Is that it for Doha?

An impasse in negotiations, a weakening American President (who will be a lame duck when an agreement would come before Congress), an opposition that's seen the potential benefit of the protection card (a key element in the Dubai Ports World), and that can be expected to make gains in the 2006 mid-term elections.  None of this augurs well for a successful Doha Round.

Both Daniel Drezner (Bill Thomas reads Doha its obituary , April 4) and Joel Trachtman (Doha Despair?, International Economic Law and Policy Blog - April 4) report today that the Chair of the House Ways and Means Committee is calling Doha a dead end, and encouraging the administration to focus on bilateral free trade agreements (FTAs) while he still has fast-track negotiating authority.