Bush Favors Port Deal

The AP reports That President Bush supports the United Arab Emirates based company Dubai Ports World purchasing the rights to six major US ports.

"I want those who are questioning it to step up and explain why all of a sudden a Middle Eastern company is held to a different standard than a Great British company," Bush said. "I am trying to conduct foreign policy now by saying to the people of the world, `We'll treat you fairly.'"

First of all, I voted for Mr. Bush, twice. I've been a Republican for almost twenty years., but I believe W is flat out wrong on this one. The above question barely even justifies a response. First of all, Great Briton is probably the best ally we've ever had, in the War On Terror especially. Secondly, the UAE is a flimsy ally at best., you won't hear Bush say that the UAE was one of the few countries that reconized the Taliban. The UAE doesn't reconize Israel. Lawmakers from both parties have noted that some of the Sept. 11 hijackers used the United Arab Emirates as an operational and financial base. In addition, critics contend the UAE was an important transfer point for shipments of smuggled nuclear components sent to Iran, North Korea and Libya by a Pakistani scientist. It's a matter of reconizing real allies over the almighty dollar. Most importantly, is a national security issue, is Bush naieve enough to believe that the UAE values our security as much as the UK? Frist seems to be on the ball;

""Frist, R-Tenn., threatened to introduce legislation to put the sale on hold if the White House did not delay the takeover."" Congressmen from both sides of the aisle have voiced concerns including Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton, Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, Rep. Jane Harman, D-Calif , Rep. Pete King, R-N.Y, Republican speaker of the House, J. Dennis Hastert, and Charles Schumer. Maryland Gov. Robert Ehrlich, during a tour of Baltimore's port on Tuesday, called the deal an "overly secretive process at the federal level."