Posted on 03/03/2006 9:36:59 AM PST by Stellar Dendrite
The 45-day delay for more investigation into the United Arab Emirates-owned Dubai Ports World looked last week like a port in a political storm. Now it looks more like a trap.
The 45-day review at best freezes the debate in place, preserving a status quo in which the White House is taking a political pounding. At worst, it allows the opponents of the deal, who have the offensive, to keep picking away at it, whether by airing (and distorting) past Coast Guard concerns about DP World or highlighting the company's participation in the Arab boycott of Israel. The White House, incredibly, is on the wrong side of a 70-20 national-security issue that has more resonance than the Patriot Act and the National Security Agency wiretapping program. This is simply a debacle, shaping up as a lose-lose for Bush. If he loses on the Hill, he will be humiliated and identified with the unpopular deal. If he wins, it’s hard to see how he won't be doing so against the grain of public opinion, harming himself on national security in a cause — having DP World manage the terminals — that is not of fundamental importance.
The deal is unpopular among Republicans — almost 60 percent of whom oppose it, according to polls. The ports controversy is actually wreaking the damage on Bush's political base that the Harriet Miers nomination only threatened to inflict. Congressional Republicans aren’t going to let Sen. Chuck Schumer, who will surely find a reason to oppose the deal no matter what, get to their right on port security, and many of them actively want to split with the president on a high-profile issue.
Although many of our friends have sincere doubts about the deal, we have yet to hear a compelling argument against it. So it is with regret that we say the deal should be jettisoned. That seems to be where the trajectory of this controversy is headed anyway, and the sooner it happens the less painful it will be for the administration. There are many more important issues on which Bush should, nay must, spend his dwindling political capital, the war in Iraq foremost among them. To realize this is to prioritize, not to panic.
Nixing the deal will be a blow to our relationship with the UAE, but Bush should get credit from them for fighting for the deal and sticking up for Dubai. Surely there will be some subtle way to compensate the UAE in another area. Bush's credibility with Congress — after his veto threat and saber rattling — will take a blow. But not as large a blow as he would suffer if he kept fighting and lost (or if the issue were to stay red hot and contribute to a GOP loss of Congress). Republican members of Congress will surely be relieved to put the controversy behind them.
The technicalities of how to do that will have to be worked out, but the 45-day delay itself shows that, in this case, the legalities can be massaged to suit the politics. Whatever the exit strategy ultimately is, it won't be pretty. But nothing about this episode has been edifying. Bush should get out as soon as he can.
>>>>..... hit the abuse button and whine about being personally attacked.
That modus operandi belongs to you and your crowd.
Btw, you posted the flypaper, lets see what flies show up.
Tell us all again what a noble poster you are; we all know I'm capable of posting snotty responses; I've never even tried to deny it.
But you continually hold forth on what a neato fair poster you are and have always held yourself out to be such a prince among conservatives, above the great unwashed masses of the rest of us.
From where I sit, it looks like you're just as petty as the rest of us.
Remember what dirtboy said the other day. I don't start flame wars. That's very true. You and your other pals in the BSC are ones who always ratchet up the rhetoric or start posting images that persoanlly attack other FReepers. You obviously don't see it that way, because you're so blind with anger and hatred for ANYONE who posts ANYTHING that opposes PresBush's agenda on certain issues. All I can say is, tough.
Don't let them goad you. That's what they want.
Now, now, you wouldn't want your fans to think you're a liar, would you?
LOL I must admit, I'm at a loss for words.
But if your PINGing the Head Bush Sycophant to this thread, you must have troublemaking in mind.
That's chum if I've ever seen it.
Time for Bush to pull another Harriet and reverse course - and turn another bad choice into a victory. Find an American Company.
Aren't we the model of civility?
Loser.
I did notice that while your daddy was teaching you the lessons of life, he obviously left out the part about taking behind people's back's.
Some family values.
Your absolutely right, dirtboy. Sometimes I allow my optimism to get in the way of my better judgment. Some folks just aren't worth the effort. Thanks
Dane's the one who pinged you in here as part of his exchange with RM. Take it up with Dane.
You sure as heck ain't.
Loser.
Thank you for making my point for me.
Who said I was talking about you, Howlin? Reagan Man was talking to me and I gave him some general advice.
But you sure as heck came storming in and made my point for me.
You know the rules. When speaking of another poster, make sure you ping that poster.
"We have more U.S. Navy ships using the port in Dubai, Jebel Ali, than any other port outside the United States," Franks told Fox News Channel's "Hannity & Colmes."
I was making a general statement to Reagan Man, Howlin - did I mention you in that post?
Oh, let's see: you replied to RM to a post he made to me, talking about .
Now what conclusion should the rest of the class make, dirty?
Unfortunately for you, you're not half as "slick" as you think you are and we're not nearly as dense and dumb as you need us to be to get by with crap like that.
" I see that the tide has turned on FR (in favor of the deal)."
Is there FReep poll for this?
I'm not for it. Even if UAE would be innocent as a newborn babe in regard to U.S. port security, I'd ban them for their stance against Israel and for Palestinian terrorism, etc.
Now if you'd only show as much concern about the FR rules regarding personal attacks, I might be more inclined to think you actually cared about the forum rules here.
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