Thomas Kean, former NJ Gov (R): "I think this deal is going to be killed"

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

Thomas Kean, a former Republican governor of New Jersey who led the bipartisan probe of the Sept. 11 attacks, said the deal was a big mistake because of past connections between the 2001 hijackers and the UAE.

"It shouldn't have happened, it never should have happened," Kean said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press.

The quicker the Bush administration can get out of the deal, the better, he said. "There's no question that two of the 9/11 hijackers came from there and money was laundered through there," Kean said.

Kean acknowledged the UAE is now being helpful by allowing the United States to dock ships in its country's waters, and helping the U.S. with intelligence. "From our point of view, we don't want foreigners controlling our ports," Kean said. "From their point of view, this is a legitimate company that had a legitimate bid and won, and here are all these congressmen saying all these things about not wanting this company. It looks to them like it's anti-Arab." "I think this deal is going to be killed," Kean said. "The question is how much damage is this going to do to us before it's killed."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060224/ap_on_go_pr_wh/ports_security

[rodeodance]

1. umm.. he better tell Bush this.

[Quakerfriend]

2. Kean himself has MAJOR ties with the Saudis.

This may be a bit of a ruse.