GOP Leaders Draw Back From Bid to Block Port Deal

[cal04]

But Bipartisan Critics on Hill Vow to Force Security Review
A Dubai company's offer to delay taking control of terminal operations at six U.S. ports, combined with aggressive White House lobbying, has tempered a rush by congressional GOP leaders for quick action next week to block the $6.8 billion transaction, which has triggered a political furor.

Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) will meet with House GOP leaders Tuesday to discuss the chamber's next move, while aides to Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) said he will wait to be briefed by the company before taking a stand. Both Hastert and Frist had issued strong statements earlier raising concerns about national security in the wake of Dubai Ports World's acquisition of the London-based Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Co. and its terminal operations at six major U.S. ports, including those in New York and Baltimore.

But a bipartisan group of senators, who dismissed the Arab maritime company's offer late Thursday as meaningless, said yesterday that they will try to force a vote early next week on legislation that would require a 45-day national security investigation of the deal.

Senators from across the political spectrum -- including Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.), Norm Coleman (R-Minn.), Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), Olympia J. Snowe (R-Maine), Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.), Tom Coburn (R-Okla.), Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Jack Reed (D-R.I.) -- said they will push for a fast vote on legislation that would block the takeover of port operations while the administration conducts a national security review of the transaction's implications.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/24/AR2006022400765.html

[bahrbearian]

1. Hastert .. Hammmer ..has a ring to "it"

[AX10]

2. Of course. Republicans can NOT be trusted to take on their own party.

and challenge the corruption within their party. That is why, as nice and moderate as she is, I will work to replace my Governor, Jodi Rell with a Democrat this Fall.

[Pryderi]

3. I think Rove et. al. are going to have UAE change their name from United

Arab Emirates to something more politically palatable...like...United Against Evil..that'll make us more secure.

[NoMercy]

15. DPW = Democratic Progressive Wannabees

Gave $100 m for Katrina victims

[newyawker99]

16. Hi NoMercy!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Erika]

4. We don't want a foreign country in charge of our ports

What don't they get?

The Republicans talk about homeland security and are thinking of allowing this? I must again agree with Michael Savage. Our country has been taken over by a corporate cabal, with W at its head.

[soothsayer]

10. Didn't China buy a bunch of CA ports a few years ago? I recall

being upset by it, but no one made a big stink or anything. I like this deal even worse, of course.

[Erika]

12. Did China play a part in 9/11 and have connections with OBL?

Most of us didn't realize our ports were given over to foreign governments.

[soothsayer]

14. I think we should be mad about China, too, tho.

They don't like us either.

[peacetalksforall]

5. I read that reps of the Dubai govt are coming over to talk to people.

If they come with boxes of money - we'll know who Repubs are going to support.

[dysfunctional press]

6. the checks must have started clearing...

with abramoff not there to grease the wheels- the machine can tend to run a little slower.

[C_U_L8R]

7. Hypnotizing Freepers

It's been said that the deal is done and that's that.
Bush is just buying time for the end of news cycle.
That's their MO... wait for cover of darkness and
sneak their shitty agenda through. Too bad the
freeps are too dumb to get it.... and too chickenshit
to toss their own frankenstein-administration out.

[spindrifter]

8. DWP is using a brilliant

strategy: slow it all down so the decision-makers can catch up on the sales pitch. Have the news shows do infomercials on how progressive, how like the U.S. Dubai is and before you can blink an eye the Rethugs will jump ship, maybe throwing a little more money to the Coast Guard for security purposes and before you know it the done deal will be delivered.

[democrat in Tallahassee]

9. They were against it before they were for it, FLIP FLOPPERS!

[Beelzebud]

11. Republicans - WEAK ON DEFENSE

Hammer that one home. I have been.

[Erika]

13. But strong on harassing U.S. citizens

We can't travel without harassment, we can't even be sure of privacy in communications.

[Toots]

17. The USA is ruled by a "Mob" and the UAE is just part of that "Mob"

They will Control the Ports.