President Bush: "Explain why a Middle Eastern company is held to a different standard" [DRUDGE]

Drudge Report (Home Page) ^ | 2-21-06 | Matt Drudge

[jdm]

President Bush called reporters at about 2.30 ET aboard Air Force One to issue a very strong defense of port deal... MORE... He said he would veto any legislation to hold up deal and warned the United States was sending 'mixed signals' by going after a company from the Middle East when nothing was said when a British company was in charge... Lawmakers, he said, must 'step up and explain why a Middle Eastern company is held to a different standard.' Bush was very forceful when he delivered the statement... 'I don't view it as a political fight,' Bush said.... DEVELOPING...

[abigailsmybaby]

How many times have Brits attacked us in the last 30 yrs?

[fallujah-nuker]

the United States was sending 'mixed signals' by going after a company from the Middle East when nothing was said when a British company was in charge... Lawmakers, he said, must 'step up and explain why a Middle Eastern company is held to a different standard.'

Seems like an insult to Great Britain.

[hophead]

I keep hearing from those opposed to this deal say, "UAE was 1 of 3 countries who recognized the Taliban as the government of Afghanistan." This seems to be the first or second reason for more scrutiny. More scrutiny IS needed BUT,,,

Do you know who the other 2 countries are. Nobody ever says. Here is a link to Wikipedia.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taliban

The other 2 are Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. Doe's that fact mean anything?

[bybybill]

Yea, that silly Bush trying to fool Freepers.Everybody knows that the Bush family are secret Muslims, hate Israel and have sold America to Halliburton and three rich guys from Mexico.

[i_dont_chat]

Then, tell me, why is the UAE willing and agreeable to harboring a person which the United States found to be a TERRORIST?

See my Message #26.
And look at the link.

The UAE is part of the Muslim world. And like a brother in a big family, they will come to the defense of their brothers -- EVERY TIME!

Thank you.

[thoughtomator]

Time to profile every male with a last name starting with "A".

[prairiebreeze]

Nah, nobody here has been to Dubai. They're all just ready jump onto the bandwagon with Chuckie Schumer.

Fascinating to watch. Sickening too.

[Cicero]

It's extremely odd that Bush is picking this issue to fight on, and threatening a veto.

He hasn't vetoed a single bill in five years, including some truly rotten ones. So, why is it more important to give our ports to the UAE than to balance the budget, drill for oil in ANWR, make the tax cut permanent, or veto the McCain Feingold bill?

Not to mention a couple of dozen other bills he should have vetoed.

[bayourant]

Hey you might as well forget trying to sell any common sense here. They dont recongnize the facts as to countries such as this that are actually a beacon of hope in the MIddle East. There too involved in making an enemy of "they". You see the same thing on the immigration threads where deporting American citizens born of illegals are ranted about.
Its usually the same group I have noticed. Its depressing and makes me want to wash my hands after responding to basically racist and xenophobic threads. Forget the assistance these countries have given us on the war in Iraq. Doesnt matter I suppose. I guess it just shows some freepers like the average American have an attention span of 5 minutes.

[pennboricua]

The way I look at it, is as follows, you start out by saying "you are either with the terrorist or with us", AlQueda has no territory nor possessions that we can target.
With our own safequards in place and constant vigil we allow an Arab country possessing both possessions and territory the ability to prove their choice, if any activity of a terrorist nature emerges and takes place in our country once again, we unleash the Dogs of war against a Country and not phantoms.

[JABBERBONK]

It's always a good idea to take one of the few allies we have in the region, and kick them in the teeth.

[NeoCaveman]

Excuse me Mr. President, but since Sept 11th, a different standard became a necessity.

I guess the GWOT is officially over.

[reasonisfaith]

The ports would be a window for the terrorists no matter who runs them commercially, and no more of an opportunity for those scum than any other that already exists. But the terrorists can open a new one by getting democrats elected.

This port deal is a knee jerk issue. The real news is: Bush was right on WMD’s.

[auggy]

W maybe be as dumb as, the libs say. When he asks a question like that. Duhh

[onyx eyes]

Well, it's like this. And I am sure some of you others have realized this also.

Right or wrong...Bush is effectively handing the Dims the 2008 whitehouse.
And that means we get (oh gawd...) Hillary......

[BubbaTheRocketScientist]

Lets squash the one country that has already become exactly what we want the Middle East to be.

UAE is an islamic theocracy, and they're on the same Internet censorship plan as the ChiComs. That's what we want the Middle East to be?

[jdm]

"They dont recongnize the facts as to countries such as this that are actually a beacon of hope in the MIddle East."

Beacon of hope? You've got to be joking...

These are the facts.

- The UAE was one of three countries in the world to recognize the Taliban as the legitimate government of Afghanistan.

- The UAE has been a key transfer point for illegal shipments of nuclear components to Iran, North Korea and Lybia.

- According to the FBI, money was transferred to the 9/11 hijackers through the UAE banking system.

- Two of the 9/11 hijackers were from the UAE (Fayez Banihammad and Marwan al-Shehhi)

- After 9/11, the Treasury Department reported that the UAE was not cooperating in efforts to track down Osama Bin Laden’s bank accounts.

[php5]

I have a question: why should any nation, ally (inluding the UK) or not, manage a port on U.S. soil? I don't have a problem with foreign shipping co's, but I think no one except the U.S. should directly control the ports themselves.

[veronica]

It's extremely odd that Bush is picking this issue to fight on, and threatening a veto.

Apparently appeasing the Arabs is the hill Bush has decided to defend unequivocally. Disappointing, but perhaps he's more like Poppy Bush than I thought.

[GSlob]

Because, as he just said himself, it is Middle-Eastern.