Vested Interest

Until the World Trade Organization completes work on the Boeing-Airbus dispute—expected within four months—and releases it publicly, we may not have a full accounting. We reported earlier that US Rep. Norm Dicks (D-Wash.) says the WTO’s interim report sides with the US and Boeing, saying European Union subsidies to Airbus provided the French company with an unfair advantage. Other long-time Boeing supporters, like Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) (statement) and Rep. Todd Tiahrt (R-Kan.) (statement), who both issued statements Sept. 4, agreed with that interpretation. However, Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.), who favors the KC-X tanker being offered by Northrop Grumman-EADS (parent of Airbus), issued a Sept. 10 statement that refutes that claim. Shelby wrote to US Trade Representative Ron Kirk that “many press reports are not accurately describing the complete results of the report.” Continue