Trade official: Country X deserves economic retribution for its protec

(A) Agricultural components of international trade are more important than nonagricultural commodities
(B) The ability to keep popular products available domestically is less important than our being able to enter international market
(C) We should never jeopardize the interests of our people to punish a protectionist country [ Negation of C: We should sometimes jeopardize the interests of our people to punish a protectionist country: doesn't break the conclusion]
(D) In most cases, punishing a protectionist country should have priority over the interests of our people
(E) We should balance the justice of an action with the consequences for our interests of undertaking that action [Negation of E: We should NOT balance the justice of an action with the consequences for our interests of undertaking that action--- Boom! It breaks our conclusion. Hence this one is our necessary assumption. ]

Trade official: Country X deserves economic retribution for its protectionism. However, it is crucial that we recognize that there are overriding considerations in this case. We should still sell to X the agricultural equipment it ordered: there is high demand in our country for agricultural imports from X.

The argument depends on assuming which one of the following principles?

(A) Agricultural components of international trade are more important than nonagricultural commodities - WRONG. A comparison is not needed. Irrelevant.
(B) The ability to keep popular products available domestically is less important than our being able to enter international market - WRONG. Like A only.
(C) We should never jeopardize the interests of our people to punish a protectionist country - WRONG. 2nd best. It, however, goes berserk to make a strong claim.
(D) In most cases, punishing a protectionist country should have priority over the interests of our people - WRONG. Loses on the front as red text denotes.
(E) We should balance the justice of an action with the consequences for our interests of undertaking that action - CORRECT. If not then IC in last sentence falls apart.

Answer E.