February 27, 2006
THEY FEAR THE SABOTS, NOT SEBASTIAN:
At ports, security vs. trade:
Rules on ports have existed since 1789, but the debate sharpens as globalization rubs up against the threat of terror. (Alexandra Marks, 2/27/06 The Christian Science Monitor)
oday, as technology has fueled changes at an ever greater pace, many economists contend that such "cabotage" laws are outmoded and anachronistic. And they point out that many restrictions passed in the 1920s have been relaxed - even though they still exist.Posted by Orrin Judd at February 27, 2006 12:00 AM"When the dust settles, people are going to say some of these are pretty silly proposals when some of the biggest port facilities are already owned by foreigners, including the Chinese," says Edward M. Graham, a senior fellow at the Institute for International Economics in Washington and author of "US National Security and Foreign Direct Investment." "[Foreign ownership of port operations] has never proven to be a problem - the time to have banned it was 30 years ago before this became a highly globalized industry."
One big difference.
We are not at war with the Chinese.
We ARE, however, at war with Islam. And the UAE is run by an Islamic-dominated nation.... and not coincidentally, the company itself is reportedly on a "golfing buddies" relationship with the Bin Ladens.
Remember that "and the nations that harbor and support them" portion of the deal? For all the talk, the administration seems determined to pretend its "allies" aren't the same countries that pop out terrorist factions like Mohammed-headed Pez dispensers. It's bad enough that we're enriching them even as they backstab us; do we have to make the job easier for them by putting them in charge of our ports?
Posted by: RHJunior at February 27, 2006 3:20 AMRH:
Actually, we are at war with the Chinese--unfinished Korean War -- but not with Islam.
If the Right were serious about not enriching such governments it would oppose importing oil.
Posted by: oj at February 27, 2006 7:28 AMWe're not at war with Islam. We're at war with terrorists who happen to be Islamic. Don't tar a billion people because of the actions of a few.
Also, the last time I checked, in this country we don't prosecute entire families for the actions of one of their members, so the fact that some people in the UAE know some people in the bin Laden family is entirely meaningless. Would you also prosecute Maxim for publishing those nudie photographs of one of the bin Laden cousins? After all, according to your logic she's a terrorist (she's a Muslim AND a bin Laden!) so Maxim must be terrorists too!
Nasty Arabses. We hates them.
Posted by: Gollum at February 27, 2006 8:30 AM