Think about the BS level of the original story ~ the port facilities in New York's Manhattan Island alone are worth most of a TRILLION BUCKS, or a thousand billion.
What kind of firesale would pass them off for far less than 1% of their value?
It's not the PORT of New York, or the PORT of Baltimore that's for sale. Rather, some containership terminals are being sold.
I can't believe that a week after the first story somebody is still writing about the deal as though it involves entire harbor operations!
I certainly don't claim to know every little detail of this transaction, but there is so much disinformation and outright lies out there that it almost causes one's head to explode.
granted the terms are mixed, but the point is one of hypocrisy. We don't want China to own our oil companies; we don't want the French to tell us how to deal with terrorists; we don't want the UN to mess in our affairs; we want to protect our homeland. But then the administration, although we control the security, gives the control of the ports (management) to Dubai, who has allowed terrorists to pass through its borders, and funded terrorist organizations. The Bush administration is essentially proving Michael Moore's point. I am sure other more reputable allies in the war on terror would be available.
It doesn't matter if it's one port terminal, or one harbor slot, or 25 terminals.
The outrageous thing is that the UAE leadership remains wed to the Wahabi philosophy. NO attempt has been made (and never will) to reign in UAE's Maddras' schools which the former Sec.Navy said still teaches 80-percent of UAE citizens.
These govt. sanctioned Wahabi Maddras schools still preach that Muslims have a moral obligation to conduct Jihad against Americans and other infidels.
Yes, the UAE govt. "changed" after 9/11 and became more pro-Western, but that was out of self preservation. How long will that last if push comes to shove?
These UAE people are not so stupid as to give up their oil revenues (sales to the USA) or their business dealings (port deals) just because we are infidels (or whatever)
If I were a Jihadist/Wahabi terrorist, I'd take every single dollar and every bit of knowledge from the USA that I could, and save it for that time when the Islam nations truly confront the West.
FINAL THOUGHT: I have stuck by GWA on every issue since 2000 (I even sympathized with his awful Harriet Miers selection and GWB's awful border plan) but this port deal pushed me off the reservation.
Our borders are being over run, we are selling vital businesses to alQaeda sympathizers, and we are failing to profile like we should.
I can never support the Democratic Party but neither will I support the Republicans until new leadership comes along, or until GWB administration changes its ways.