Wednesday, February 22, 2006
That was quick...
White House Backs Off
So, yesterday we get reassurance from the Prez that they've gone over every detail on the Port contract and everything is a-ok. Now Drudge is reporting that
"White House says President Bush did not know about an Arab-owned company taking over operations at major American seaports until the deal was completed..."
Yes, please re-read that statement again...the deal was completed before a decisive issue on security even was recognized.
It's also being reported that SecDef Rumsfeld, who sits on the panel that unanimously approved this contract, didn't find out about it til yesterday.
So, is it amateur hour?
National Security is Bush's trump card, his supposed strength. Am I supposed to believe that this management deal, that has national security implications, made it through the entire executive apparatus without the Sec Def or the President knowing that the company taking over was an Islamic sultanate?
Yesterday when President Bush posed his question (blogged below) his attitude was "Hey, I'm telling you this is ok...trust me, I'm the President". But there is no trust after the WMD, Iraq war, Katrina, false veto promises of the past, etc. And if we'd trusted him yesterday, and Drudge's report that the Prez. didn't know about the UAE connection is true (a big if), then he really has no right to ever again ask us for that trust.
I must note too, that I do think part of this is a bit over the top (I've been to the UAE and they're no democracy, but trying really hard to become modern and progressive) ...but it is a political issue...one that Bush will lose. So it is no surprise that my prediction of just 14 hours ago that the White House would turn tail on this appears to have already begun....
So, yesterday we get reassurance from the Prez that they've gone over every detail on the Port contract and everything is a-ok. Now Drudge is reporting that
"White House says President Bush did not know about an Arab-owned company taking over operations at major American seaports until the deal was completed..."
Yes, please re-read that statement again...the deal was completed before a decisive issue on security even was recognized.
It's also being reported that SecDef Rumsfeld, who sits on the panel that unanimously approved this contract, didn't find out about it til yesterday.
So, is it amateur hour?
National Security is Bush's trump card, his supposed strength. Am I supposed to believe that this management deal, that has national security implications, made it through the entire executive apparatus without the Sec Def or the President knowing that the company taking over was an Islamic sultanate?
Yesterday when President Bush posed his question (blogged below) his attitude was "Hey, I'm telling you this is ok...trust me, I'm the President". But there is no trust after the WMD, Iraq war, Katrina, false veto promises of the past, etc. And if we'd trusted him yesterday, and Drudge's report that the Prez. didn't know about the UAE connection is true (a big if), then he really has no right to ever again ask us for that trust.
I must note too, that I do think part of this is a bit over the top (I've been to the UAE and they're no democracy, but trying really hard to become modern and progressive) ...but it is a political issue...one that Bush will lose. So it is no surprise that my prediction of just 14 hours ago that the White House would turn tail on this appears to have already begun....
