While the Commerce Department's reasoning may be shaky, the impetus behind this move is crystal clear: The Bush Administration hopes to appease congressional protectionists, thereby helping to win approval for free-trade agreements (FTAs) with Colombia, Peru, Panama and South Korea.

FORBES: Magazine Article

The group backs David Cameron's plan to remake the UK's agreements with the EU if the Tories win the next election.

BBC: Business lobby group backs government push on EU deal

Since they do an excruciating amount of technical testing before they sign agreements with us, we are proud to say we win on technology.

FORBES: Mojiva's CEO Gives Tablets Their Day In The Sun

And the Belarussian leader is in a hurry, both because his economy is (even) wobblier than Russia's and because he seems to think that, under existing agreements with Russia, he can leap across the border and win Mr Yeltsin's job at Russia's presidential election next year.

ECONOMIST: Russia and Belarus