National Security Online Resource Center

It is unfortunate when labor unions and industrial sector lobbies threaten our national security. Richard Holbroke, the Presidential Envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan, was touting a trade bill, currently in Congress, that would allow federally administered tribal areas (FATA) preferential access to U.S. markets. This would be momentous as the United States needs all the support it can get in Pakistan given their particular dislike for Americans.

However, domestic lobby’s hold on Congress will make the bill, if even passed, virtually meaningless as it would remove cotton tops and pants (as a concession to the faltering textile industry) from the list of products allowed in U.S. duty free.

Here is the article: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/20/world/asia/20holbrooke.html?_r=1&hpw