<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>I can only hope Jay C is right, but just from my understanding of the WTO, the US government and US states can't be compelled to legalize something under any international treaty or trade agreement. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
You are correct Wild Bill. The WTO cannot compel any country to change its laws even if they lose a dispute. If the US and Antigua do not reach an agreement then the ruling is made public which could damage the US in future trade rows. After losing the case it would proceed to a penalty phase. The court would determine what level of counter tariffs that Antigua would be permitted to impose on US goods to compensate them for the loss. Given the relative size of the countries the US has little to fear from the penalty phase. They are more worried about the ruling being made public and being used as a precedent by other countries against the US.
IMO the US will settle the case by some sort of monetary foreign aid compensation, in other words hush money.
