Why the U.S. went to bat for the formula industry at a UN meeting on breastfeeding

This spring, the World Health Organization introduced a resolution supporting breastfeeding babies. Ecuador was supposed to introduce the resolution. But U.S. opposed it. The New York Times reports that the U.S. threatened to punish Ecuador with harsh trade measures and to withdraw military aid. So Ecuador backed out, as well as other countries that were afraid of American reprisals. Finally, Russia stepped in and introduced the resolution. It passed with some minor modifications.