You have to laugh.

[Plaid Adder]

I just read something talking about how Bush wants the DPW deal approved because to reject it would "send the message to the entire Arab world that none of them can be trusted."

Because invading Iraq because they _might_ have weapons of mass destruction and _wanted_ to hurt us even though there was no evidence that they did or they could, of course, sent the opposite message?

Another funny thing is watching Bush go around talking about how the UAE is a valuable ally in the war on terror so this is all perfectly safe. Well, you know, let's give him the benefit of the doubt and say he actually believes that. Here's what makes you want to either laugh or poke your eyes out with a fork, depending on how the humor takes you:

This man has got to be the dumbest, laziest, most ignorant president we have ever had. We are not the only people in the world who have figured that out. He is, however, extremely dangerous. So if you were the head of a foreign government, and you were working against US interests, the smart thing to do would not be to defy and enrage him, and thus provoke an invasion, but to pretend to be his ally and thus get him to do you favors.

I mean look at the Harriet Miers nomination. Tell Bush he's wonderful and he'll give you ANYTHING. As long as you're willing and able to flatter him convincingly, he's got to be the easiest person in the world to manipulate.

He will never know that, of course. He will always assume that he is on top of everything and knows the score and has everyone by the short hairs, all the while he's being sold a bill of goods, led down the garden path, etc.

Comforting thought, isn't it,

The Plaid Adder

[lectrobyte]

1. Of course. This is a man who can't think of any mistakes he's

ever made.

[riderinthestorm]

18. Look, he's on a direct line to God.

God talks to him all the time! So of course he's perfect!

Get with the program won't ya?

[lectrobyte]

29. Speaking of God and bush

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=501969&mesg_id=502752

I doubt it too

[lapislzi]

2. Poster boy for narcissicism

Pass me that fork as soon as you're done with it. I've seen all I want to see, and then some.

[Tamarin]

3. I've been having similar thoughts.

I've been thinking about previous attacks and the time span between them and how the people who want to do harm have a lot of patience. Remember Bin Laden's vow to break the back of America? This port deal could be the first major step in a new terror plot and we know how Georgie deals with national emergencies, he reads children's books and eats cake while we die. Another comforting thought.

[Coexist]

4. what gets me about the "UAE is on our side" meme is

a couple years ago, they were middle-of-the-roaders - dining with and treating Usama in their hospitals. Being a transfer point for weapons supplied to our enemies.

Who is to say that in a year or two, they could swing one way or the other?

I don't know enough about the ruling family to be confident that, if a tragedy were to occur, I could have confidence that his successor would subscribe to his father's politics. Why would we take a risk like this?

[RufusEarl]

5. It's a real knee slapper for sure!

and ironic. The Bu$h admin have been going around for five years telling the country that we need to fear these people all Arab people, well he got his point across. Most Americans fear all Arab people, just get on a plan with a Arab looking guy and feel you heart rate go up.

But now that his family wants to do business with these same folks he can't understand why people are afraid, sorry Mr. Bu$h you can't have it both ways.

[acmejack]

6. That is even more comforting.

The archetypal smooth talking Peter Lorre type Arab wheeler dealer just leaps into one's mind as that type of character; "Ah Mr President George Sir Your Most Excellent Highness Sir..." He would be able to talk * into giving him anything like, say, Iowa.

[mdmc]

7. k.r

[Beetwasher]

8. Yeah, I Can Hear The UAE Now As The Secret Deal Is Being Worked Out

UAE: "Of course we will help you in your investigations, we promise!"

US rep: "Do you really mean that?"

UAE: "Of course we mean it, we said we promise didn't we?"

US: "Ok, that's good enough for us"

UAE: "Oh, by the way, it's ok if we keep all of our business records and everythign related to everything we do outside of your country so you have no access to them, right? Also, we don't want to designate an American citizen to accommodate U.S. government requests. We promise to help if you ask nicely"

US: "Hmm, you sure you promise?"

UAE: "Yes, just as long as I don't have to sign anything"

US: "Hmm, Ok, I don't see why not. Hey, why are your hands behind your back?"

UAE: "Oh, no reason. I'm not crossing my fingers or anything, don't worry, I promise."

US: "Are you sure I shouldn't worry?"

UAE: "Yes, don't worry! I'm a good guy, I would never lie to you, I promise!"

US: "Ok then, as long as you promise."

[Plaid Adder]

12. "OK, then, as long as you promise!"

That's funny stuff, Beet. Thanks for the chuckle.

C ya,

The Plaid Adder

[EstimatedProphet]

9. Here's the problem I have:

Even though I have said that Bush is stupid on this board a number of times, it's been out of frustration. I really don't believe it. Intellectually lazy, maybe, but I don't believe he is stupid.

I honestly believe this port deal is for a purpose, although the purpose may be simply to make a bunch of cash in the process. I don't believe that anything he has done has been just stupidity. I think everything he has done has been for a reason-specifically, getting as much money as fast as possible for himself and his friends. When things blow up in this administration it is because the assholes behind it don't care enough about the consequences to plan for them, not because they dind't see them.

There's a purpose to the port deal that hasn't come out yet.

[Beetwasher]

10. They Thought This "Boring Port Deal" Would Just Slip Under the Radar

It was about money and payback etc. They were not prepared for the outcry because it was just a "boring port deal", complicated, not sexy and they thought it would slip by unnoticed with everything else that was going on.

Unfortunately for them, some people were paying attention AND they've been having a bad run and it came on the heels of a lot of other unfavorable incidents. The time was ripe and for whatever reason, the media is running with it. That to me is the most fascinating aspect of this. Why is traditional media running w/ this? I think there may in fact be some power brokers who are actually concerned about the security implications of this and they've decided to let it run because the implications are in fact dangerous.

[EstimatedProphet]

14. And in addition, I think they're guilty of hubris

I think they probably thought "So what if someone finds out. We're in charge. Screw em."

[Ignis]

30. And THAT

...is precisely what we must hope will bring them down.

In the tragedy of epic proportions that is the DimSon Administration, one can only hope for some self-blinding or eating of their own young or something...Greek.

[twaddler01]

25. I agree

it indeed has a purpose, otherwise it wouldn't have happened. I think it is about the cash, but I guess I could be wrong.

[madinmaryland]

11. Laugh, I'm crying. Today he said we don't need to worry about

security.

:scared:

http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/02/23/port.security/index.html

snip..

President Bush on Thursday defended his administration's decision to allow a company from an Arab country to operate six major U.S. ports, saying, "People don't need to worry about security."

"This deal wouldn't go forward if we were concerned about the security of the United States of America," Bush told reporters during a Cabinet meeting.

..snip

[Plaid Adder]

13. Well, he's right...

If he were concerned about the security of the United States of America, the deal WOULDN'T go forward.

Let him talk long enough and eventually he'll tell the truth by accident,

The Plaid Adder

[madinmaryland]

26. We know he is not concerned about the security,

but aren't WE? I know that I am. Though it should not mean taking away our civil liberties.

[mopinko]

15. my family started hiding the cutlery a while ago.

i guess i have to laugh.

[fooj]

16. Dumb as a rock... AND a treasonous, rat bastard!

Peace.

[riderinthestorm]

17. Hey he looked into Putin's eyes and saw his soul. Whaddya expect? nt

[Cleita]

19. Bush and his cronies say the deal had been made by the time

they learned about it.
:wow:
If the President of the US and his cabinet didn't make the deal, who is running this country?

The only person who hasn't denied knowing about this is Dick Cheney. Is he and Halliburton our shadow President? Of course many think so, including some members of Congress.

[Tin Man]

20. "We're fighting them over there, so we don't have to do it over here"

...but on the other hand, it's OK to allow them to operate our ports. Joe RedState's head is gonna explode trying to reconcile this policy conflict.

I think PortGate might just become the "toto pulls back the curtain" event - the moment at which Dorothy et al suddenly recognize that the All Powerful Oz is nothing more than a dottering old fool...

[Tin Man]

21. PortGate - Bush has been "hoisted on his own petard"

from the WashPost Media Notes:

Maureen Dowd sees Bush as "hoist on his own petard. For four years, the White House has accused anyone in Congress or the press who defended civil liberties or questioned anything about the Iraq war of being soft on terrorism. Now, as Congress and the press turn that accusation back on the White House, Mr. Bush acts mystified by the orgy of xenophobia."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/linkset/2005/04/11/LI2005041100587.html

Well said, Mo...

[donkeyotay]

22. Recall the claim that Chalabi was an Iranian agent and the INC used bush

This man has got to be the dumbest, laziest, most ignorant president we have ever had. We are not the only people in the world who have figured that out. He is, however, extremely dangerous. So if you were the head of a foreign government, and you were working against US interests, the smart thing to do would not be to defy and enrage him, and thus provoke an invasion, but to pretend to be his ally and thus get him to do you favors.

Supposedly, voters here didn't mind if their president was a drunken frat boy. Wonder if they've changed their minds about having a beer with the dismal one.

[hvn_nbr_2]

23. Any time the reason to do or not do something is "send a message"...

you can be 99% sure that there's no rational reason. "Send a message" translates pretty accurately as "I have a wild hair up my ass and I'm mad." I've been noticing that phenomenon since George Wallace was "sending a message" back in the '60s. Same thing for "sending a wrong message," which is usually applied to doing something laudable for which there is no valid objection, so the objection is that it "sends the wrong message."

[Canuckistanian]

24. Very true

He's an odd combination of rube and megalomaniac, wrapped up in an illiterate, insensitive and vacuous personality.

Give me someone with substance and charisma, any day.

Like Paris Hilton.

[BushOut06]

27. Well, as one of the RWer talk show hosts pointed out so well...

How can they hate us anymore than they already do?

[malaise]

28. Bush is a fugging lunatic

Chaos and confusion is his only modus operandi.

[wiggs]

31. Just wait. We haven't seen the worst yet

Before 2004 elections, we thought it would be intolerable to live through a second Bush term in which he was a lame duck and could really do what he wanted. And indeed, it has been unbelievable.

If he stays in office and GOP retains control of both houses after November 2006...can you imagine what kind of crap we're going to see? Two years of free reign....

[Catchawave]

32. Can we stop being afraid now ?

I just keep losing track of who's trying to kill us these days....I would assume some people in most Arab countries ? We are at war, and pissing off more and more of the haters and NOW BushCo is making nicey-nice with one tiny country. Great, making our largest ports a terrorist magnet.

Gee thanks George, I thought we where fighting them there, so we wouldn't have to fight them here. You're already losing democracy here to win it there.

It's nucking futz I tell ya :crazy: