Democrats Need to Get It Right on Colombia

New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristoff has an important column warning Democrats that knee jerk and isolationist opposition to President Bush with regard to the pending free trade agreement with Colombia endangers important American interests:

For seven years, Democrats have rightfully complained that President Bush has gratuitously antagonized the world, exasperating our allies and eroding America's standing and influence.

But now the Democrats are doing the same thing on trade. In Latin America, it is Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton who are seen as the go-it-alone cowboys, by opposing the United States' free-trade agreement with Colombia.