US threatens to walk out on world trade talks

[sasha031]

WASHINGTON, FEB 16: The United States could abandon world trade talks if other countries don’t show more willingness to open their markets, US Trade Representative Rob Portman said on Wednesday. The United States “needs to be in a position to walk away” if the negotiations fail to lead to a satisfactory agreement, Portman said at a hearing before the House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee. Portman said he still hoped the 149 member-countries of the World Trade Organisation would reach an agreement by the end of this year.
But without more progress, the United States could lose patience with the talks, he said. “We put our best offer on the table on not just agriculture, but on (manufactured goods) and services,” Portman said. “If others do not come up with commensurate offers, at some point you may have to say that this process is not one conducive to a good result.” Countries have set a new late April deadline to agree on a basic blueprint for reducing agricultural and industrial tariffs. They had hoped to do that at Hong Kong meeting in December, but gave up before they even arrived because of sharp disagreements over how far to cut.

Reuters

http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=117831

[hatrack]

1. And if they don't, we'll withhold our vital commercial aircraft and . . .

And . . .

Our soybeans! Yeah, take that!!!

And another thing - no more shitty movies from Hollywood for you guys. You want to see "The Island"? Tough!!!

[sasha031]

2. the US hasn't passed their id stage yet

while the rest of the planet has larger concerns,such as the planet dying right in front of our eyes.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

3. Translation: "Don't mess with Texans".

Bluster, bombast, threats, and adolescent posturing. The usual American substitute for diplomacy.

[sadiesworld]

4. Yeah, I'm sure we'll be pulling out of the WTO any day now.

:eyes:

[malaise]

5. Fugg them

they are raping the world's resources worse than their soldiers raped those poor Iraqi boys.
Send them to the Hague or Gitmo.

[TheGunslinger]

6. “worked on the current president's races in 2000 and 2004”

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A45653-2005Mar17.html

Fresh out of Dartmouth College, he was a junior advance man in the 1980 presidential campaign of George H.W. Bush and worked on the White House staff from 1989 to 1991, during the elder Bush's administration. He also worked on the current president's races in 2000 and 2004, campaigning hard for Bush in Ohio.

His background on trade includes membership on the House trade subcommittee, and he worked as a trade lawyer in the mid-1980s and early 1990s.





A yes-man?

[leveymg]

7. Maybe Bolton can catch a ride home with them.

The best thing this bunch of ideologues and provocatuers can do is simply withdraw from all international forums and organizations until January '09.