The man who will lead the American negotiating team when NAFTA talks start this week is an old proponent of the accord.
U-S chief negotiator John Melle has sung NAFTA's praises in the past.
Melle's worldview, according to friends, is that nobody's a saint when it comes to free trade; everyone's a bit of a protectionist sinner.
The first round of negotiations for a new NAFTA begins Wednesday in Washington.