🚀 go-pugleaf

What gives us the right...

It's simple.  It is precisely the same source of well of rights that
each nation draws their powers from.  It's called "self interests"...

Every nation does the same thing that the US does.  If you don't
believe it, then you're either blind or stupid, or blessed with a
beautiful combination of both qualities.

France, for instance, imposed tariffs on many American and European
products over the last 20 years.  Is it fair?  Of course it is fair. 
Why did France impost those tariffs?  Because France felt it was in
their own best interests.

Canada also imposes tariffs.  In fact, I'd be hard pressed to find any
economic "power" that doesn't use tariffs and embargos and other trade
restrictions to their own advantage.

It would be fiscally imprudent to act otherwise.  You MUST keep the
welfare of YOUR population, YOUR economy as a pretty high priority,
because TRUST ME, No Other Country Will.

You don't honestly think that Austria, in some altruistic act of
beneficience, will wake up some day and think : "Wow, Hans, you know I
think that African Ghana is being unfairly taken advantage of, so lets
offer them a cut, below-parity on Chocolate trade quotas, and
tariff-free for the next 20 years."

I'm not blaming Austria, France or Canada.  They aren't evil, nor are
they bad.  I'd blame them ONLY if they failed to entertain the
interest of their own country's economic interests.

As a rule, countries, even the US, will be generous ONLY to the degree
to which they might suffer.  It's like charity, if you have 10
dollars, and NEED to spend 6 dollars on necessities, and WANT to spend
2 dollars on fun stuff, then you will suffer if you donate more than 1
dollar.

There is no moral obligation to do otherwise.