Port Thoughts

Port deal, R.I.P.

DP World, the United Arab Emirates state-owned company that had agreed to buy several port terminals in the United States, said today that it will transfer those properties to an American-owned company, bowing to a political groundswell against the acquisition.

Wow, George W. Bush must be seriously tight with his Dubai homies if they were willing to pull the plug on this deal. Bush backed himself into a political corner and Dubai Ports World tore down the walls behind him to ensure his escape. Face saved. With the House ready to vote on the deal, and the Senate close behind, Bush was all about the veto. As late as today the administration was standing firm. Everything was coming to a screeching political head. The people were mad, Republicans were mad, Democrats were mad, the blogs were mad, and then, oh, never mind. Premature political ejaculation. GWB will be kissing some serious Dubai ass from this point forward.

What I find most interesting about this whole hullabaloo is that, finally, the American people were sufficiently outraged about something to make a difference. Illegal wiretapping, nah. Going to war based on false intelligence, nah. Asleep at the wheel for 9/11, nah. But this got under their skin. Right or wrong, racism or not, it's fascinating that for once the people held sway over big money in Washington. I'd say there is hope for the future, but that would be wishful thinking.

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