A TERRIBLE VOTE, ANOTHER LOW POINT FOR CONGRESS. THEY’RE panderers or idiots, or both.
The United Arab Emirates is a player by the rules, free trader and strategic ally. We fear DP World’s forced withdrawal from running six U.S. ports will have negative long-term consequences for the U.S.,giving fuel to enemies who contend we’re simply hostile to Arabs, no matter what.
It’s hard to see how they’d be wrong given the abhorrent congressional behavior on the issue.
Ironically, last time we weighed in on the unpopular side of the Middle East equation, it was in opposition to something President Bush was doing,the Iraq invasion. This time, it’s to support something he wanted,the ports deal.
Both times, reasoning the same, we favored the course we thought would strengthen America,and the world,against the threat of terrorism.
And we’re not sure this controversy is entirely over. There still are the details of how DP World will “transfer” port operations to an American entity.
In a real world, DP World would set up a puppet corporation, and everyone goes their merry way.
But this is increasingly an unreal world. And if the Dubai’s fingerprints are in any way on a U.S. port operation, we suspect there will be a Schumer, King or other congressman screaming bloody murder. After all, there are votes to be had.
,Rick Reiff, Michael Lyster
