Posted on 03/09/2006 2:48:04 PM PST by West Coast Conservative
The decision by the United Arab Emirates on Thursday to order state-controlled Dubai Ports World to end its control over US port facilities marks the lowest point yet in the relationship between President George W. Bush and the Republican-controlled Congress.
Mr Bush had warned repeatedly that blocking the deal would send a dangerously discriminatory message to the world. He threatened repeatedly to veto any congressional legislation.
But with his public approval ratings at record lows and his Republican party abandoning him, one of the US’s closest allies in the Arab world concluded that he was no longer in control in Washington.
The decision by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al- Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai, is likely to avert the political backlash that hit Washington last month and may prevent any further damage to diplomatic and security relations between the countries. But it underscored that Mr Bush, who still has nearly three years to go in his second term, has become perilously weak.
Dennis Hastert, the Republican speaker of the House and one of Mr Bush’s most loyal backers in Congress, emerged from a White House meeting on Thursday morning and signalled that he could not hold back the opposition to the deal. “We want to protect the American people and we will continue to do that,” he said.
“There’s a Republican initiative right now that says, ‘Get us the hell out of here’,” said Frank Lautenberg, a Republican senator from the port state of New Jersey.
The acquisition of five US port terminals by an Arab company became an unlikely target for an outpouring of American anger and fear. While administration officials and port security experts insisted there were no security concerns raised by the transfer of port facilities from a British company to a Dubai company, members of Congress said they were flooded with calls and letters from ordinary Americans angered by the deal.
The White House promise to reopen a national security investigation into the deal, together with a concerted public relations effort by DP World, seemed only to deepen the anger.
More than four years after the September 11 attacks, it brought together a toxic combination of anxieties over America’s place in the world. Traditional protectionists, worried by foreign acquisitions of US assets and the outsourcing of jobs to distant and little-understood countries, lined up alongside security hawks who warned that even a close Arab ally such as the UAE was vulnerable to terrorist infiltration.
The smart 19%
If you were going to war with Iran ...
would Israel be fine compared to a base at the Straits of Hormuz?
Way to sucker us Freeprs! You really fooled everyone by pretending to be a Conservative's Conservative. So what will your reward be now that you fooled the Whine All The Time Choir into destroying the Republican Majority for you? Oh well done. Way to push the Democrat Propaganda lines on Conservative Websites. Moby will be so proud of you
Ah, yes, "the good old days," eh? Limbaugh is still great.
LOL!
Do you agree that he looks inept and ineffective now, but will turn it around? Or that he looks dandy now? Or something else.
True. I don't even want to say what the one thing is that could possibly save him. If that happens, God help us all.
"What a superb post ! The gut instinct of the American people smelled danger. It saw public risk for private gain. It smelled a greased insider deal. It smelled that the fix was in. And in life your gut instincts are generally right."
Great comments.
I wondered when someone here would bring up what a 'knee-jerk' response really represents...
A healthy nervous system.
We're not dead yet. :)
There isn't just one thing that can save him - there are many things. It's up to him, really. It would help if he actually tries, though. :-)
Well I see that timothy leary fan and Mr. "perception is more important that truth" has chimed in.
BTW, still on record that the clinton impeachment was a mistake due to the "perception".
Yep and yep.
Why is it difficult for you to accept that in politics, perception is more important than reality?
Right...
So why not just do away with that silly constitution?
PS - Your countrymen think very highly of you, as well.
Why is it difficult for you to accept that in politics, perception is more important than reality?
A yep for you that the impeachment of clinton was wrong.
Politics is supposed to mimic life and life is not a "perception" it is a reality, and the reality is that the DPWorld takeover of P&O was based on hysteria and lies.
Is there a perception among the electorate that dubya is politically weak?
Yes that could be the reality, but he has done pretty well for 5 years of constant negative MSM coverage that no modern President in my life time had to suffer.
But you see I actually go after the lies and perception that the MSM portays everyday, while you IMO, hold the MSM up on a pedastal for the same perpetuating of lies.
Term limits, term limits, term limits, ter...........................
He is not in his best shape now and there is no doubt about it. All what I am telling you is that do not underestimate him and celebrate your fake victories too early, ask the few democrats with brains about this. However on the other, go ahead and celebrate your fake victory and announce the political death of President Bush you will be very disappointed and saddened at a later time.
How convienent, but what the hey your heroes, the MSM, proved josef goebbels correct(i.e push a lie long enough and people will believe it).
I don't celebrate this as a victory. No idea what makes you think that.
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