Balance: the Dubai Ports deal - Molly Ivins

http://www.freepress.org/columns/display/1/2006/1321

AUSTIN, Texas -- So, aside from the fact that it's politically idiotic and at least theoretically presents a national security risk, just what is wrong with the Dubai Ports deal?

As President George W. Bush actually said, "I want those who are questioning it to step up and explain why all of a sudden a Middle Eastern company is held to a different standard than a Great British company. I'm trying to conduct foreign policy now by saying to the people of the world, we'll treat you fairly."

So, what's wrong with that? There's our only president standing up against discrimination and against tarring all Arabs with the same brush and all that good stuff. (The fact that it was Mr. Racial Profiling speaking, the man who has single-handedly created more Arab enemies for this country than anyone else ever dreamed of doing is just one of those ironies we regularly get whacked over the head with.)

OK, here's for starters. We have already been warned that, should we back out of the DP deal, the United Arab Emirates may well take offense and not be so nice about helping us in the War on Terra -- maybe even cut back its money, as well as its cooperation. This is a problem specific to the fact that we are dealing with a corporation owned by a country: A corporation only wants to make money, a corporation owned by a country has lots of motives...

Well worth reading the rest of it.

Balance" is the arresting word here -- keep your eye on "balance." We have an administration that is absolutely wedded to corporate interests, both American and global. It honestly believes that "free trade" is more important than the environment and more important than the people. It has repeatedly demonstrated it is willing to let both go in order to foster free trade. There is no "balance" in its consideration on these issues, and now it turns out not much in "balancing" national security, either

are we friends with all of bin Ladin's friends but we keep wanting to invade countries not tied to bin Ladin? Who does * work for?

an Arab owned company. The proplem is that Bush & Co. is so eager to sell to the highest bidder that all other concerns take second place, including security. There is information out there that this company has a crappy record on security. That may well be just wildass scuttlebutt but the point is we won't know since the proper security review mandated by law wasn't done. This is another case of Bush deciding which laws he needs to obey and which ones he can ignore.