Unwise decision

The decision of US President Barack Obama on Sept 12, 2009, to impose extra tariff on tires imported from China was an irrational move that aroused strong protests from the Chinese side. The move sent a wrong signal to the world.

There are two reasons behind Obama's decision to impose additional tariff on Chinese tires. First, the lawsuit was filed by the United Steelworkers (USW), which is a firm supporter of Obama. Therefore, the Obama administration was not willing to displease the USW.