Trade and Economics

When discussing the war in Iran with my college-aged peers, the first question they typically ask is, “Why?” Most of the headlines focus on the potential fallout of the war: soaring gas prices, lasting instability in the Middle East, the possibility of a U.S. ground invasion. Few news articles clearly explain the motives for our strikes against Iran. Is this war about regime change? Is it about axing Iran’s nuclear capabilities? Is it about securing control over the Strait of

USMCA, the updated North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), is critical for U.S. economic security. It has resulted in $775 billion invested in the United States by Mexico and Canada, 55% more investment than before USMCA came into effect in 2020—despite COVID. USMCA makes North America an attractive cohesive market.

Eye-catching headlines on trade and economic security gloss over the economic objective of trade: exchanging U.S.-made goods and services for those from foreign partners at an advantageous price benefiting both and boosting prosperity. No one country has the resources, nor inclination, to be fully self-sufficient especially as standards of living continue to rise. The current focus on domestic manufacturing and self-sufficiency ignores the additional economic benefits that