latest on port deal

[ElHombre]

first there was this (http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20060309/wl_mideast_afp/usuaeporttakeover_060309181147).


Bush still ready to veto Congress block on Dubai ports deal

now there's this (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/09/AR2006030900964.html).


Republican congressional leaders told President Bush Thursday his plan allowing a company owned by the government of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates to take control of some U.S. port operations faces certain defeat in Congreess, GOP officials said.

and now there's this (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060309/ap_on_go_co/ports_security;_ylt=AiGAo.ua_pswij_fyRiWNgms0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA2Z2szazkxBHNlYwN0bQ--).


A Dubai-owned company said Thursday it is giving up its management stake in some U.S. ports, a move made as congressional leaders warned President Bush that both the House and Senate appeared ready to block the takeover.

which is leading to this...


The move came as the White House, facing a Republican rebellion in Congress, played down President Bush's veto threat and said he was trying to find a compromise to resolve the uproar over the company's plan to take over significant operations at several U.S. sea ports.

details on the transfer are still to be worked out.

[remo williams]

i see your transfer,and raise you one question.what "American" company is the ownership being xfered to? Kbr,Halliburton?

[Stolly]

I bet there are some glum faces in Boeings sales department today :)

[Midav]

A damn shame!

Some of the people I spoke to about this just would not educate themselves... I heard terrorists will be let in, port safety will disappear and blah blah blah... That was the norm what a lot of people thought.

This does piss me off.

[KB]

Bush's popularity is in the 30's and its 6 mos till election day. House Republicans have tested the political winds and made their decision accordingly.

While Bush is incompetent, it's a shame the port deal isn't going to happen. The UAE have been one of the best of the Arab allies.

[ogukuo72]

The idea that the Republican Party had fissured is a mistakened one. There has always been one part of Congress (from both parties) that is protectionist, xenophobic and anti-competition.

This is not the first time that protectionist Republicans join with union Democrats to attack and scuttle deals involving foreign companies. The added security dimension came from the fact that DPW was an Arab company, which served to disguise the protectionist (and xenophobic) basis of the whole affair.

Of course, the media won't report it this way. They don't see beyond the surface, and don't think beyond stage one.

[Midav]

The idea that the Republican Party had fissured is a mistakened one. There has always been one part of Congress (from both parties) that is protectionist, xenophobic and anti-competition.

This is not the first time that protectionist Republicans join with union Democrats to attack and scuttle deals involving foreign companies. The added security dimension came from the fact that DPW was an Arab company, which served to disguise the protectionist (and xenophobic) basis of the whole affair.

Of course, the media won't report it this way. They don't see beyond the surface, and don't think beyond stage one.

Well said! They focus on the negativity and false pretenses, but ignore the upside and possible benefits of it all.

[Thor]

I think this illustrates the problem with Georgie.. He runs a decent political program, but as soon there is some business interest of some old friends that need to be tended that's suddenly the overriding number one priority.

[ElHombre]

i see your transfer,and raise you one question.what "American" company is the ownership being xfered to? Kbr,Halliburton?

unknown, although halliburton has been mentioned. what a shock...

[toad]

They mentioned Halliburton just to watch the moonbats heads explode...

[remo williams]

halliburton and kbr seem to be the only ones with the cash to plunk down at this table.i did hear something about some venture capitalists,but in reality it'll probably be one or the other.