PrintJanuary 4, 2008
Free trade and 'soft power'
Will Congress ever approve the free trade treaty with Colombia? Failure to do so could kill the burgeoning partnership with democratic Colombia, a nation which has made enormous strides economically and in combating left wing guerillas. It could also send a disastrous signal to other Latin nations about America's reliability/
Writing in Investor's Business Daily, Monica Showalter highlights the national security importance of the free trade pact with Colombia, now languishing in Congress and provides valuable information.
Along the way, she rescues the concept of American "soft power" from the clutches of pacifists and anti-militarists. Drawing Colombia and other hemispheric partners into closer economic interdependence enhances our national security in this hemisphere, where we also face serious geopolitical challenges.
This is delightful turnabout for those of us who groan every time a lib starts moaning that Bush has squandered our soft power.
This is an article with a strong double payoff.
