The Case - from Colombia - For the Free Trade Agreement

In today's WaPo is a Q&A by the Post's Lally Weymouth with Colombian President Alvaro Uribe, a staunch US ally and a strong voice for democracy in a  region where Castro crony and all-around strongman Hugo Chavez looms large. He lists the dramatic progress made in Colombia and extends an invitation to House Speaker Pelosi (D-CA) to come visit and see it first-hand, he offers his views on the prospects of the agreement failing in the US Congress:

"I cannot give space in my mind to the hypothesis that this agreement will be turned down. In economic terms, if you look at our bilateral balance, you see that at first glance there is a surplus for Colombia, but when you deduct oil, even without deducting coal, this balance turns against Colombia. The United States is the first supplier of capital goods to our country. There are many agricultural products, raw materials, that we buy from your market.

Q. And if the agreement passes, Colombia would have to remove its tariffs on U.S. products entering its markets?

A. Yes. With the Free Trade Agreement, we have to take away the tariffs. In political terms, nobody can understand [why the agreement is being rejected]. Colombia has a long tradition of friendship and loyalty with the United States. Colombia shares the democratic values of the United States. Colombia has had difficulties with other countries because other countries did not understand the reasons for our loyalty to the United States. Therefore I ask this question: Given these circumstances, how can anyone understand that the United States does not approve this agreement?"

How indeed.