Suggestions that the United States is planning a ‘buy American’ provision in the stimulus package now under debate in the U.S. Congress has created a ripple of fear around the world, and comes on top of calls from workers and businesses in other countries to do the same.
Here are headlines and excerpts on the subject that that WORLDMEETS.US has posted within the past 24 hours:
Le Monde, France: Trade Barriers Will Damage All Nations
“Closing borders to men is as dangerous – and often as illusory – as closing them to foreign products. The answer involves more social protection and greater international solidarity. Not the reverse.”
JoongAng Daily, South Korea, EDITORIAL: ‘Obama’s Isolationism’
“At this juncture, protectionist trade measures and the U.S.-China confrontation can do absolutely no good for anyone. Obama’s recent moves are rather aggressive for someone in the early phase of his administration.”
Globe and Mail, Canada, EDITORIAL: ‘Buy American’ Mayhem … You mean There Never was a NAFTA?
“So was that just a dream we dreamed after all – that we had a free-trade deal with the U.S. giving us secure access to their markets and their public procurement?”
The Toronto Star, Canada: ‘Buy American’ Controversy was Forged in Steel Mills of China‘
“All of the agitation in the international community – not the least of which originates in Canada – about the “buy American” provision of the U.S. stimulus bill is based on the myth that under the WTO we have a comprehensive, workable, global free-trading system. … WTO rules are routinely and deliberately contravened by some of the world’s major trading jurisdictions.”
READ MORE AT WORLDMEETS.US, with continuing translated and English-language coverage of how the world perceives our nation.
Founder and Managing Editor of Worldmeets.US