Free Commerce vs. National Security: Is There Really a Contradiction?

Abstract

The article "Free Commerce vs. National Security: Is There Really a Contradiction?" by Ivan Eland examines the conflict between free trade and national security using the Bush administration's opposition to a proposed natural gas pipeline from Iran through Pakistan to India as a case study. The administration opposed the pipeline to isolate Iran, despite the pipeline's potential to foster economic development and peace in South Asia. Eland argues that free commerce can reduce conflict and promote Western values over time, while sanctions and military actions are often counterproductive. He calls for a more thoughtful approach to national security that embraces free trade as a means to enhance global stability.