Heritage Foundation author Helle Dale argues that, because the Congress failed to approve the negotiated agreement, the United States has lost face with a valued security partner. She asserts that the "Democratic party has just inflicted a severe blow on the reputation of the United States as a reliable international partner and on U.S. trade policy as a whole."
As an individual unfamiliar with the particulars of the negotiated agreement, it would be inappropriate for me to comment on its merits/faults. Instead, I will choose to focus on two elements that were not discussed in Dale's piece: 1) how American perceptions of Colombia might have influenced Congressional action; and, 2) the potential public diplomacy opportunities created by the failure of the trade agreement.
Dale's piece comments that Colombia is a vital security and trade partner of the United States. This is indeed true, but I am not sure to what extent this is acknowledged by the American people. Instead, I think most Americans perceive Colombia as a challenging, volatile environment for security and trade. In Dale's words:
"The security issues that could be affected by the failure of a trade agreement are wide-ranging. Proliferation through Iran is a persistent concern throughout the region, as is arms smuggling and trafficking in people. Narcotrafficking remains a constant battle in Colombia. And poverty makes large populations vulnerable to disasters."
I wish I had polling data to back this up -- and would welcome sources/research to either support or reject this hypothesis -- but to broadly generalize, I think that many Americans think "drugs," "thugs," and "coffee" when they hear "Colombia." Whether or not it is misinformed, this perception -- that Colombia is a dangerous country plagued by internal security and narcotrafficking issues -- seems to outshine the vital trade relationship the United States has with the Andean country.
Beyond general perceptions of Colombia, current political and economic atmospherics certainly came into play. The volatile nature of American markets, concern over economic conditions within the United States, and fears that Americans will lose jobs as employment opportunities are outsourced overseas could all be cited as heightening American sensitivity to a free trade agreement with any country -- not just Colombia. Add comments by Presidential candidates about the negative impact of free trade on the average, working American and it is no wonder that the political will required to "seal the deal" was absent.
In this case, I wonder what public diplomacy initiatives Colombia undertook as part of its efforts to rally popular support to conclude the agreement. In short, the failure to approve the trade deal may reflect a broader Colombian public diplomacy and U.S. public affairs failure to convince the Congress and the American people of the virtues of the agreement.
Abroad, this event certainly complicates U.S. bilateral relations with Colombia -- but it may also present a public diplomacy opportunity. It could serve as an opportunity to explain how American checks and balances work. About how American democracy works to protect and defend the interests -- whether founded in fact or perception-- of the American people. About partisan politics in the United States -- and their ability to work contrary to what the President and his Administration thinks is best for America. And, perhaps, about demonstrating to the Colombian government that while the U.S. values its partnership, current conditions (real or perceived) may not have permitted thoughtful consideration of the agreement because the American people are not convinced that any trade agreement is a wise decision at present. Setbacks such as these only reaffirm the need for strong dialogue as a part of meaningful diplomatic relationships. Additional steps should be taken to demonstrate the strength and vitality of the U.S.-Colombian trade relationship -- and public diplomacy serves as one tool to show the commitment of each country to its economic relationship with the other.
At any rate, the failure of the Colombia FTA presents both challenges and opportunities for both the United States and its Southern neighbor. U.S. perceptions and domestic politics certainly came to play -- and I would welcome the opportunity to learn more about how the former influenced the political calculus that led to this outcome.
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