By Rep. Roy Blunt

One of the bipartisan foreign policy success stories of the last decade has been the development of Colombia as a strategic ally of the United States.

Aware of its size, its geographic location, its central role in the American narcotics trade and the dangerous leftward trend of other regional governments, President Bill Clinton partnered with the Republican Congress in 2000 to produce the Andean Counterdrug Initiative, or Plan Colombia.

The success of that effort has resulted in Colombia — unique among its neighbors — being willing and prepared to forge greater economic, military and security ties with the United States.

The future of this relationship now lies in the Colombian Free Trade Agreement, and its fate lies in the hands of this Congress.

The adoption of a permanent trade agreement between our two nations would allow both countries free and unfettered access to each other’s markets — access American exports do not enjoy today. Read more…

Comments

comments