It seems that the vultures are beginning to circle Doha. Given increasing economic arguments that the potential surpluses of a Doha deal (a lot depends on what that deal eventually is!) are not so large, and that only a small portion would be captured by the poor countries, I can't say that this should lead the list of our worries. See the brief analysis by Kevin Gallagher and Tim Wise. The magnitude of the surplus would, in theory, serve as the motivating force for early agreement.
However, I can't imagine that the round would simply be abandoned. The Uruguay Round continued for 8 years, with lots of brinkmanship and delays. And even though Fast Track will expire, I imagine it will be renewed at some point in the future when the benefits of a deal seem attractive. So, I am sanguine that eventually there will be a Doha deal, but I wonder how other see this impasse.
