signaled an improving outlook for the two nations' long-delayed free trade treaty. It's good news, but he must take that message to Congress.
Obama showed considerable respect for our friend and ally Colombia at a working meeting with President Alvaro Uribe at the White House Monday, declaring at a joint press conference that "we are grateful for his friendship."
It was a commendable show of leadership, and an appropriate response to Colombia, an invaluable ally in fighting drugs, terrorism, as well as being a democratic model for the region. "President Uribe's administration I think has under very difficult circumstances performed admirably on a whole range of fronts," Obama said.
Better still, Obama said that passing Colombia's long-stalled free trade treaty was at the top of the bilateral agenda.
"There are obvious difficulties involved in the process, and there remains work to do. But I'm confident that ultimately we can strike a deal that is good for the people of Colombia and good for the people of the United States," Obama said.
Great start. Now, Obama needs to follow up with strong action.
Obama told Uribe he's dispatching U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk to work toward a solution. Kirk is an able trade rep, but it was hardly news. Obama had already issued that order last April at the Summit of the Americas in Trinidad.
(Excerpt) Read more at ibdeditorials.com ...
Leadership from this white house … surely they jest. ;-)
Lets not put -2bama down so quick. He is trying to lead on Free Trade. Just that he’s touting that leadership with the likes of the old cocaine “free trading” president of Honduras.
He has shown absolutely no leadership to this point and now he sides with this “clown” from Honduras. Seems you might have made my case for me. ;-)
Leading the American economy to destruction, that kind of leadership.
“free trade” will beget global communism, as predicted by it’s proponents years ago. That’s why its on the white house agenda.
It was free trade that put the final nail in America. Perot/Buchanan/Paul had it right.
I think you made a correct statement.
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