Obama's "Buy American Plan" weakens the United States' image before the WTO

Authors:
Luis Alberto López Rafaschieri and José Alberto López Rafaschieri
www.morochos.net

When George W. Bush decided to invade Iraq in March 2003, analysts said the president had caused a great damage to the U.S. diplomacy, because that was an unilateral decision that ignored the international weapons inspectors' and the UN Security Council's recommendations.

Mistake that was exploited by Barack Obama -now president of the United States- and used by Democrats to say they would not commit the Bush administration's errors if they reached the presidency. In his election campaign, Obama promised to respect international agreements and take into account the views of U.S. allies.

But now as president, Obama seems to be forgetting his promises. At the end of February 2009, his government ratified the "Buy American Plan," a new law passed by the U.S. Congress, which consists in forcing public institutions to consume products preferably manufactured in the United States. A measure taken in an unilateral way, which will allow U.S. producers to artificially surpass their international competitors.

The "Buy American Plan" is a proposal that, analyzed in the light of the World Trade Organization agreements, makes it clear that the U.S. violates the WTO's rules on unfair competition and government buying.

So we can say that if the Bush's Iraq invasion in 2003 ignored the UN, the Obama's "Buy American Plan" in 2009 do the same with the WTO, harming the progress that his own country reached on free trade. Then, what is the difference between the new government's policies and the former U.S. president? Is this how Obama will regain the world's trust?

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