Corporate media growing a spine? Why are they so suddenly concerned about "Chertoff" anyway?

Michael Chertoff is the devil in disguise: He needs to be criminally prosecuted. This is more of what sibel edmonds really meant....

By the way, the Dubai UAE group is just another front. No questions at all.

Doug E.

According to the BCFOL, union busting is more important than national security.

This is bizarre. My first thought was that something huge is about to break on domestic spying, or torture, or Plamegate, or Quailgate, and the Bush administration needs a distraction for the media.

My second thought was that something huge is about to break on domestic spying, or torture, or Plamegate, or Quailgate, and the Bush administration needs a distraction for the media.

Letting an Arab company takeover American port security is almost as insane as you people.

This so called arab company is a front for "shady business" and edmonds knows it all....

Robert, you know who can tell these days. They sure do run the gamut on distractions (in the "corporate media"...)

Doug

LOL.. This is gonna be fun.. watching the trolls come out and go "what the fuck is wrong with Shrubby?!".. and we'll go "duh? we've been asking that for years!".

I'd love to hear Paul and Medium [has his head]Right[up his ass] weigh in on this one. This should be amusing!

Ok, so we're shipping a major crapload of our American jobs overseas to foreign workers. Then we import a crapload of foreign workers, legally and illegally, to do more and more over here everyday. (We're not talking working in the fields, doing shit nobody else will do either, please.)

WHAT AM I MISSING HERE?????????? Just WTF are American workers supposed to do???? And this benefits AMERICA how??? Holy shit, I can't believe everyone's ok with this. WAKE UP AMERICA. Bastard administration, corrupt as hell Washington, all of them. Sorry Brad, potty mouth, I know. This just makes me so angry and sad and helpless. omg

A Concerned,
Just like truthseeker said above, their trying to bust all the unions before Universal Health care gets on the floor
Because then more Manufacturers will stay here not having to pay that big tab, if they stay, it will be harder to bust the unions

Hey, Ricky: We agree with you. It's insane to turn our ports over to some Middle Eastern company. If we agree with you, how does that make us insane? Doesn't that make you insane at the same time?

Do you ever proofread the stuff you post, Ricky?

Whats going on?

Is someone blackmailing the US government?

Why turn over the entire US military to a foreign power?

Doug

After our dear leaders sell everything that is America, do you think they'll bomb us, when there is nothing left to steal?

Let's see...United Arab Emirates would control shipment of U.S. military equipment. If they get out of line and prevent vital transport, we can bomb their ports...But then what about...???

This is getting complicated.

Fatherland Security Secretary chertoff another Fucking Jerk-OFF : Who Let This Fucking Corps out of the Crypt ? ? ?

This is the icing on the cake for me. Bush is losing his freaking mind. I wonder how the families and surviving members of the 9/11 families feel about this? I guess Bush does'nt give a shit about there feelings. Oh well, whats new. The ruining of America just took another step forward.

Well damn. Did I read that right?

Did Ricky finally get a reality check?

Ricky, if this is the point at which YOU break with the party line and say, WTF???, then I say, you are more than welcome here.

Stick around - who knows, maybe you, too, will decide this administration isn't what you bargained for when you checked yourself for your political stance on the issues and checked that little box marked "Republican" in response.

Trust me hon, you wouldn't be the first who started as a "troll", only to decide that maybe what we've said here for the past couple of years isn't so crazy after all.

Now,when Bush follows the law you folks get up set. If you read the law he can't stop it. Congress needs to change the law. Maybe Bush is smarter then you guys give him credit for. He could just be drawing them closer to listen to their cell phone calls.

Ya know, I just can't get my mind wrapped around this one. The Bush administration has done some STUPID, STUPID tihngs, but why in HELL would they do THIS?

First thing that comes to MY mind is bribery and/or profiteering.

So...who stands to gain by this?

The difference between me and people like you Robert, is I am consistent with my concern for the security of this nation. When there is a difference between the administrations policy on the issue, i stay with my concern for security.

People like you however, have consistently opposed issues regarding the security of this nation. Lawyers for terrorists, callint the freedom fighters, letting the gitmo combatents go free and doing everything you can to ensure America can not listen in on phone coversations with people plotting 9/11 type senarios.

This instance proves clearly your stance by simply following the only thing in common on your stance.

Being against Bush.

That is all you people care about. Period. Not this country, not the security of the people, just hating Bush. This is perfect proof of that.

Game. Set. Match.

No with people like you ricky, you are just so notoriously stupid that you actually trust them.

Aka you trust neocons.....you trust foreign spies.

Are you a complete utter moron!??? They know nothing of american laws; and care nothing for them!

They are certainly communist however...in a very severe fashion and all too happy to use the likes of their "conservative" "liberal" lemmings to kill eachother off and do whatever they want; ie: get rid of themselves.

Chertoff is this incarnated... And it doesn't matter if "Bush" could prevent it or not, its being done!

And with the full acceptance of the US military?!?? I seriously doubt it...they despise whatever "they" do. The US is getting blackmailed on multiple fronts; it has been getting that for a long time.

If you care for any of your freedom left ricky, or "that shit" you might want to consider who you actually followed and what they are...

Doug E.

Ricky --- Look at what you are saying. You're saying that if the Bush administration reversed course tomorrow and stopped illegal wiretaps of American citizens, we would still be outraged because we "hate Bush".

That is nonsense, of course. The "hate Bush" card is the latest of a string of right-wing diversionary tactics by those unable to process arguments, unable to discuss questions on their merits or faults. It is meaningless.

Your # 18 is actually full of sh....well, disinformation. None of paragraph 2 is accurate. Maybe Brad will be nice and overlook it this time, maybe not.

The funniest part of your post is the last line. Thanks for that, anyway.

Did I miss a big trial or some important hearings on the CRIME of 9-11? Because it seems some people still believe the government fairy tale about 19 Arab hijackers orchestrating the attack on the WTC and the Pentagon. I feel the Military Industrial Complex may use Saudis to finish their PNAC assignments. Could "Sum of all Fears" Tom Clancy's 1991 novel where Arab terrorists nuke Baltimore Harbor, be too far fetched? They have been caught in the past staging a false flag to get the masses behind their planned wars.

HOMELAND SECURITY SHOULD BE DISMANTLED: THE PARTICIPANTS CHARGED WITH ALL CRIMES

Chertoff & Addington and Vinh wrote Patriot Act
(Add an "i" in fsher)
Chertoff wrote the Patriot Act with Addington and his fellow neocons...they convinced everyone to go along with it. Everyone including their DOD neocons in the Pentagon aka the neocon double speakers

Chertoff should be out of power from everything I've read. He should be totally removed. Apparently just as Edmonds said, they all, using the Pentagon(moles) are out for world war 3 declared unilaterally on Iran and the rest of the world....

Doug

Ricky sees a phantom 757 on the Pentagon lawn.. all the koolaid drinking Neo-Con supporters do.. it's amazing.

Ricky can play tennis?

Read this Diary on DailyKos before we overreact on a subject we know very little about.

The Diary contains very important facts that show that we may all have been led to hysteria by the usual media cocktail of non-information and misinformation about the whole deal.

All 9/11 Airports Serviced by
One Israeli Owned Company

"The point of the article was that ICTS knew shoe bomber Richard Reid was dangerous, but allowed him on board a flight from Tel Aviv to Paris. Maybe they did and maybe they didn't. But the idea that an Israeli owned company had inside access to the airport used to launch an abortive terror attack brought to mind the strange message Odigo Systems, another Israeli owned company with offices near the World Trade Towers, received that warned of the impending attacks before the hijacked planes had even left the ground."
http://www.whatreallyhappened.com/ICTS.html

HCOCDR #16, Ricky #18

The unitary republican presidency can do what it wants during a time of war. Remember you and the other trolls' arguments recently?

He can sell NY to the Iraqis if he wants to, right?

HCOCDR the lefties should stay out of this fight against giving American ports to unstable nations who foster terrorists by supporting radical mullahs. Right? Only the republicans are qualified in this national security matter ... right?

This is one of the more hypocrital, idiotic, and baseless events in recent memory. There is so much idiocy coming out of this republican regime I can't keep track of it anymore.

Doug E #19

They are not foreign spies, they are republican idiots. They would sell their mother to get oil.

Looks like the New York and Maryland Governors are threatening legal action. They're actually talking about canceling leasing contracts.

Wow...they must REALLY hate Bush!

Maybe the UAE-owned security company should take over Secret Service. I'm sure the Bush and Cheney families can trust them with their lives.

Thank goodness the NSA is monitoring those dangerous Quakers! I feel MUCH safer now.

Wonder how long before the next "Pearl Harbor"?

This should make it MUCH easier.

Your people think 9/11 was made up and nothing actually hit the pentagon, and you want me censored? HAHALOLOLHAHAH

No, Ricky, we want you to stop being senseless.

Don't confuse senseless with censored.

That just catapults the propaganda.

25
Abby,
Thanks for that link. Very interesting read on DailyKos. I hope people read it.
A couple of things, though.

Assuming the writer is correct in the characterization of the transfer-of-management of these ports from one foreign company (British) to another (UAE) as merely a business deal & not at all unusual, why should we assume that this 'business as usual' deal is necessarily so completely benign?
We're all aware of the long list of actions this admin has taken in the last five years: benign?
Right, their history on that just swells the heart with pride, doesn't it?

I agree that people, myself included, have reacted to this story without knowing 'all the facts'.
But HA! When do we ever have access to all the facts on any story, one? Maybe if we had a media...
And two, there's such a thing as 'erring on the side of caution', seems to me...an expression that is kind of a cousin to 'the appearance of impropriety'...although in this particular case that would be quite a spectacular understatement.

Using JFK airport in New York as an example, the writer says (and I assume that the 'DBP' here is a typo, as the entity is elsewhere referred to as DWP: Dubai World Ports):

"...DBP is and proposes to be a port operator not port owner or port controller...
....They manage the place...
They make their profits by renting vendor space to the horde of private companies that operate at these terminals. If [a business]...wants to operate...at JFK Airport, a portion of their rent money...would go to DWP..."
"...ships from all over the world dock at one of the terminals. These ships then pay a fee to the operator of the terminal [DWP]..."

Ok, so those rent monies & fees will now go to the UAE instead of to the UK. Maybe that's fine. I don't know.
I do know there has been some question about the UAE giving financial or other support to terrorists. I don't know all the facts about THAT either. Do you?
Does anybody?

We have a Congress that passes laws without reading them. Have they read the particulars about this ports deal? Are they even privy to it?

What was the name of that committee, the one I'd never heard of before, that supposedly oversees foreign involvements such as these??...whatever it is.. oh wait:
the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States.

I'd heard that Michael Chertoff, Condi Rice & Alberto Gonzalez are on it...among other stellar individuals, I'm sure.
So gee, if it's ok with them.......

Ricky - I've been on this blog for almost a year and a half and I've never seen anyone here say that nothing actually hit the Pentagon.

Can you please cut and paste what you think you saw?

Kes, he's responding to my #23 "Ricky sees a phantom 757 on the Pentagon lawn.."

What he doesn't get (and I didn't feel like posting in that post) is that there was ONLY a 16 foot hole in the Pentagon.. SIXTEEN FOOT HOLE.. The nose of a 757 is a LOT larger than that.. Then you have the missing wreckage of a HUGE airliner.. none on the ground. Yet, this administration wants us to believe that a 757 flew at 400+ miles per hour at 15 feet off the ground after doing an incredible bank/turn/descend, and smashed into the Pentagon..

It's much more likely that one of the defense missles hit the Pentagon, and the physical evidence supports that claim.. no eveidence (other than the say-so of our government) supports a 757 hitting that building.

How the US Congress works

The port thing will be handled by congress as follows:

"the Senate divides its tasks among 20 committees, 68 subcommittees, and 4 joint committees" ...

"The chair of each committee and a majority of its members represent the majority party. The chair primarily controls a committee’s business" (link here).

How many democrats, independents, greens, etc. chair committees in the senate or the house? Zero.

Therefore, republicans are where the power and the accountability of congress lies, and they will make the port decision.

Both the White House and the Congress are republican controlled. All the Cabinet is republican.

So what party will vote in or out this port thing?

Clue: The chair of each senate committee is republican and a majority of each committee's members are republican. The republican chair primarily controls all senate committee business of all senate committees.

It's a republican thang.

Clue #2: Whether the minority is composed of independents, greens, or democrats they have zero committee chairs, zero committee membership majorities, and zero committee control.

A senate committee chaired by a republican, with a majority of republican votes, will decide the matter.

Since they have to face the music in November, they may make a show now to try to cover up the fact that they are a rubber stamp of bu$hit.

Will you be CONvinced ...

... OR ...

====================
SUPPORT CLINT CURTIS
====================

Well, just for the record re my last post #32, here's what the makeup of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States was when it was originated by Gerald Ford in 1975 (don't know if it's been changed since then):
(1) The Secretary of State.
(2) The Secretary of the Treasury.
(3) The Secretary of Defense.
(4) The Secretary of Commerce.
(5) The United States Trade Representative.
(6) The Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers.
(7) The Attorney General.
(8) The Director of the Office of Management and Budget.
http://www.presidency.uc...d=59192&st=&st1=

I've read that there is an emergency management system in the White House, probably in a bunker, from which Veep Cheney ran the exercises on 9/11. The computer system's software was (I've read) written by a Saudi Arabian company (PTech).

So, selling off ports isn't the first treasonous stupid act.

Savantster re: #34 -

I admit, I was completely skeptical of that theory for some time. I even started researching to prove to myself how it could have REALLY happened, just so I'd be able to debate it with those who subscribed to the theory that there was no plane at the Pentagon. What I'm finding is more and more evidence that the story we were fed was not the truth.

I've never completely trusted the US government, but when it finally really hit me what they've done, it felt like being betrayed by a friend.

It broke my heart. I can't put into words how much I love this country, but lately I'm feeling like we've lost it to something evil. Lately I'm not even completely sure I belong here - and that hurts.

I knew that Ricky was responding to your post, I was just challenging him to try and prove one of the many false claims he makes on here. I know it's never going to happen. He's proven by the tone of his posts that he can't deal on a logical level with these issues, he's stuck on an emotional level somewhere near that of a spoiled 10 year old - any day now I expect him to post "I'm rubber and you're glue, whatever you say bounces off me and sticks to you", then follow it up by sticking out his tongue.

If these people who come here to troll were absolutely certain of their beliefs, they wouldn't bother coming here and trying to shift the focus off the topic being discussed.

The fact that they DO means that there is something about us that bothers them. I think they are afraid that we might be right - so they feel a need to try and shut us up - not by proving us wrong (because they can't), but by resorting to childish namecalling and ridicule.

If we were insignificant, they'd simply ignore us.

Ricky...I call a spade a spade, and brother, that was a funny comment!

HCOCDR: "BUSH IS FOLLOWING THE LAW; he can't stop it."

Do I have to even comment on this hypocrisy? Wiretaps are against the law?

Bush said he doesn't HAVE TO follow the f***ing law with a war going on!!! When are you people going to stop contradicting yourself???

"Letting an Arab company takeover American port security is almost as insane as you people. "

Your comment #2 Ricky, was funny. I laughed out loud. I then noticed you had more posts...sorry...

...it's still funny...

There's a BYU physics professor going around the country giving symposiums on how our government's story about the WTC is impossible, according to the laws of physics. Not me saying it...a BYU physics professor...

Open up, baby bird...momma's got a big fat nightcrawler of TRUTH from BYU physics professor Jones......

BYU Prof's Thesis

By Steven E. Jones
Department of Physics and Astronomy
Brigham Young University
Provo, UT 84602

I guess I'd like to hear some specifics (perhaps with references/links) about how it's the "law" that we allow someone to sell off a business that may we end up violating our National Security.. Not that I susptect there is any "valid law" forcing Shrubby to do this, but I'll suspend judegment [of this being Shrubby being an ass] until we find out.

Still, as Big Dan pointed out.. if he gets to violate the law at will because we're "at war with terrorism", why can't he suspend an alleged law that calls for the selling of our port(s)? AND, Congress can just pass ANOTHER law, either repealing the dangerous one, or overriding it, or what ever.. Oh, wait.. Shrubby is BLOCKING EFFORTS to stop the sale.. hmm..

Let's see.. likes using Depleted Uranium on civilians.. likes killing our troops over lies in an illegal and unjustified invasion of Iraq.. likes giving BILLIONS of dollars to the RICHEST and MOST PROFITABLE companies in history.. likes allowing the sale of strategic resources to KNOWN TERROR SUPPORTERS.. Sounds to ME like Shrubby is the one that LIKES destroying America. Sweet. I guess the Repugs and NeoCons are 1/2 right.. there are those out there that are "anti-American" and "hate America so much".. problem for them is, they are looking in the mirror when they are screaming those mantras..

"They would sell their mother to get oil.

I find it amazing how you always keep going back to painting an issue of republicans and thats it.

I'll have you know these people are in BOTH parties, and others as well and that none of them have much loyalty to this country whatsoever.

If you choose to continue to proffer that as the idea the republicans are responsible, well fine because the so called helpless democrats also contributed to the mess. But don't sit there and tell me these individuals are republican, or democrat because quite simple plainly...when it comes down to it, they have no loyalty to the USA and they belong to no one. And they easily ruined the two party system, period.

Doug

Stolen election was followed by staged attack that was followed by another stolen election. We the living need to remember this and to pass the information to the next generation.

Scientists know that exit polls don't lie and that buildings don't fall like that.

Can you say "RUSE" ? ? ? . . . for the gop's in election 2006. . . . . It has already started . . . Watch . . . . .

Doug E #44

The criminal president could not have done it alone. He is one of many.

POWER DISTRIBUTION IN SENATE COMMITTEES

Senate Standing Committee; Chair, (R=repub; D=dem); (Member Count)

Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry; (Chambliss, R); (11 R, 09 D)
Appropriations; (Cochran, R); (15 R, 13 D)
Armed Services; (Warner, R); (13 R, 11 D)
Banking, Housing,and Urban Affairs; (Shelby, R); (11 R, 09 D)
Budget; (Gregg, R); (12 R, 10 D)
Commerce, Science,and Transportation; (Stevens, R); (12 R, 10 D)
Energy and Natural Resources; (Domenici, R); (12 R, 10 D)
Environment and Public Works; (Inhofe, R); (10 R, 08 D)
Finance; (Grassley, R); (11 R, 09 D)
Foreign Relations; (Lugar, R); (10 R, 08 D)
Health, Education,Labor, and Pensions; (Enzi, R); (11 R, 09 D)
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs; (Collins, R); (09 R, 07 D)
Judiciary; (Specter, R); (10 R, 08 D)
Rules and Administration; (Lott, R); (10 R, 08 D)
Small Business and Entrepreneurship; (Snowe, R); (10 R, 08 D)
Veterans Affairs; (Craig, R); (08 R, 06 D)

"the Senate divides its tasks among 20 committees, 68 subcommittees, and 4 joint committees" ...

"The chair of each committee and a majority of its members represent the majority party. The chair primarily controls a committee’s business" (link here).

How many democrats, independents, greens, etc. chair committees in the senate or the house? (Zero)

Therefore, republicans are where the power and the accountability of congress lies.

Both the White House and the Congress are republican controlled. All the Cabinet is republican.

It's a republican thang, and the neoCons have become the republicans, so remember the status quo is a function of that republican power.

Will the republicans use this as a ruse so that the republican congress can appear not to be a rubber stamp of this president? I think JOJ #46 is on to something.

I really thought Bush would be like huh? we can't allow this, instead he actually comes out saying he will veto anything congress does so that the "good" arabs will be allowed to control our ports? I'm scared and have this helpless feeling....

Today McClellan is saying Bush did not know about this sale of Ports until a few days ago but after talking with the agents in the Secret Committee thought it would be just fine.

Amazing that Bush is so far out of the loop that all is decided THEN he is told about it.

Are you also aware that our military ports are part of the deal and Dubai will be involved with over 40% of military goods in Corpus Christi and Houston Port.

SO explain please how letting our men and women get killed in Iraq to "keep us safe" equates with turning the Ports over to a government that until a year ago harbored those trying to kill us ?
At least we are TOLD they aren't trying to kill us, maybe just take us over, that would be easier.

One good thing, the American public is finding out that other Ports are being run by China and I wonder who else.

Its just insane, why is anyone dying for this country when our politicians and their cronies are handing us over to foreign interests as fast as the check clears.

I see a few people almost have it.

Please don't underestimate your enemies. These people are top players and to think they would do something stupid w/o considering it, is laughable.

What do I see? I see a lame duck president, who doesn't have a political future, doing something that absolutely no one agrees with. This gives all the repubs a chance to disagree with shrub and therefore they can now claim they are not followers of shrub. This is an election year and they know where the sun shines and this gives them a chance to distance themselves.

Or this is just part of the continuing looting of the nation. I doubt we will ever see the sale completed.

Scott McClellan just remarked that the decision to allow Dubai buy into our Ports "did not reach Presidential Level" What the hell is that?

Something this important and Bush is making speeches about Black History Month instead of reading what is going on in his office.

So many people were upset at Hillary Clinton's health plan, the comment was "we didn't vote for her" Well how many of you voted for Rove, or Andy Card or Dan Barrett? They seem to be the ones running the administration.

Remember that an aide made a CD to show Bush what was happening in New Orleans? How about just last week when he wasn't told about Cheney shooting someone until late the next day.

When is the American Public going to have enough of this secretive, manipulative, evil group?

#45 Truthseeker - I completely agree with your statements. I think it may be hard to relay that info around by the next generation however, as I'm sure by then the internet will be taken away, camera's installed in our homes, with all conversations monitored. They're going to have to come up with new forms of communication.

But when they do.....they will relay how our generation slept through the foreign corporate takeover of The United States of America's government and about the agony we endured as we lost our freedoms and ways of life. Mostly they'll relay how wonderful this country used to be when it was occupied by a vast majority of Americans. Wonder at this point of the takeover what percentage of our country is American-born and raised? Would be an interesting statistic. Actually, I don't want to know that answer.....

Thank you Brad for caring, bringing us news, and the chance to voice our opinions. It's all so frustrating.

Texaslady - Excellent post. Well said. Amen.

I've had enough. I reached that point during the year my son was in Iraq and all the research I did about the war (and lack of reasons for it) on the internet. I reached that point when I computed some numbers and realized I'll be paying almost all my retirement income to health insurance. I reached that point when I computed some numbers and realized as a single-income homeowner - I'm soon going to have to give up either a) eating; or b) heating/air conditioning, to keep owning my house. I reached that point when I quit watching MSN because it hurt too badly to hear the lies, knowing the truth, wishing everyone could/would google on the internet for facts and real news. I reached that point when I realized my grandchildren will never ever ever know the true meaning, or feeling, of freedom and security in their own homes. They will never know what it was like when our country was run by - and filled with - American people from generations of American people. Our anscestors worked DAMN hard to build this country, paid lifetimes of their hard-earned income to taxes, died for true causes in battles to protect, etc. ---- just to watch it be "allowed" to be taken over by illegal immigrants OR sold/flooded/given away by rich thugs in this joke of an administration. Yep, I'm there. I wish the sleeping American's would wake before it's too late.

Yet ANOTHER middle finger to a "LAW" of our land?

Thinkprogress has this story about a small legal requirement overlooked...as usual anymore...directly related to this topic

I think someone needs to redefine "law" or something. Wow, we won't even need lawyers or courts pretty soon.

#8 Floridiot - I never thought of that angle, damn. Something to think about. Thanks.

#3 RLM - That's a very good possibility though really sad we expect the worst these days. However, I am LMAO. Thank you for the chuckle.

#52-55 Concerned,

We are awake and our numbers are growing. Do not give up the fight!

"Today was the big White House President's Day clearance sale --- all our ports must go, no offer refused, no enemy turned down, Crazy George is insane, come on down!" --Jay Leno
"The White House has given permission for a company owned by the government of Dubai to run six U.S. ports, including the Port of New York. Now Dubai was accused of supporting the September 11th attacks and was one of only three countries to support the Taliban. Now they're going to run the Port of New York. What's next, we'll put Mexico in charge of immigration? How about Dick Cheney in charge of gun safety? Courtney Love in charge of Olympic drug testing?" --Jay Leno

"President Bush now is apparently giving an Arab country control to American ports. Does that seem like a good idea? He's going to give control of American ports to an Arab country. If he keeps this up, people are going to start questioning his judgment." --David Letterman

#54
Concerned,
Just went to your link.. WOW. Not that ANYTHING freaking surprises me anymore. But the headline is really worth posting:

"Administration Failed To Conduct Legally Required Investigation Before Approving UAE Port Deal"
And this:
"...Bush administration officials “could not say why a 45-day investigation did not occur.”..."
Really? My, how highly unusual! I am shocked.

So yeah...it's kind of odd...wait...NO! really it's not AT ALL odd anymore...that we hear bush didn't know about the ports deal till after it happened.
...or that cheney didn't bother telling him right away about his shooting adventure.
Why bother? It's perfectly clear he's a pawn & a puppet of bigger players. I only wonder how he manages to deal with that. (Coke? Jack Daniels?)

Also interesting:
Rumsfeld, as Sec. of Defense, is supposedly on the "oversight committee" in charge of vetting such deals....the Committee on Foreign Investments in the U.S.
Yet when interviewed the other day, he said he was "no expert" & couldn't comment on the ports deal until he learned more about it because he'd only heard about it "over the weekend" or something.
And yet, didn't the president say recently something like "Look, this deal has been thoroughly looked into"...?
Right. Just not by him. Or rumsfeld. Or anybody who logically maybe SHOULD have looked into it.

So the facade is crumbling rather badly. To tell you the truth, it is really scary & it is really creeping me out.
It's like the United States has morphed into The Picture of Dorian Gray. Only somebody has gone up into the attic & brought the damn painting into the living room. And now we have to LOOK at it & retch & say "Goddamn! This is some ugly shit we are in!"

Ok, so the Americans have army bases all over the Muslim world and if a company in Dubai (Americans have an army base there too) wants to do business and run a few American ports, why is everybody up in arms? So what if two of the 9/11 hijackers were from the UAE? It’s like the Pakistani government saying, “I don’t think we should let the Americans run KFCs and McDonalds here. Jose Padilla and John Walker are both American terrorists and we can’t trust the Americans”. This goes to show the ignorance in the American government. I guarantee you that the people who are against this deal were not even able to point to the UAE on the map before 9/11. To those who oppose this deal: I challenge you to visit Dubai and see how much of a terrorist government you guys think it is.

Farhan #59

You said "It’s like the Pakistani government saying, “I don’t think we should let the Americans run KFCs and McDonalds here"

Not at all. Its like letting foreign governments do what sovereign governments should be doing.

Nations should take care of their own ports, whether airports, seaports, or spaceports.

It is an act of the sovereign, and nothing more, no matter how good or how bad a foreign nation is.

This is not about fast food, it is about sovereignity.