Full of the usual blackout/spin reserved for "sensitive" locations. Of course, what is "unique" is not the (probably worthless) "labor and environmental protections" of the FTA, but the select company Jordan finds itself in: Canada, Mexico and Israel. A USAFTA must be the sine qua non of annexation. And it's called empire, not "neoliberalism".
Not a mention of the fracas next door, of course. "Upholding worker rights", so that's what the US is doing in the Middle East. Jordan comes off sounding like the next Worker's Paradise. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ FREE TRADE AGREEMENT WITH JORDAN APPROVED
Washington - The House approved a free trade agreement with Jordan yesterday that breaks new ground in linking trade relations to the upholding of worker rights and environmental standards.
The voice vote (!) moved Jordan a step closer to becoming only the fourth nation, after Canada, Mexico and Israel, to enjoy an essentially tariff - free relationship with the United States. The Senate Finance Committee approved the measure last week, and the White House supports it.
While Jordan's overall trade with the United States is relatively small, the agreement Jordan reached with the Clinton Administration last fall is unique in that it includes labor and environmental protections in the body of the accord.
It commits both countries to abide by their own existing laws concerning worker rights and environmental protection and says either country can appeal to a dispute resolution panel if it feels the other is violating those laws. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Dispute resolution panel"? Hummm, now if Jordan imports, say, computer hardware and software from S.V. companies, and those companies are violating US (or state) labor law - as they are, currently - then can we file an appeal to this panel in Jordan? An intriguing possibility...
-Brad Mayer