Port Deal to Close Tomorrow......that's right

[hang a left]

http://www.breitbart.com/news/2006/03/01/060301222720.m...

US lawmakers were losing hope of being able to block the controversial takeover of operations at several US ports by a United Arab Emirates-owned firm, with the deal becoming final on Thursday.

Members of Congress from both parties kept up their attacks against the impending 6.8 billion dollar sale of the British firm which manages the ports to Dubai Ports World, citing security concerns.

They conceded, however, that they are powerless to prevent the sale from going forward, and placed their hope in an 11th-hour intervention by US President George W. Bush.

"He's the only one that can stop it," Democratic US Senator Frank Lautenberg told AFP Wednesday.

[KamaAina]

1. Wow, that 45 days went by fast!

It's like I slept right through it! :sarcasm:

[Delphinus]

12. Dang,

you got that right! I know time seems to have sped up, but this is ridiculous.

[RB TexLa]

21. The US government can not stop a British company from selling to someone

The council on foreign investment (or named close to that) can stop foreign companies from building or doing business in the US. But the sale is between two parties they have no control over.

[mom cat]

27. Its that fuzzy math again.

[SeattleGirl]

2. Why is Bush the only one who can stop it?

Jebus, he really IS a freakin' dictator!

[cdsilv]

4. Can't the individual port authorities just refuse to honor the contracts??

...or congress can pass legislation outlawing this, or simply withold funds to pay DPW.

[WillyT]

3. They Have To Ink The Deal, So That They Can Sue...

the snot out of us when congress does say no.

The UAE and its supporters are gonna make big money either way, no?

:shrug:

[TomInTib]

8. I am not sure Congress can overturn this, WillyT.

Pretty sure the deal is set in stone.

Hastert and Frist will stand on it.

[WillyT]

19. Is That A WTO Type Of Thingy, Or Does Congress Not Count Anymore ???

Is this like a treaty, or has corporate America taken over all government authority?

Is Carlyle the new Sovereign???

:shrug:

[TomInTib]

24. You know, I've been thinking about that...

and I think one of the reasons the Dems are hanging back is they see the Repub's outrage at the Admin and are just letting them spew.

It is now painfully clear to the pubs that not only does bush hold Dems in contempt, he will roll over anyone to accomplish BFEE ends.

Kinda like if you knew your friend was being defrauded by his neighbor.
You keep telling him and he infers that you are just envious and wish that you had discretionary funds that his neighbor could invest for you, too.
One day friend realizes that his neighbor has been screwing him all along.
Wouldn't you be content to watch friend raise hell with neighbor, all self-righteous and such, just hold your tongue until you could help friend bury the bastard in Court?

That is analogical to what I think is going on.

I do not think you are far off the mark with your point about Carlyle and the new Sovereign.

It's a New World, WillyT.

And I don't like it one bit.

By the way, my family is long-term KBR (Kellogg, Brown&Root).

[TomInTib]

5. I have been saying this since this deal was announced...

The admin totally misunderestimated the public reaction on this one.

Americans have become so complacent, the BFEE just thought it would ooze on by.

Hah!

Kinda like getting bit by a sleeping dog.

Sh*t, meet fan.

[SeattleGirl]

6. You are absolutely correct.

Bush really doesn't understand how angry people on the right and the left are about this. Doesn't have a freakin' clue, or doesn't care. I read a headline the other day, saying Bush "shrugs off" concern about the port deal. "Shrugs off"??? I really think the guy's going to get his ass kicked from here to Georgia on this one.

[brainshrub]

7. Ummm... congress can do whatever it wants.

At the very least, they could hold up the deal.

[TomInTib]

10. Not without a vote, brainshrub.

Hastert and Frist have already rolled on this one.

It would almost take riots in the streets to stop this, unfortunately.

[bridgit]

9. republican crony no-bid capitalism gone wild imo...

:thumbsdown:

[Penndems]

11. The Dubai ports transaction was already a done deal

That 45-day waiting period was a smoke screen to throw the Congress a bone and put a damper on the public's outrage. The Village Idiot is of the opinion that he doesn't answer to the representatives the people of this country sent to Washington to be their voice in the House and Senate.

That's how the Bush family works. If it's in THEIR interest, nothing will stop them, come hell or high water - or the United States Congress and their constituents.

[Junkdrawer]

13. Why the hell do you think he went to Afghanistan...

so that he could contemplate the deal from a venue closer to UAE? :sarcasm:

[Jose Diablo]

14. Even if Congress acts, Bu$h will veto

No chance of a Congressional overide of Bu$h's veto, none.

The UAE Port deal is as good as done.

[CabalPowered]

16. That may be true but a recorded vote would be more

advantageous for dems. Everyone should be on record for this deal.

[Dinger]

15. That Was Pretty Fucking Fast!

Hey, fuck this shit. Insane, just fucking insane.

[Disturbed]

17. Anybody doubt that America is now a Neo Fascist State?

I have no doubts. America is a Neo Fascist State.

The Dem Party is a usefull as teats on a boar.

[Justice Is Comin]

18. They just crawled into

the casket. All we have to do is nail it shut. Most of the Republicans are dirtying their diapers over this one.

[Marie26]

20. Broken link

Is this published anywhere else? They're bad, but DPW promised a 45-day review last week - if they turn around to try to close tomorrow, you'd think there'd be a huge outcry. Lou Dobbs would be on it! I wonder if maybe this article was pulled for inaccuracies.

[dogday]

22. I don't know about this, Link is broken

and I have never even heard of the breitbart.com... What about A/P, Yahoo?

[The Backlash Cometh]

23. Can you imagine that debate question coming up in 2000?

Okay, Candidate Gore and Candidate Bush, here is the scenario: New York City gets attacked by Arabs in 2001, and in 2006 you and only you can stop a port deal from going through that will hand the New York ports over to an Arab controlled country. What will you do?

[bonito]

25. We spreading democracy, don't ya know

Just like yahoo in china. This is a fucked up administration.

[napi21]

26. Doesn't that mean the deal between the Brits and the UAE will close

tomorrow? I'm not trying to side with anyone here, but I think the media is not explaining this deal very well.

I think...we cannot stop a sale by the Brits! That's the piece that is going to go through tomorrow. The US, with the cooperation of the UAE, will do further study on Okaying the deal and permitting the UAE to operate OUR ports. At the end of the 45 days, Shrub has the ability to sign the deal of not.

[Just Me]

28. Why can't they get a TRO since the legal process wasn't followed?

:shrug: If ANY security concerns were raised and auto 45 day thingy was supposed to take place before a deal could be made.

How come members don't go to court and obtain a temporary restraining order. The administration failed to follow legal procedure and, obviously, incalculable harm is possible if this deal goes through.