Weakening the Weakest Link

By now you may know that the Bush Administration has made a deal with a state-owned company from The United Arab Emirates to run security operations at several major U.S. seaports. So, Dubai, the country that served as a main operational and financial base for the 9/11 hijackers as well as a conduit for the smuggled nuclear components from Pakistan will be running our port security in New York. Excellent.

This is a topic that warrants additional ranting, but for now take a look at this response to Congressional outcry from the Bushies [AP link]...

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice told Arab journalists Friday at the State Department, that it was "the considered opinion of the U.S. government that this can go forward." She pledged to work with Congress because "perhaps people will need better explanation and will need to understand some of the process that we have gone through."

"the considered opinion of the U.S. government that this can go forward." Not quite. I guess if you only count the West Wing as the U.S. government (which they do), but I'd say that every other possible part of governemnt from local reps to Congress and beyond m seems to disagree. And her idea of "workng with Congress" is giving them a better explanation of what they've already done—after the fact—and they should feel lucky to even get that.

"Congress is welcome to look at this and can get classified briefings," Chertoff told CNN's "Late Edition." "We have to balance the paramount urgency of security against the fact that we still want to have a robust global trading system."

The same kind of "briefings" as the NSA spying? Sort of a, "here's kind of what we're up to, but we won't tell you everything, and you can't tell anyone, even your staff...Oh, and we are not interested in your opinion, and we already did this and you can't stop it." That kind of "briefing?"

When will Congress (both Dems and Repubs) strap on their balls and cry "BULLSHIT!" Have these jokers heard of the "power of the purse?" This deal is a bad joke, and Congress can stop it cold by simply not paying for it!

UPDATE 2/21: Congress is strapping 'em on. At least for now...

Frist Calls for Halt to U.S. Ports Deal
By WILL LESTER, Associated Press Writer - 15 minutes ago
WASHINGTON - Senate Republican Leader Bill Frist called Tuesday for the Bush administration to stop a deal permitting a United Arab Emirates company to take over six major U.S. seaports, upping the ante on a fight that several congressmen, governors and mayors are waging with the White House.

"The decision to finalize this deal should be put on hold until the administration conducts a more extensive review of this matter," said Frist. "If the administration cannot delay this process, I plan on introducing legislation to ensure that the deal is placed on hold until this decision gets a more thorough review."

Of course, Bush feels unencumbered about ignoring the law and doing whatever the fuck he wants, so we'll see how this plays out.