White House: Bush Didn't Know About Port Deal

FNC ^ | February 22, 2006

[Kaslin]

WASHINGTON — President Bush was unaware that a controversial deal to sell shipping operations at six major U.S. seaportsto a United Arab Emirates-owned firm was in the works until it was approved by his administration, the White House said Wednesday.

After Bush repeatedly

[Coop]

Ah, yes, and you're the one comparing a decision to sell off operations at six major ports to a postmaster appointment. Tell me again why I should take you seriously.

Well, first, you need to distinguish between posters and learn a bit about cybermanners before you worry about complex issues like national security, foreign trade, and associated statutes.

[SJackson]

Right here, dude. I'm easy to recognize, because I'm often the only one breathing normally and citing non-blog sources, silly things like that.

BTW, I'm breathing normally, as I suspect many on the thread are, and cited as sources the White House and the Department of Defence.

[Howlin]

But then their life would have no purpose, doncha see? :-)

[Coop]

Regardless of whether or not this has national security implications, everyone should find it troubling that an executive department can do this without input from the president or Congress.

No we shouldn't. We, as conservatives, should actually find troubling all this Congressional intervention into an Executive branch function. A process which was created and approved by... CONGRESS!!!

[freedom9]

I heard from the MSM they switched from Equal to Splenda in the WH cafeteria and Bush didn't know

Don't be forgetting - - -

Incompetent fool!

[johnmecainrino]

Reagan set this commitee up in 88.'

Rumsfeld also didn't know about it.

The only high ranking officials that had to sign off on it were in treasury and homeland security. The rest were analysts and middle level beuracracy.

[sarasota]

The right hand doesn't know what the left hand is doing, so to speak. Unbelievable.

[Coop]

And you call it hysterical?

Mmmm. "Mind-numbingly hysterical" would be a more accurate description.

[brothers4thID]

Bush also didn't know about a budget snafu that caused a lab to be unfunded less than 3 days before he went to speak at that lab. Anyone who thinks the President of the United States is involved in every single decision that bears his signature is a towering ignoramus.

[Coop]

Oooohh, I stand corrected about the lack of substance by you folks. ROTFL!!

[rightinthemiddle]

Mods took down the other thread. RU the Repost Police?

[dirtboy]

Well, first, you need to distinguish between posters and learn a bit about cybermanners

This from someone running around the forum with a bag of strawmen and a flamethrower.

[Coop]

there may be none, there's clearly the potential for a security risk in this transaction, citizens of the UAE have been active in terror, al Qaida operates there, this should have come to the attention of Defence

It was. As for the White House, it delegated the responsibility. As it so often does (and should!), and can legally do.

[RedStateRocker]

Respectfully, I must state that IMHO there is a difference between "eating our young" and disciplining our public servants when they do not represent out interests. President Bush, Mr Rumsfield et al work for US, the taxpayers, the voters. They are 'hired' to see to our interests, when they fail to do so they must be chastised and corrected, just like any other employee.

[sarasota]

Didn't I just read somewhere that a review would be a deal-breaker under the purchase agreement?

[voteconstitutionparty]

You better get ready to change your position on this, because this "I didn't know" defense can mean only one thing.

A flip-flop is in the works, and thank God for that.

[Coop]

So tell us, dirtboy, what did the mods say?

[conserv13]

The President also admitted that he did not know Lonetta Menefee was promoted to regional manager of the Akron district of the US Post Office,...

You don't think this is a little more important?

He should have known, if only to anticipate the backlash that is now happening. Politically this is really bad for him.

[oyez]

A moose once bit my sister.

[wideawake]

Yeah, that's about an equivalent situation....you bet.

Let's see - was the anthrax terrorism in the US spread via a port, or the US Post Office?

Did the 9/11 terrorists get to America by hiding in shipping containers or by strolling through airports unchecked by the INS?

The port situation is a hyped-up non-issue.

99% of employees will remain local American citizens and all federal regulations and inspection procedures - procedures well known to anyone involved in the shipping industry - will remain in place.

It is a tempest in a teapot.

I'm far more concerned about materials being smuggled into the US via personal craft and van than I am about seaports, which are far more secure than private docks on the Florida coast or our land borders.