] There’s a standard dance that the IP extremists do
] well: When they lose in Congress, they go overseas
] and negotiate a treaty that imposes on the US the
] same obligation they just lost in Congress; then
] they come back and say, “we must do this to live up
] to our international obligations.”

] So here we go again: The US Trade Representative is
] negotiating trade agreements with Chile and Singapore.
] The agreements essentially require these two countries
] to adopt the DMCA, and make it a violation of “our
] international obligations” if we were to change the
] DMCA. Representatives Lofgren and Boucher — who both
] have bills introduced to amend the DMCA — have written
] a strongly worded letter to the USTR asking for
] clarification. For consistent with this policy making
] process, just what is being promised is never made
] clear — until it is too late. Here’s the letter.