House Panel Overwhelmingly Votes Down Ports Deal
A hysterical decision made by hysterical people.
WASHINGTON – In an election-year repudiation of President Bush, a House panel dominated by Republicans voted overwhelmingly Wednesday to block a Dubai-owned firm from taking control of some U.S port operations.
By 62-2, the Appropriations Committee voted to bar DP World, run by the government of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, from holding leases or contracts at U.S. ports.
Bush has promised to veto any such measure passed by Congress, but there is widespread public opposition to the deal and the GOP fears losing its advantage on the issue of national security in this fall’s elections.
“This is a national security issue,” said Rep. Jerry Lewis, the chairman of the panel. The California Republican said the legislation would “keep America’s ports in American hands.”
As the committee acted, Democrats on the other side of the Capitol were clamoring for a vote on the same issue in the GOP-led Senate.
This knee-jerk reaction isn’t going to help anybody. The UAE has been a staunch and trusted ally both in the middle east and the global war on terror. They should have at least been afforded the courtesy of a full review allowing for all the facts to be put on the table. That wasn’t done. Instead, loud-mouthed politicians took a look at the polls and decided to pander to voters rather than take the time to inform themselves on the situation and make the right decision.
If we are going to continue our efforts to spread freedom and democracy to the middle east we have to, at some point, start trusting some people who are actually from that region.
