[ganesha]

An embargo is a total refusal to trade and is generally imposed on an individual country in the form of sanctions. It usually has to be imposed by a coalition of countries as was the case in South Africa. A protective tariff on oil from outside of Nafta would be more feasible and could be imposed by an act of Congress. The arabs might object to the WTO as Canada is doing in the case of softwood lumber tariffs. The irony of this is that Canada is an ally which we are supposed to have free trade with and lumber imports are hardly a threat to security; while arab oil dependency does compromise security, yet Bush has just imposed a 30% tariff on Canadian lumber. Why not impose a 30% tariff on Arab oil? I would also expand Nafta to include Britain and Ireland.

[Cold Heat]

NAFTA was created to compete with the EU. I don't think the Brits would join NAFTA unless the liberals in Britain decide to keep the pound and screw the EU.