France is suing South Korea because it selected the US-built F-15K fighter over the French Rafale. The South Koreans promised a "transparent" bidding process based entirely on cost and performance issues. But the South Koreans announced that the aircraft were even on cost and performance (a judgment both the US and France reject, each insisting their plane is better) and that the final decision was made after a round of studies on "political considerations".--Stephen V Cole