Posted on 03/08/2006 4:33:07 AM PST by FerdieMurphy
Several sources over the weekend reveal that the Bush White House has realized that the Ports Deal is killing them politically - and thus they need a new strategy. Accordingly, probably through the recently-retained lobbyist for Dubai Ports World, former Senator Bob Dole, the White House has told Dubai Ports World to ‘partner up’ with an American company to manage the port terminals. In other words, find a ‘front company’ to act as if they own and run these 21 crucial terminals.
First out of the box for this ‘front’ role is Halliburton, but the feeling is there is too much controversy there so that won’t do either.
So as the new week begins - and Bush’s ratings among Republicans and conservatives continues to fray - the White House is still trying to resuscitate this ports deal. And until and unless they cut the cord and realize it will never pass political muster, this White House is committing daily political suicide.
The longer it goes on - and we will hear new things this week now that the President is back from the sub-continent - the more it divides the GOP. Today there is genuine fear up on Capitol Hill that the House of Representatives could indeed change hands in November. Why? Because the crucial Republican base is so unhappy over this ports deal and illegal immigration that it may just not vote in heavy numbers in November. And is that base vote stays at home, a number of GOP congressmen - and senators, too - may lose.
The White House - slow to realize how perilous their situation is - is just now waking up to political - and legal - reality. Legal? Yes. If the Democrats win even one house of Congress back, they will have subpoena power and the power to run massive investigations into the Bush Administration.
You can be certain they will launch inquiries into every aspect of the Bush Presidency: Iraq, energy deals, spying, torture, money matters, cozy corporate deals and on and on.
Make no mistake about it: if they can, they will impeach President Bush. Why? A) Because they hate him; B) Because it will juice up their supporters; C) Payback for the Clinton impeachment.
All of this has just now dawned on an asleep-at-the-switch White House political operation. In fact, the Karl Rove-led political shop has been off its game since the 2004 re-election. Why? Perhaps the tick-tick-tick, drip-drip-drip of the ongoing Valerie Plame investigation is distracting and wearing. For those of you who may not follow this, the Patrick Fitzgerald grand jury has been meeting every Wednesday and Friday mornings at 9:30 AM - ostensibly to do ‘read-ins’ of prior grand jury testimony. The target? Karl Rove - for lying and perjury. Rove knows this and must be worried sick over it. And thus his job performance is suffering because of it.
No wonder the Cheney shooting problem was allowed to eat up an entire week; no wonder this Ports Deal was not vetted properly.
The Bush White House has lost touch with 60 % of the country.
And you can’t run a country this way.
We are entering a period in our political life when there is no center, where things are spiraling off into all areas in an uncontrolled way. There is no ‘strong’ figure in our political life. The President has quickly ruined his presidency and become even more than a lame duck; he is a crippled duck.
There is no telling how this vacuum will be filled. Will it be one of the candidates now running for president?
Or will it be by someone new to us all - a new and refreshing face - who rides in to clean the mess up?
I dunno.....
Bush and the State department have been trying to ease the anger, but they have their hands full of Iran.
I'm hoping they are more mature than our Congress critter's, and our uneducated and horribly biased public.
We shall see....But I'm sure there will be some anger expressed through cooperation and trade and we will pay some price for it. I just don't know how much and where it will turn up or when.
There are Muslims who have been helping us.
POerhaps some of them are genuinely concerned about human ights and bringing their country into the 21st Century.
But eh majority of Muslims helping us are doing so for their own purposes. Mushareef wants U.S. military support and assistance.
The rulers of the UAE want American dollars. The rulers of Saudi Arabia want western petrodollars.
But most of these people hate us, our religion, our culture, and our value system. ALL of them rule by force, not by popular support.
The Beltway Boys - I thin it was Mort Kondracke - stated this morning that about 85% of average UAE citizens hate the U.S. now as a result of our actions on the port deal, whereas the number BEFORE that were 75%. Big deal.
I voted for Bush, and I support him when he's correct in my opnion and oppose him whne he's not in my opinion.
I'm a patriotic, VERY conservative American and frankly I hate Islam and Muslims. I don't like them or religion and don't trust them. Their religious leaders and religious writings have been quite clear about their intentions towards us and our nation as wel as the entire west.
What we saw as a result of the Mohammad cartoon was the REAL face of the average Muslim in the streets - not the smiling, polite grins of the ruling autocrats of Saudi Arabia, UAE, or whatever, who merely want western military aid or petrodollars.
I am just sick over this port deal. We are a military family. One of our boys is a Navy officer, and we always felt he was safe when in port at Dubai. Officers stay on shore at hotels and have always been welcomed by the people of the UAE. Now what??????
This simply is not true. Officers do NOT stay on shore at a hotel unless they are with the Shore Patrol. Also, the people of Dubai don't "welcome" them. Innaccurate statements all around.
It's not that I don't believe you, it's just a case of you having incorrect facts or you misunderstood your "boy".
I'd recommend double checking your facts.
So we should unwarrantedly insult the minority who will help us because of FLAT OUT LIES?
Patriot Americans do not want policy made on the basis of HATRED or other irrationaly motives but strictly upon National Interest. This reaction has greatly harmed our National Interest.
You will not find a single line written by me expressing any respect for Islam as a religion. But that is not the issue here once again it is strictly in our National Interest to encourage those forces in the Islamic world willing to stand by our side.
Our National Interest is ALWAYS hurt by running in a maddened stampede set off by the falsehoods of the Party of Treason. This is EXACTLY the case here.
We conservatives and Republicans MUST get our act together and look towards 2006.
If the Dems are able to slide to the right of Bush on the war on terror, or present themselves falsely as tougher on Islam than the Repubs, the Dems will win enough sets in Congress to impeach Bush wich is their goal.
Mush as I feel Bush is too liberal, the Dems view him as a extremist conservative - which he is not.
If they get enough momentum in 2006, they will take the White House in 2008, which will result in a Viet Nam like withdrwala rom the Middle Easat - a VERY bad thig which result in more Islamic attacks on the west and in our homeland.
I'm very discouraged, angry and feel helpless in this situation and really don't know where to turn.
As I said before, if the Dubai Port Deal was really in our best national interests, the administration handled the P.R. and public opinion pre-emption very poorly.
Bush is as conservative as is possible to get elected in today's America. There is little substantial difference between him and Reagan only he lacks the latter's command of the media. It was that command which allowed Reagan to go directly to the American people and make them understand what was at stake. Bush still relies upon the Treason Media to "interprete" his policies with fatal results.
One cannot escape the fact that this nation in nowhere near as conservative as you or as FR. Pretending otherwise cannot lead to long term success. This fight will take decades more and must be won incrementally.
This port deal exemplifies Bush's inherent lack of suspicion/lack of awareness of just how profoundly treasonous the RATS are. And the actions of the GOP following in their lead were monumentally stupid.
BUT this President deserves our maximum support since he is under constant assault by anti-American forces foreign and domestic for doing what is essentially the right thing in all major areas. Leave the carping criticism to those who really do hate everything this Nation stands for.
Au contraire, mon ami!
(A little French lingo there to prove I bear no malice towards little froggies.)
The families of those killed in the suicidal attacks of September 11, 2001 must be incensed.
Regardless of what supporters of this say about the UAE's commitment to the war against muslim terrorists, bin Laden and al-Qaeda used the UAE as a strategic base for their evil operations.
The UAE never severed ties with this organization of evil after its alleged conversion to our way of thinking.
Our U.S. State Department says it's not safe for Americans to travel to Dubai.
Hello?
The UAE's capital city was an oasis for al-Qaeda killers prior to 9/11 and, unlike all other nations on earth, the UAE continued to recognize, as the legitimate government of Afganistan, those terrorists.
It's regretable that you believe me, along with some others, as utterly clueless when it comes to geo-political requirements to supply our military.
I don't know if you have a personal interest in having Dubai do anything in the ports of the U. S., but you are the one who needs to consider facts.
When COSCO is thrown into our faces I say it's time to get the Chinese Communists out of our ports. While we're at it (of course this will NEVER happen) we should rescind the shameful giveaway of the strategic Panama Canal. At the present time, Hutchison-Whampoa (big-time ties to PRC) is running things down there.
If you, or anyone else, believes those containers are full of Christmas tree ornaments, you are wrong.
I owe a debt of gratitude to your family and you that I can never repay.
Having a different POV on this deal is a tiny blip on the screen compared to the reality of what your family has and is sacrificing for our country.
Thank you.
Why do you post such falsehoods as that the UAE was a base for al Queda when it was no more a "base" than Florida was?
Or that it has ties to al Queda when it does not?
Seventy seven THOUSAND America military people visited there last year and almost all speak glowingly of their visits. It is no more dangerous than Jordan or even Israel for American tourists.
Al Queda is NOT the Taliban so stop confusing them. Pakistan is another vital ally NOW and it created the Taliban.
If the UAE denied us use of their ports (which would please Al Queda immensely) it would increase our difficulties immensely in Iraq and Afganistan. It is and has been a CRUCICAL ally one of the best.
You can't believe that, can you?
The CIA cancelled a planned strike on bin Laden at his Afganistan camp because it was feared that Sheik Mohammed ibn Rashid al Maktum (Dubai's crown prince) was with him.
In plain English, because this top official of the UAE was with bin Laden, we could not assassinate him for fear of killing the prince!
Our 9/11 Commission ended its findings with a statement to the effect that the UAE would be a hindrance to the US's counterterrorism effort.
Could it be that the UAE is biding its time and while doing so is being "nice"? When it's payback time look out for your head.
If it's such a nice place to visit why does our State Department tell us not to go there?
What axes do you grind for the Emirates?
http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/tw/tw_1764.html
Reproduced without the handy hotlinks ...
Current Travel WarningsTravel Warnings are issued when the State Department recommends that Americans avoid a certain country. The countries listed below are currently on that list. In addition to this list, the State Department issues Consular Information Sheets for every country of the world with information on such matters as the health conditions, crime, unusual currency or entry requirements, any areas of instability, and the location of the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate in the subject country.
Côte d'Ivoire 03/03/2006
Israel, the West Bank and Gaza 02/27/2006
Nigeria 02/17/2006
Algeria 02/15/2006
Sudan 02/06/2006
Pakistan 01/27/2006
Congo, Democratic Republic of the 01/20/2006
Colombia 01/18/2006
Afghanistan 01/09/2006
Kenya 12/30/2005
Iran 12/29/2005
Iraq 12/29/2005
Saudi Arabia 12/23/2005
Nepal 12/15/2005
Haiti 11/22/2005
Indonesia 11/18/2005
Zimbabwe 11/14/2005
Lebanon 11/07/2005
Liberia 11/04/2005
Yemen 10/28/2005
Burundi 10/19/2005
Bosnia-Herzegovina 08/01/2005
Somalia 07/21/2005
Uzbekistan 07/01/2005
Central African Republic 04/19/2005
Philippines 03/23/2005
SAFETY AND SECURITY: Americans in the United Arab Emirates should exercise a high level of security awareness.
The Department of State remains concerned about the possibility of terrorist attacks against U.S. citizens and interests throughout the world. Americans should maintain a low profile, vary routes and times for all required travel, and treat mail and packages from unfamiliar sources with caution.
In addition, U.S. citizens are urged to avoid contact with any suspicious, unfamiliar objects, and to report the presence of the objects to local authorities. Vehicles should not be left unattended, if at all possible, and should be kept locked at all times. U.S. Government personnel overseas have been advised to take the same precautions. In addition, U.S. Government facilities may temporarily close or suspend public services from time to time as necessary to review their security posture and ensure its adequacy.
Taking photographs of potentially-sensitive military or civilian sites, and/or engaging in mapping activities, especially mapping which includes the use of GPS equipment, without coordination with UAE authorities, may result in arrest, detention and/or prosecution by local authorities.
I don't think it's a good idea to book a room at the Dubai Hilton.
Ummmmm... Incase you missed it, over half of Republicans don't like the idea of it. The demorats are a givin. rewrite your comment and tell us about the Republicans who are against the deal.
I think it would have disappeared faster than this.
But the best alternative would have been to anticipate the reaction from the running dog Democraps and take pre-emptive measures.
The Dems, despite Pelosi's statements, are hoping for a big win in 2006, so they can even the score with the Repubs over the Clinton impeachment.
Feingold is sort of a stalking horse for the issue.
By the way, why doesn't McClwon try to reason with his good buddy Feingold? After all, the two of them conspired over that First Amendment killer, McCain-Feingold.
I guess this all indicates where McCain's bed lies.
I hope Allen or Rice get the Republican nomination in 2008.
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