House passes Bahrain free trade deal

http://www.metimes.com/articles/normal.php?StoryID=20051209-070533-6040r

Donna Borak
UPI Business Correspondent
December 8, 2005

WASHINGTON -- The Bush administration gained a sweeping victory on Wednesday after the US House of Representatives passed a free trade deal with Bahrain.

The trade legislation passed the House 327 to 95 giving the administration its first free trade deal with a Gulf country, while reflecting its strong relations with Bahrain, which supported both US-led wars in Iraq and is host to the US Navy's Fifth Fleet.

Bahrain, which is the smallest oil-exporting country in Persian Gulf, now joins three Arab states, Israel, Oman and Jordan, as well as Morocco in having a bilateral trade agreement with the United States in the region.

The United States has been working to expand its economic ties under the Middle East Free Trade Initiative by 2013 following recommendation of The 9/11 Commission Report. Washington is seeking to enter free trade discussions with Egypt at the "appropriate time" after some remaining issues are resolved. It is also currently holding negotiations with the United Arab Emirates...

when the trade agreement up for vote is completely off the public's radar screen.

As noted by Sherrod Brown (who opposed the agreement) it is just more of the same old shit--no labor or environmental standards.