White House Asked Dubai Ports To Pull Out

[Algorem]

Stunning Defeat for Bush, but Republicans in Congress Promise to Put It Behind Them

http://www.abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=1708847&page=1

March 10, 2006 — The White House asked Dubai Ports World, a company owned by the United Arab Emirates, to give up its management stake in U.S. ports, to save President Bush from the politically difficult position of vetoing a key piece of legislation to protect America's ports, ABC News has learned.

When the company announced Thursday that it would sell its management stake in six U.S. ports, it was a stunning defeat for Bush, who had put his political capital on the line to back the deal, ABC News chief Washington correspondent George Stephanopoulos said.


"Certainly, it's the most significant break with the Republican leadership in the Congress this term," he said.

The Democrats — suddenly feeling united — insist the scuttled ports deal is proof that the White House is weakened and divided against its own party...

[jamesinca]

1. This says it all

"The White House asked Dubai Ports World, a company owned by the United Arab Emirates, to give up its management stake in U.S. ports, to save President Bush from the politically difficult position of vetoing a key piece of legislation to protect America's ports,"

He was selling out American security, and his greed/personal interest are more important in his mind than the country.

[Auntie Bush]

21. That makes bush a traitor and he should take Milosevic's empty cell

cell while it is still warm and waiting for a new occupant.
He's guilty of the same crimes so they can just continue the trial. All they have to do is change the names of people and places.

[IsItJustMe]

2. An obvious flipflop. But you'll never hear that from our corporate RW msm

[underpants]

3. Here is their spin on their spin

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x2505150

[electron_blue]

4. I don't get it

"The White House asked..." Who is the "white house"? Don't they mean "Bush asked..."

Shoudln't this read

"Bush asked Dubai Ports World gto give up its management stake to save himself from the politically...."

Or am I missing something.

[BOSSHOG]

5. bush doesn't know they've been asked yet

Maybe he'll see it on TV tonight.

[saigon68]

7. President R. Cheney asked----

The CHIMPANZEE was busy playing with his privates.

[C_U_L8R]

6. How coincidental...

that seems to be their policy on birth control too.

Now if they'd only pull out of Iraq

[NYC]

8. Selling 6 ports? What about the other 15?

...When the company announced Thursday that it would sell its management stake in six U.S. ports...

Is this why they kept saying 6 instead of 21 ports? Are they keeping control of the other 15? Someone needs to keep after this.

[msgadget]

12. Thank you! I'm confused about just what they're 'giving up'...

Are they turning over management of some? Of all of them? Retaining 6? Something stinks, especially since no one (that I know of) is screaming about them making components for our weapons or GE being in China to build nukes... I guess we're just supposed to sigh with relief and forget about the rest of it.

[NYC]

13. Deliberately confusing.

If not, they could just give us details. Without details, we don't know anything.

[MGKrebs]

9. Breathtaking incompetence.

Every thing he touches is a fiasco.

[mediaman007]

10. Cry "wolf" a million times and sooner or later it comes back to bite!

[HuffleClaw]

11. riiiiiiight.

i don't believe that for an instant.

[goforit]

14. And here comes Daddy to the rescue with Carlyle.

[sattahipdeep]

19. This administration is committed to Carlyle

Unconfirmed news reports also speculated that other buyers could include
high-powered investors such as the Carlyle Group.

Executives at DP World did not specify whether they would sell P&O's U.S. assets
outright or set them up as an affiliated company with loose ties to owners in Dubai.
Some congressional critics of the Dubai company are pressing for a complete
severance.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/03/11/BUGFEHM9AC1.DTL

[rodeodance]

15. so now Bush is not worried about eh economics of this foiled deal?

[rodeodance]

16. and now the Dem bill is on hold i the Senate.

........
The takeover plan was disclosed last month, setting off a political firestorm in the United States even though the company's U.S. operations were only a small part of the global transaction. Dubai Ports valued its rival's American operations at less than 10 percent of the nearly $7 billion total purchase.

Republicans denounced the plan, furious that they had learned about it from news reports and not the White House. They cited concerns over a company run by a foreign government overseeing operations at U.S. ports already vulnerable to terrorist attacks.

Democrats also pledged to halt the takeover and clamored for a vote in the Senate. They sought to gain political advantage from the controversy by trying to narrow a polling gap with the GOP on issues of national security.

After the company's announcement Thursday, the Senate indefinitely postponed a vote on a Democratic move to block the deal.

[luckyleftyme2]

17. KEEP OUR PORTS AMERICAN

the idea that "we the people" would accept a foreign entity is a summation of this corrupt administrations arrogance! well i think the "american voter" is awake and angry. the reign of the good ole boy system is taking it's last breath.
let the criminal investigations begin. pay offs, price fixing etc. is but the tip of the ice -berg with this administration.
i believe "dubya" will go down in history as one of the worst leaders this country has had.
billions wasted! millions effected by his tax breaks for the wealthy.
it's past time for a change in congress: how many of you lost your job,or have a neighbor that did! i'll bet it runs 35-40% of us.
yet the top 10% of the country are rolling in luxury!
VOTE THE BUMS OUT!

[SammyWinstonJack]

20. Who counts the votes?

Fix that and maybe we can VOTE THE BUMS OUT! The Democrats in Congress (most at least) ignore that problem, though. Wonder why? :shrug:

[Justice]

18. says selling management stake not ownership of --

They are playing with us here.