Rally The Pundits!

Where is the clarity and vision in this Dubai Ports World debacle?  On behalf of a troubled world (or punditry, anyway) I peeked behind the Great Wall to see what the Wise Folk on the other side were thinking.

The results were inconclusive, but interesting:

David Brooks is adamant that we must engage moderate Arabs while punishing evil-doers:

This Dubai port deal has unleashed a kind of collective mania we haven't seen in decades. First seized by the radio hatemonger Michael Savage, it's been embraced by reactionaries of left and right, exploited by Empire State panderers, and enabled by a bipartisan horde of politicians who don't have the guts to stand in front of a xenophobic tsunami.

But let's be clear: the opposition to the acquisition by Dubai Ports World is completely bogus.

The deal would have no significant effect on port security.

Tom Friedman also favors engagement and free trade - no surprise there, but fans of Mr. Friedman will note that his Metaphor Masher is on overtime:

But while I have zero sympathy for the political mess in which the president now finds himself, I will not join this feeding frenzy. On the pure merits of this case, the president is right. The port deal should go ahead. Congress should focus on the N.S.A. wiretapping. Not this.

As a country, we must not go down this road of global ethnic profiling — looking for Arabs under our beds the way we once looked for commies. If we do — if America, the world's beacon of pluralism and tolerance, goes down that road — we will take the rest of the world with us. We will sow the wind and we will reap the whirlwind.

Paul Krugman is agnostic on the deal but reminds us that Bush is the root of all evil.  And did I mention Bush is evil, evil, evil?  And a lying liar?  He is:

Mr. Bush shouldn't really be losing his credibility as a terrorism fighter over the ports deal, which, after careful examination (which hasn't happened yet), may turn out to be O.K. Instead, Mr. Bush should have lost his credibility long ago over his diversion of U.S. resources away from the pursuit of Al Qaeda and into an unnecessary war in Iraq, his bungling of that war, and his adoption of a wrongful imprisonment and torture policy that has blackened America's reputation.

Maureen Dowd, as is her wont, favors hysterical shrieking (Shrieks about sheiks - hey, being MoDo is easy!  But wait, should that be "Quakes about sheiks"?  Maybe she *does* earn her big bucks):

It's enough to make you nostalgic for those gnarly union stevedores in "On the Waterfront," the ones who hung up rats on hooks and took away Marlon Brando's chance to be a contend-ah.

Maybe it's corporate racial profiling, but I don't want foreign companies, particularly ones with links to 9/11, running American ports.

What kind of empire are we if we have to outsource our coastline to a group of sheiks who don't recognize Israel, in a country where money was laundered for the 9/11 attacks? And that let A. Q. Kahn, the Pakistani nuclear scientist, smuggle nuclear components through its port to Libya, North Korea and Iran?

The other prisoners have yet to check in; I expect that John Tierney will be interesting, Bob Herbert will be useless, and Frank Rich will delight those who think Krugman was pulling his punches.

Meanwhile, here in the vast public plains of free info, Mickey Kaus is cogent as always:

If we're afraid of bad guys sneaking something dangerous into the U.S., it sure seems like there are lots of opportunities for mischief if you can infiltrate the firm that does the paperwork and runs the computer system and handles the "personnel issues"!

I hate to say, "Isn't that obvious", but well, isn't it?  Although I'll readily concede that my phrasing was less elegant when I wrote this a few days back:

That said, I have no idea what reality is on this issue, but it seems to me that a port operator ought to have some ability to smuggle contraband and do other evil things.  Wasn't this covered recently on "24"?

MORE: Davids Sanger and Cloud provide the straight news today.

Comments

[windansea]

("If you are worried about a bomb in a box going off in New York, you need to worry about who loads the container overseas rather than the terminal operator who unloads it in the U.S.," says someone who actually knows something about port security, Theodore Price of Optimization Alternatives, a Texas company that provides terminal-operating software.)

http://www.tcsdaily.com/article.aspx?id=022206H

[SteveMG]

If we're afraid of bad guys sneaking something dangerous into the U.S.,

I guess Kaus is arguing that once the dangerous stuff is already here on a ship that it will be easier to move the material from the terminal to its destination point. Not that it will be easier to place the material on the ships at the departure point.

And that because this company will have knowledge of when the ship comes in and where the cargo will be taken (and probably when port security makes it daily rounds to check things et cetera), that agents who have infiltrated the operations can more easily secret the material into the country.

Okay, but in the long list of potential dangers from terrorists using our open commercial channels, this is pretty insignificant. Certainly something more to worry about, granted.

But the benefits of having this arrangement also need to be considered. And those, it seems to me, outweigh the (apparent) risks.

Anyway, I hate the ocean.

SMG

[bandit]

'But the benefits of having this arrangement also need to be considered. And those, it seems to me, outweigh the (apparent) risks.'

This what I don't get. The benefits of friendly companies and friendly gov'ts in the heart of the ME is huge. To me the risk is miniscule. The whole Dr. Evil World Enterprises seems pretty unnecessary when all AQ really need to do is get past some half assed security guards or overstay a visa.

[larwyn]

TM
NAL - but I do have expertise in important aspects of containerized
shipping and hope this explains how we are using ship's manifests
to preemptively identify "problem containers" and most importantly
"problem STOWAGE MOVEMENTS of any container".
you wrote:
Wasn't this covered recently on "24"?

EXPORTING of WMD was the plot line - NOT IMPORTING into the USA.

We are checking cargo at Points of Origin, at Ports of Origin and we must have eyes on any stowage movements of suspect containers
at interim port en route.

FYI - Container ships must be stowed (loaded) to insure safety or the
balance of the ship - so it does not list to port starboard bow or stern.
Your don't put all of Allegheny Ludlum's specialty stainless on one
side of the ship and PPG's fiberglass on the other.

We need friends at each and every port along the route of any ship so
we know why of every stowage move that takes place enroute to the USA.

I tried to explain that a container coming from a shipper originating
from across the pond is addressed to Hugo Chavez. The container is
originally stowed at low level - ship is going to stop at European ports,
then U S A Ports before heading south to Venezula. At each port,
containers will off load/on load and and each port some pure "stowage"
container moves will be made.

Now we see that at Felixstow U K -the last stop on "other side of the pond"
with Port of New York the next stop - we see the operators moving the
"Hugo Chavez" container and placing on a the top tier, when access
to it is not neccessary until after stops in Baltimore,Charleston,
perhaps Miami and even the Dominican Republic before
getting to Venezula.

That is what they are talking about when telling the American public
about checking manifests. Manifests provide the stowage
plan - or you'd have tough time consuming costly effort to find any
specifice container, if you had
to eye ball the container numbers painted on the actual containers.

All the Dubai Ports were immediate cooperators in the identification
of containers at Ports of Origin and in supplying immediate ship
manifests (that map that tells you where each container is located)

Perhaps we will have to dig up the container ship models we used
to give to our best customers as they included Lego- like containers
that International Traffic Mangers could play with in spare time.

But then we don't want to give the whole game away.

Hope this makes very clear why terrific relationship with DP is so necessary.

And I do not put past the DEMS that they do want an incident in
a port - they can easily justify the sacrifice of a few (great LEFTY PRINCIPAL -
Pres. Kerry was more than willing to give up the shoppers) - and so
hope to win the HOMELAND SECURITY by building thick walls and deep
moats tactical battle - versus the "Raid the bastards while they are preparing
for an attack"

They also want to make GW look as impotent regarding Iran as the Clinton/Albright/Carter and the gang look on North Korea. So check your
Atlas and you see how important the UAE is in making that "stick" really
big, really strong and really efficient.

Next Subject:
Tommy, you gotta love him, and the rest of the gang exemplify most of
left with the now ingrained "Orwellian" misuse of language, Tommy goes
after our cherished cliches.

We will sow the wind and we will reap the whirlwind.

That is a definite saver - at least he didn't "sew" the wind.And to think in an earlier thread this week, AB accused me
of being"dyslecxic"for."your bizarre formatting of the English language?" AB criticized the UAE for having
relations with Iran, a very close neighbor just across the Persian
Gulf. I simply asked him if NY was in a similar
position with NJ would he cut off relations.
(The Left prefers words that they manipulate Vs opening a
damn Atlas!).

My point is that they are not only willing to play "race card"
but will attack disabled if on other side. A perfect example
of Selwyn Duke's ...."they are not governed by absolutes
but by expediency and what feels right at the moment".

[Big Worm]

Saying that the war in Iraq was a bad idea, bungled in the execution, and that the torture and derangement policy is also a bad idea is the same thing as saying Bush is evil, evil, evil? Now I know what people mean when they talk about Bush Derangement Syndrome.

[clarice]

So you think the UAE would plunk down $7 billion to blow it up?

Again, their is so much corruption in our ports linked to the Longshoremen and their ability to use their positions to steal and to traffic in drugs, I think we should recognize that they, not any security forces, are our first line of defense--they have every interest in keeping that golden goose alive.

[clarice]

Pardon my typos--I'm so tired today it's all after midnight rules as far as I'm concerned and it'd be too boring to bother to correct them all..

[Lew Clark]

What this is is political, not national security. These are Bush buddies, so they're bad. Not like those nice Palestinians who hate Bush and are good. Don’t for a minute think a political party and news organizations who can’t wait to get real national security secrets into the hands of Al Queda, care a twit about the security interests involved in this deal. But this is not dead and it will be approved. Especially now that the "knee-jerk" Republicans are seeing what the deal really is. And the Dems and MSM will have to go back to showing their racial tolerance by hosting minstrel shows and inviting Condi Rice and Michael Steele to come dance for them.

[Rick Ballard]

SMG,

You may hate the ocean but you have to love the Internet (thanks, Al).

When I look up competitors for P & O, I come up with American Stevedoring, Inc. which proudly proclaims itself to ba a "family owned business" - the Catucci family to be precise. (Click "Voyage Calendar" to see their clients - and how busy they are - then go here to see how busy P & O is.

Hmmm - Catucci - I wonder if they donate to pols? Why looky here! Gosh, they're Hillary fans. Whodathunk.

I wonder if ASI is a little nervous about losing their Saudi clients to a company owned by the UAE? 'Cause without those Saudi boats, they would be, well, sunk.

What's the old line - follow the money?

[The Unbeliever]

Who needs pundits, when we have polls? Rasmussen's latest shows only 17% approval for the Dubai port deal, with 64% against; plug in that polling point to our current crop of politicians, and we can easily predict how this will turn out.

Bush, who has no elections to win, will stand on principle and push the deal, hurting his poll numbers even further and losing more points to the Dems for national security. The Congresscritters, being the naturally spineless entities we know them to be, will call hearings, hold investigations, and throw temper tantrums until the deal is killed. The only question mark remaining is what will happen the first week of November--this is an election year, after all, and the thought of more anti-war Dems sneaking their way into positions of power genuinely frightens me...

[larwyn]

Rick,
Great research - that would explain all the mentioning, mentioning by Hillary plus another
Federal jobs program. Getting more dues into the Public Sector
unions is always a prime goal of the Dems.

Keep making point, a nuke on a
ballistic missile does not need to
be off loaded in a U S Port. Only
needs to be on a ship that can get
within the particular missile's range to hit what they want.

More "rent a cops" walking around the Port of New York have nothing to do with that.

I am going from utter disdain for the Dems and approaching the
I just hate the S.O.B's!

[Jeff]

Better add Ignatius to your reading:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/23/AR2006022301412.html

[larwyn]

.....hate the evil deranged S.O.B.'s!

[noah]

Larwyn, on my computer I never hit the enter key unless I want a new paragraph or a blank line. This technique might clear up your text a bit.

:-)

[Lou Grunt]

"it sure seems like there are lots of opportunities for mischief if you can infiltrate the firm that does the paperwork and runs the computer system and handles the "personnel issues""

That is true no matter who is running the terminals. Money can get you in anywhere. What? Are we to believe this is all part of a master plan where UAE and their terrorist friends are hiding in plain sight? I would think the UAE company would be more careful than anyone else becuase the know if anything happened involving the ports chances are we would nuke them off the face of the earth. In fact, I am surprised they don't drop their bid for the U.S. ports.

Boy, there are a lot of hysterical people out there. The radical Muslims have us scared. Osama is smiling big right now (in his cold dark cave).

[Rick Ballard]

Noah - Larwyn has explained that she is forced to compose in an email program (if I recall correctly), the CRs are added everytime the text wraps.

I, OTOH, have no excuse for what appears.

[larwyn]

Noah and Rick,
Problems seeing and with finger movements - so hard to see and takes such a long time when I actually post comment in the comment box. I tried to not touch enter key when putting this in the comment box. And will do same with my email composing method - very annoying as I align and backspace to get the email to look good and then it all goes kafluey!

Lew:
We not only have the return address for the UAU, we share that address. In reality we would never have to invade them - we alreay occupy them FCS!

[AB]

I don't get it. The "radical Muslims hiding in caves" are supposed to be so dangerous that we need to submit unquesioningly government policies like suspension of habeas corpus, torture, and warrantless wiretaps of American citizens. In fact, even questioning these things in the open has been compared to treason.

However, the same people are now telling us there is NO reason to worry about a state sponsor of terrorism owning port operations in six cities. A country with gross human rights abuses, no democracy, no recognition of Israel, extensive ties to the 9/11 hijack plot,etc...is now magically a wonderful friendly government in the heart of the ME, a beacon of our plan to spread "freedom" to all those poor bastards. And anyone who thinks different is a "racist".

What this story illustrates is not JUST that we need to not sell our ports to a foreign government but that we need to drastically re-examine the national security implications of how our ports are being run and owned right now. We need some policy other than selling every last American asset to the highest corporate bidder.

Why is 'national security' so important that it gives our president the right to break - or at the least, interpret - the law at will, but it's NEVER more important than the global corporate interests of the rich and powerful? Why can FOREIGN governments own our ports, but not OUR government?

You can scoff at these questions all you like, but I assure you these are the questions average non-elitist Americans are asking themselves with this story. All the smug assurances that we shouldn't worry, because foreigners ALREADY own all our ports is not a comfort to Americans - it's a revelation.

[larwyn]

And just wish to point out the barrier that the robot filter on this and some other sites is to the visually impaired - that format
of the letters and number on the scribbled background - sometimes means 3 to 4 trys before a post.

I have lost the whole thing - no fun for a hunt and pecker.

Other sites filter with elongated
stylized letters in reddish orange,
which do not copy, and that are must easier to cypher out.

Now to see what the robot filter has in store for me.

[Rick Ballard]

AB,

You are the very definition of a useful idiot.

Read this piece or this piece and stop babbling about "selling our ports".

That meme died aborning.

[AB]

Good job, Rick, deflecting the honest questions of an American citizen and New York resident about something as idiotic as how the hell our Infallible Dear Leader is actually defending our national security. I know "trust me' works for you, but it's not selling too well out here on Main Street.

Cargo already is hardly inspected, only some small fraction of it. The Coast Guard does little other than review security procedures. You know what this story reveals? That we DON'T have any real port security and now, to improve matters, we're going to make sure a state sponsor of terrorism (all dressed up in juicy million dollar bills) is going to be given detailed knowledge of the physical logistics and procedures of our ports.

Just keep calling people idiots, Rick. I understand when the "lefty loonies" do that, it drives people into the arms of the Republican party. When wingnuts do it, do people just fall into a hypnotic trance and obey all commands?

The American people have become incredibly apathetic in recent years, that is a fact. And they can accept - however shameful it may be - that War on Terra allows their president to throw anyone deemed a terrorist into prison without charges, to torture him, to tap the phones of anyone he's ever spoken to, etc...But they aren't going to just sit down and shut up about this.

The national discussion about REAL national security - not bogus terror alerts and usurpation of powers - needs to happen. With any luck, this story will be a catalyst. Because people ARE listening on this one, and they're refusing to be herded into your left/right bunkers. This one is makeing them sit up and listen.

[larwyn]

AB
Another of your Absolutely Banal comments. It may go unanswered as:

... knowledge is not something to be treated lightly or disseminated to people who are not ready for it or will simply misunderstand or distort it. There are penalties for doing so. There has always been a recognition that one must make oneself a worthy receptacle of ________ knowledge. This is why most traditions insist on a strong foundation of moral principles before one even starts...
.....R. Godwin

Have a nice weekend.

[Rick Ballard]

Right AB, that great big ship is just hovering right there over the horizon - this is the one, this will carry us over the top!!!

"Useful idiot" has a somewhat different meaning than just plain "idiot". I know the difference and am completely unsurprised that you do not.

[Gary Maxwell]

Dont you love it? The New Yorker acts like he has some special right some absolute morqal authority on the issue of port security. Where pray tell do you think the busiest ports in the country are? Heres a hint, they aint in NY. Something like 6 ot 7 of the top 10 in the US are in Texas and Lousiana. So maybe I should be standing up on my soapbox screaming. But with AB? JayDee/Katrina its always something.

And Rick, in this instance plain idiot works too, although I do understand the useful idiot reference.

[clarice]

Ledeen offers what I think is a reasnable compromise:http://corner.nationalreview.com/06_02_19_corner-archive.asp#090942

[AB]

Babble all you want, larwyn, because you never make a lick of sense. You should all try and show a bit more respect, because your little orgasms of insults aren't going to change the fact that it's YOUR BASE that is most confounded by this. Well, actually it's the American people in general that are starting to ask questions. I wonder why you all think that sneering condescendingly at them is going to convince them all to go back to sleep and blindly "trust".

[Lew Clark]

AB,
You really don't have to take up so much bandwidth. You point can be made with much greater simplicity. "Bush Bad! Bush kill us, but first eat our babies!" Cut and paste that every time, we get your message.

[AB]

It's incredible. You sneering blowhards really think Americans DON'T have any right to concern themselves with their own security. And you're too right, Gary, being from the city that actually DID get attacked shouldn't mean a damn thing. After all, "terra" belongs to wingnuts as a partisan political cudgel, doesn't it? It's not as if we're supposed to look for logic in any of this. That would be loony.

[maryrose]

AB
You never answered my question; Who has kept you safe, snugg in your little bed for the last 4 years? That would be our REPUBLICAN president Bush who really is tough on terrorism unlike our dem friends who are SOFT on Terrorism and only TALK tough. All talk no action is the dem way that's why they can't win elections.

[Gary Maxwell]

I wonder why you all think that sneering condescendingly at them...

What we are taking our cues from the behavior of the Left? Well it has worked so well for the Left now hasn't it.

[ats]

Let's anticipate Krauthammer and turn over security to his Likud friends. After all, in CACI guise, they did us proud at Abu Ghraib. Abramoff could arrange it, if he hasn't already done so.

Let's make sure that the money our Indian countrymen gave to the West Bank settler sniper school wasn't given in vain.

[Gary Maxwell]

being from the city that actually DID get attacked shouldn't mean a damn thing.

They brought those planes in thru the Port Authority? Really I had no idea. How come that wasn't in the Paper of Record? I guess Bush probably withheld that news from them. Sheesh.

[Gary Maxwell]

Did I miss it? When did we suspend Habeas Corpus? During the Civil War if memory serves me at all. The rest of your post is almost as wrong and misleading.

[larwyn]

Has Absolutely Banal
gone undercover as:

all that's sheesh!

[AB]

Lincoln's suspension of habeas corpus was later declared unconstitutional by the Supreme court. It's so odd how wingnuts bring that up repeatedly. They are reduced to using our history's darkest moments as justification.

mary rose, keep trusting Bush like he was your daddy. I think I'll try a different idea. How about Trust but Verify?....Hmm, now where did I hear that? Funny how we used to have to deal with foreign enemies that way, and now it's our own dear leader.

[clarice]

Reason also has a rational take on this--http://www.reason.com/hod/kk022406.shtml

And Mac'smind reminds us of BJC's praise of Dubai and arms sales to them..

[Gary Maxwell]

You, moron, brought up Suspension of Habeus Corpus. I was just acknowledging the only time it has happened in our entire history. You really are both craven and a fool JayDee,JDuffy.

[Rick Ballard]

Clarice,

An agreement to leave current management in place - which is precisely what is being done - would have the same effect. I wouldn't cede a half an inch on this one. Leases on freight terminals are simply not a matter of national import. Freight terminal operators are only responsible for security in the sense that any warehouse operation is responsible - regular casualty operation. Fire, theft, that sort of thing. Playing into this meme doesn't make any sense. It's a definitional game and the press are going to wind up looking the fool after a bit.

[larwyn]

Looking forward to a perhaps doubled pleasures evening with Friday Night Live and the *2hrs of "24" on FOX beginning a 8PM EST.

Not going to let "the turkeys get me down" or riled. It is after 5PM
here......already TGIF!

*don't know if these are new or just reruns - it's hours 2 & 3 PM
Bauer-time.

[Karl]

FWIW, the UAE is not designated as a state sponsor of terrorism.

I am sorta amused that many of the people up in arms about the UAE also tend to support putting the UN -- which counts among its members many countries that are anti-Israel and supportive of various forms of terrorism -- in charge of things.

[SteveMG]

Rick:
It's a definitional game and the press are going to wind up looking the fool after a bit

One would wish so but who will correct their errors?

I've heard all day on the news updates (mostly CNN but also other media organizations) that there will be protests organized by longshoreman unions to oppose "The turnover of port operations to a foreign company" (or words closely similar).

Port operations. Not terminals. The whole damned operations at the ports turned over.

Just horrific reporting. And this is four days into the story; not exactly breaking news where reporters can get things wrong in the fog of events.

Frankly, I'm surprised that only 64% of the public is against the sale. If I thought all operations at six key ports were to be turned over to a company owned by the UAE, I'd sure as hell be on the phone telling my representatives to nix the deal.

SMG

[clarice]

Rick, I'm getting really worn out trying to correct the lying MSM--It would be nice if the WH had a press office worth the name--ditto the DOD etc..I hate lies but there are a million new ones spun and played out every minute it seems.

[PeterUK]

"You should all try and show a bit more respect,"

AB respect is earned not owned.

As to this:-
"keep trusting Bush like he was your daddy."

Who else is there to trust?Your party is out of power,admittedly doing an excellent job of tripping their own side,yes their own side the Jihad hates all of you,"Little Liberals and Little Conservatives" alike.

So stop screaming and jumping up and down like a spinster who has been goosed,all this faux moral outrage isn't worth shit when someone is trying to kill you.

You might like to examine container traffic across the Canadian and Mexican borders,but oops,something as large as a container isn't needed for a nuclear weapon,better check trucks vans and cars.
Oh dear! Nuclear backpacks as well.
Meanwhile, anywhere in the US somebody can be putting together a powerful bomb based on commercial fertiliser.
Hell! It's a scary world isn't it.

[Rick Ballard]

"Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, neither faints nor is weary. There is no searching of His understanding. He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall. But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength: they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint."

Good enough for Isaiah, good enough for me.

[larwyn]

COO of DP was on CNN yesterday.

"Iraeli shipping line is one of our
biggest clients"

We, the USA used UAE backdoor to Taliban government. Another rewrite of history is no one is mentioning that Clinton's admin was paying the Taliban millions for helping out the "drug war"!

If the idiots would just find the UAE on a map and then get out that little Monopoly ship, they could play the "I'm a tanker full of Iraqi oil. How to I get to Chirac's countrymen so they won't freeze this winter?"

{They care about France don't they?}

And finally, to want this tiny little country, that has bent over backwards building US operational airbases and port service space, to add "recognizing Israel" to the list.

These are the people who are afraid to publish the Danish cartoons but want the UAE to wave
even more red flags at the crazies
just across the Persian Gulf.

Show us your "stones" before you demand same from others.

[clarice]

All right, Rick, since you've made an iirestible appeal...

[JM Hanes]

AB

"With any luck, this story will be a catalyst. Because people ARE listening on this one, and they're refusing to be herded into your left/right bunkers. This one is makeing them sit up and listen."

Where have I heard that before? It has a really familiar ring.

"You should all try and show a bit more respect, because your little orgasms of insults aren't going to change the fact that it's YOUR BASE that is most confounded by this."

Are you telling me the wingnuts in here AREN'T the extremist Bush base after all? If it weren't for the orgasms of insults, that would be a real disappointment.

[AST]

Unbeliever,

I had the same thoughts, even before the poll.

All in all, I don't see any rational reason to oppose this deal, but there is a strong political one. So naturally the Democrats, those famous promoters of racial profiling and discrimination, are totally opposed to it.

[topsecretk9]

Because people ARE listening on this one,

This ONE? You give yourself away everytime. Oppose Bush to oppose Bush...because we have no ideas, agenda, platform what so ever. Sweet.

[topsecretk9]

oops,

because we have no ideas, agenda, platform what so ever. Sweet.

that is the agenda.

[Rick Ballard]

"wingnuts in here"

Ahem - that would be members of TAC, Inc. (I need to check into whether an LLC wouldn't be a better form of ownership) Your position as Pontiffacatrix requires attention to proper forms of address.

There is a small fine involved in this, I'll be back to you shortly with the entire amount (although interest accrues from the moment of infraction).

[maryrose]

I'm proud to say Bush is my daddy!
Hey AB Who's yo mamma?

[Davebo]

Off topic but timely.

So Tom, under your theory, will William F. Buckley be labeled a realist, an idiot, or a liberal?

;0)

Guess we'll see in the next 24 to 48 hours eh?

[Mackenzie]

The sale of the 6 ports to a UAE company is probably not a threat to our security, and the UAE has been helpful to our interests. But it is hard not to notice the irony.

The UAE government, which owns the ports management company, had pre-9/11 ties to Bin Laden, recognized the Taliban regime in Afghanistan, and was home to some of the hijackers. The government of Iraq had minimal contact with Al Queda and no Iraqis were among the 19 hijackers.

We invaded Iraq, but are letting the UAE have ownership control of 6 of our ports.

[Rick Ballard]

"We invaded Iraq, but are letting the UAE have ownership control of 6 of our ports."

Still false and will continue to be so no matter how often it is repeated. A freight terminal is not a port.

Who turned the memebots loose? Is Soros paying doubletime today?

If Mr. Buckley cannot distinguish the difference then the kindest reply is that in your eighties some things are not as they appear.

[larwyn]

Dear Lord,
Do they have a relay team going to drive us mad with questions already answered?

Mackenszie,
It would be not be necessary for the USA to invade UAE we already
occupy with USA AIRBASES AND
PORT SERVICE STATIONS.

Read up a little bit - and all will be answered.

No patience - we of TAC are in preparation for our secret Fiday Night Ritual. Go to A J STRATA
and MarineBeret for answers to all and more links than you can handle.

[topsecretk9]

"We invaded Iraq, but are letting the UAE have ownership control of 6 of our ports."

But rest assured, if they'd like to talk with al queda on the telephone, Democrats will fight to to protect that privacy right!

Maybe Bush can promise he and Laura will do OT on the phone monitoring.

[SteveMG]

Mackenzie:
are letting the UAE have ownership control of 6 of our ports.

The will have no control of our ports. None. Zero.

The UAE will own nothing. Not one square inch of American land will be sold to them.

They will lease - lease as in rent - about 24 terminals (I've seen the recent number as 21) at six ports. At these terminals, they will unload the cargo from ships that land here.

They are renting terminals. Not buying them. Not buying ports. Not operating ports.

The terminals are publicly-owned property. They cannot be sold. We are renting the use of them to a company owned by the UAE.

And frankly, about now I'm going nuts with the damned misinformation that our media is disseminating.

SMG

[PeterUK]

Mr Ballard,
The was nothing to stop the dissenters from forming a company and bidding for the P&O freight terminal operation,nor was there any impediment to Mr Soros.
It would seem the root of this is our collectivist friends demanding a controlling voice in the free market.
A point they avoid completely is that no US company bid on this.P&O are still going to sell,if not the UAE,who? How does this make foreign ownership any more secure?

[Sue]

Peter,

Watch for Halliburton to ride in and save the day. ::grin::

[Lew Clark]

I think the TAC should bid on the terminal operations. Good money to be made and it would cause AB to swoon with visions of rightwingnut propaganda being shipping into the heart of critical Red States.

[Rick Ballard]

Ah, Mr Uk,

Once again hammer meets nail head. The eternal call of the loon drifts across my fair land, as oft echoed from the right as from the left. People who would not recognize a port or a freight terminal if it were a mastiff hanging from their posterior offer up billions of pixels worth of prose based upon a false premise.

It is if each one of them had been personally trained by Jeff Rosen or Steve Lovelady at the Columbia School of Propaganda. PT Barnum's dictum is proven once again, as is the old saying "you can't go broke underestimating American's intelligence."

Were ignornace bliss we should truly be a happy lot.

[maryrose]

Ehrlich of Baltimore Maryland says he's inclined to support the Port deal as is Jeb Bush. That's 2 governors out of 6.

[Extraneus]

Days later, this whole thing is still ridiculous. I'm far from lax about national security, but this is just silly. As far as I'm concerned, a lot of Arabs should simply be exterminated. That's just to establish my bona fides on the point. In fact, I think there are thousands of Arabs, perhaps millions, that sooner or later will have to be dealt with quite severely, for our own safety and for that of the rest of the world. However... There's such a thing as a watch list of state sponsors of terrorism. Numerous countries are on it, but the UAE isn't. And if the UAE isn't on it, then either it needs to be, or this is simply anti-Arab hysteria stoked by cynical politics that seems to be working quite well on a lot of Republicans. Maybe most Americans don't know any Arabs, but I do, and the ones I know are fine people. We can't simply discriminate against all Arabs in general without some objective way to distinguish between good and evil. And that needs to be something above-board like a watch list. Otherwise, we should just be at war with all of them, or Islam in general, with eager bipartisan support.

I want to see those who are hysterical about this port business come out in favor of deporting or interning the Arabs already here, closing the borders to any others, and making it illegal for any of them to buy American businesses. Otherwise, how is this logical? It's only certain types of businesses that get extra-legal discrimination? Certain types of Arabs? The ones who have already infiltrated us are ok, but the port operators are another thing entirely? Really, how can people be on the same side of this as Hillary and Schumer and not question their motives? Does anyone really think these two are actually concerned about security?

The same people who are fretting over listening in on al-Qaeda phone calls, lauding the leakers as heroes, advocating surrender in Iraq and doing high-fives over killing the Patriot Act are trying to establish their national security credentials on this issue. Sure, there's a union and campaign finance angle and it's even more complicated than that, but not by much I bet.

[Sue]

All I know is the world has turned upside down. Sean Hannity and Hillary Clinton sound the same. Rush Limbaugh and Jimmy Carter are hard to tell apart. I think I fell into an alternate universe.

[maryrose]

Extraneus; You are wise beyond your years and intrinsically correct in your statements.

[PeterUK]

Mr Ballard,
The dissenters must put forward an alternative plan for the lease of the terminal,no not nationalisation.Further, a respctable plan which does not insult an ally and bona fide bidder.
"You can't have it because yous Arabs", simply will not do.
So often only the negative is emitted from the left,what they don't want should not happen,but something IS going to happen,for once it would be more adult if consideration was given to what that something might be.
When will they learn that the absence of what they don't want does not mean an absence of anything?
What is plan B?

[larwyn]

Dibs on Stephen Hayes of the Weekly Standard, on with Crazed Chris, mentions that he was taken aback when GW talked about "isolationism" in SOTU.

Hmmmmmm
Did K/S/S weigh having the Dems show themselves to be racists,
with getting Michigan Red and closer to Purple in New Jersey?

I think the Emirs of the UAE know that they only have George Bush to depend on to stand up to Iran and the radicals -- and they may be in on it. Think The Great Game
and remember that not all of those Reagan gamers are dead. Think misinformation pushed by all those surprising OP-Ed's and appearances
by Reagan team members.

I was taught that when I got to heaven I would also know all. Not in any hurry - but a reason to not be afraid of death - all those answers, finally.

The Emirs know that the
Dems will be happy to appease and the little Arab countries will be the first ones bullied by the Mad
Mullahs.

All their eyes should be brown, they are so full of it. They point out all these UAE appeasements while they are pooping their pants thinking about publishing the Danish Cartoons.

Do they ever really look in the mirror or read what they write or hear what they say. Don't think so.

[Sue]

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/24/opinion/24fri1.html?_r=1&oref=slogin>NYTIMES

Am I reading this right? Is the NYTs now saying they are backing off their earlier stance? And blaming Bush, instead of themselves, for all the bad press for an ally of our's in the WOT?

[PeterUK]

Another point would be,the fatuous "Invasion will create a thousand bin Ladens",how will a racist slur on the UAE not also create more.
Arabs are very proud people,insulting them is not the most effective way of endearing yourself to them.

[Sue]

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/22/opinion/22wed1.html?n=Top%2fOpinion%2fEditorials%20and%20Op%2dEd%2fEditorials>NYTIMES before they changed their mind

They are certainly saying something different today than what they said here.

[Jim Rockford]

The polls are driven by the American people correctly assessing the risk and not being driven by cronyism and Arab appeasement.

UAE's entire existence depends on US patronage, so we have no cause to coddle them. Without the US Navy they would have long ago been swallowed up by the Saudis or Omanis. The predecessor to the UAE, the Trucial States, depended on the Brits, we simply replaced the British.

As far as this deal goes, the risk is that the UAE, which is shot through with Al Qaeda people (princelings hung out with Bin Laden personally) would assist Al Qaeda with valuable information about Port operations and security, and even assist in expediting cargo offloading. Which is needed to get a nuke into DC or Times Square. Nuking a port is significant but not "big" like Al Qaeda's operations. Their slogan seems to be "go big or go home" and 9/11 seems their baseline for attacks on the US: massive and surprising with ever bigger casualty lists.

Bush DESERVES censure by Congress so he understands:

A. It's politically stupid to coddle Arab countries at the expense of security.
B. The American people are in a Toby Keith mood and Republicans had better compete with Dems in endorsing it in positive and constructive ways. Such as clearly defining limits for questionable regimes such as the UAE or Pakistan.

[Extraneus]

They point out all these UAE appeasements while they are pooping their pants thinking about publishing the Danish Cartoons.

Good one, larwyn.

[Sue]

The polls are driven by the American people correctly assessing the risk and not being driven by cronyism and Arab appeasement.

This coming from the group that doesn't want the telephone calls of people with ties to known terrorists listend in on? It could almost be funny, if I could figure out how to get out of this alternate universe I've fallen into....

[Rick Ballard]

Mr Uk,

As one with more than a passing experience of moving containers through three of the ports in question (SC, FL, LA) may I assure you that no American company of consequence will have anything to do with the ILU? There may be honest men involved in doing the work but none have ever risen to the position of Business Agent. The union is one of the strongest still in existence and it extorts wages that are the stuff of which dreams are made from the companies involved in running the freight hubs. A crane operator willing to put in a modest amount of overtime (say five hours per week) will draw in excess of $120,000 per annum for his efforts. Entrance into this union is primarily by birthright (at least it is on the West Coast) and work slowdowns are as common as sunrise.

P & O has made a wise decision, as have the American companies who wish to have nothing to do with the crooks of the ILU. Senators Clinton and Schumer, OTOH, are quite comfortable in the company of thieves, recognizing kindred spirits, as it were.

The commentariat of both the left and right is so totally clueless concerning that upon which it pontificates in this instance that one doesn't know whether to laugh or to cry upon reading the work produced. I've rarely seen such rank stupidity exhibited by so many who should know better than to regurgitate the spew produced by pols whose pockets have been amply lined by the unions in question.

[larwyn]

Jim Rockford,
I have a post on this thread that
explains exactly how container ships work. It also explains why
an operator already in business all over the rest of the world is a
great asset for us.

I posted it a 11:54AM, so you'll have no trouble finding it.

AND FOR THE 22ND TIME:

I would not test Allah's will by getting within the 12 or even 100 mile limit, let alone having the container off loaded. Talk to port
people about how many times bottom
actually fall off the container.
- You don't see people standing under the gantry for that reason.

Just put the warhead on a missle and match target to missle range and you're turning ship and changing heading before the BOOM!

Get it?

I used to like the Rockford Files!

[SteveMG]

Jim:
Bush DESERVES censure by Congress so he understands

Okay, I'll give it a shot.

What action has Bush taken in this matter that warrants a Congressional censure?

My guess from your post is that he has coddled Arab countries, specifically in this case the UAE.

But since this arrangement to allow the UAE to lease terminals (or more accurately, purchase a British company that had leased the terminals) is still being reviewed and not yet approved, no one can argue that he has "coddled" the UAE on this venture. Because, again, the venture has not been done.

SMG

[PeterUK]

JR,
Bush isn't "coddling" antbody,the UAE company bid on a publicly listed British company P&O on the open market,this kind of transaction is a common occurrence.
The lease will be sold,so to whom if not the UAE?

BTW,If you want Iran you better check where the UAE are on the map Lose access there,and the approaches to Kuwait and the Arabian gulf are down the pan.That is the ports for Iraq flushed.

[Rick Ballard]

I wonder how Jim feels about the Arab flagged bulk transports sailing our inland waterways.

If I put 50K gallons of diesel in and loaded 200 tons of amonium nitrate on top of it I could create a ship bomb that would beat the snot out of any suitcase nuke and most of its bigger cousins.

Homeland Security is a fiction for the rubes. Killing sheiks, princelings, bankers and Talib, OTOH, is a pretty good way to discourage support of terrorism as a tactic.

Ask the Hamas leaders temporarily above ground. If you can find anyone willing to say that they are a Hamas leader.

It doesn't stop it but it sure slows it down.

[larwyn]

Sue,
It is known that a Dormouse head
improves the flavor the organic
herbals they sip.
Don't they make you feel like Alice in her armor wielding her tiny sword?

Rick,
Absolutely correct on the ports and throw in reason so few ships on the seas are U.S. Flagged. More
than 625 U S Merchant Marine vessels were lost in the 2nd World
War. Impossible today - we don't have half that number!
And what I tried to tell Jim Rockford about bottoms falling out of containers - I have lived thru.
When double paned windows and doors
were becoming popular in this country, I got a new client with lots of volume to go to the UK.
Even high quality U S contruction can't stand up to 25 foot drop when
bottom fails on old container.

Someone tell me when
FRIDAY NIGHTS LIVE BEGINS - AND WHERE IS IT? Don't answer 2nd part, don't want to be followed.

[larwyn]

Great point on the inland waterways
Rick.

It drove me nuts that the Ruskies were on the Lakes during the Cold War. And we can blame them for all those nasty mussels making messes of fresh water intakes and sewage exhausts.

Saw a study that proved that the Left has tendency to go into "words" careers. They show their total lack of knowledge in subjects that require skill at logistics/operations/adding and subtracting - but do have poll manipulation down pretty good.

[PeterUK]

Mr Ballard,
Reading between the lines,I got the impression that P&O were ridding themselves of a poisoned Chalice.Perhaps the fear is Sharia Law will be instituted amongst the employees.

Having seen what a relatively small,compact truck, nitrate bomb can do,the conclusion can only be that people are frightened of the wrong things.Have they any idea about the cargos of LPG and powdered metals roaring around your roads?

[JM Hanes]

Booksmaster:

You know perfectly well that undercover and/or covert infractions don't count! Except in a good way. Must I petition the Goddess to introduce restraints? And not in a good way.

In addition, I feel quite confident in asserting that it is neither TAC, INC nor LLC but TAC S.A. The rate at which I'm being compelled to supply the necessary letters here will soon threaten the financial well being of TAC itself. You're welcome to approach the MUSES for a discounted rate (NOT recommended), but I'd suggest a bi-lateral all-things-being-equal memorandum of understanding as to charges and countercharges.

[Rick Ballard]

"Have they any idea about the cargos of LPG and powdered metals roaring around your roads?"

Nope. Utterly and totally clueless. Outside of those with military training. Which reminds me, my primary training was as a medic but as a medic I was able to have a good deal of fun in learning how to shoot various weapons, one of which was the 81mm mortar. I actually became proficient enough with the mortar to hit a refrigerator at a distance of 2km with 3 shots (about 90 seconds worth of shooting). I live less than 50 km from a refinery with holding tanks of millions of gallons of gasoline sited on a navigable tributary. I estimate the perimeter fence of the refinery to be approximately 1km from the nearest tank and 3km from the farthest. The road around the refinery is quite desolate (for this area) and I believe that I could probably take out the entire refinery in somewhat less than ten minutes (with a mortar and about thirty rounds). All necessary equipment would fit in my pickup and could be covered with a tarp that would excite no attention whatsoever. Alternatively, I could make the trip in my boat and have a better chance of eluding authorities.

As I mentioned, Homeland Security is a farce - we are protected by the projection of force into the lands of those who finance and send the terrorists. The rest is fodder for the cattle.

[Rick Ballard]

Madame Pontiffacatrix,

The instant matter has been referred to the Goddess for appropriate resolution. Tolling on interest charges has not been suspended in the interim but remains, of course, at the discretion of the Goddess wrt final disposition.

Your suggestion concerning the utility of using Societa' Anonima in lieu of LLC or Inc. is well founded. CEO and founder, Tom Maguire has not indicated at this time the appropriate venue which he deems appropriate for incorporation (or perhaps more appropriately materialization) of the enterprise. While the Goddess will undoubtedly have final say in this matter I wait in anticipation of instruction.

Cordially, etc.

PS My title is 'Keeper of the Golden Books' - there's a penalty for misuse involved there, also.

[Clash]

This is absofuckolutely incredible. I did NOT realize until this debacle how completely the wingnut brigade has replace shit for their brains!

Invade a country NOT aligned with 9/11 terrorists, destabilize the region and excuse it in the name of spreading democracy! Cool! Get 10-50 thousand young Americans killed or maimed in the process and hang them out to dry in an underfunded vet system! Yay! That's what makes Memorial Day worth the BBQ!

Invite a country that financed and supplied bodies for 9/11, that sent their royal family to dine with Osama, that seeks the destruction of Israel, that has an autocratic Islamic royal non democratic leadership to BUY our port terminals! YeelHaw!

And why the hell not?

Let's list why it's cool. You can pick from yer favorite!

1. Bush would never let us down. He loves us like a baby loves its mammy, like a cowboy loves his sheep.

2. Why bother with port security? We got the Mafia unloading the ships and what could be worse than that? Plus, shee-it , who uses ships anymore anyways?

3. No one would EVER smuggle anything on a ship, since, hell you could kill the whole world with just a few packets of white powder. You could send that through the P.O.!

4. If anything happens through a UAE port, we'll just blow all their kids to kingdom come, so they HAVE to be good.

5. What kind of lefty loony moonbat would think that an arab country that oppresses its poor and encourages Islamic fundamentalism would present any openings for infiltrating US ports? They KILL all the suspicious characters. Don't worry, be happy.

6. All they're gonna control are the candy machines and the johns in the terminal. What are you - against free enterprise, commie?

7. Did we have any attacks since 9/11? Ok, case closed, we are officially safe forever...as long as you don't ever elect no moonbats. Or ask any questions.

8. However, please remain under your beds in fear of terrorism because we do NOT want to explain why we have suspended your civil liberties or expanded executive power beyond Nixons wildest dreams. It's all because we love you. And the Constitution is really old. And ...um, what are you - a damn defeatist?

9. Go back to that awesome widescreen tv, pop another brewski and jerk off to your internet porn. Nighty night, like a good little hedonistic patriot.

But don't worry your little self that
The Marine Transportation Security Act of 2002 requires vessels and port facilities to conduct vulnerability assessments and develop security plans including passenger, vehicle and baggage screening procedures; security patrols; establishing restricted areas; personnel identification procedures; access control measures; and/or installation of surveillance equipment.

Under the same law, port facility operators may have access to Coast Guard security incident response plans -- that is, they would know how the Coast Guard plans to counter and respond to terrorist attacks

And remember whatever you do...Don't elect no dummycrats cuz only us Great 'Murrcans can keep you and yours safe.

One can truly only PRAY that the average American is smarter than you asskissing cowards and toadies.

[Sue]

1. Bush would never let us down. He loves us like a baby loves its mammy, like a cowboy loves his sheep.

I'm not sure why, but for some reason, of all the rants in the post, this one struck me as the funniest. Coming from someone who named people here wingnuts, I'm assuming the ranter is a card carrying liberal.

[SteveMG]

BUY our port terminals! YeelHaw!

Well, I guess that's some improvement.

We've gone from them buying our ports to now just buying our terminals.

Of course, the terminals can't be bought because they're publicly-owned and laws forbid their purchase.

They are, of course, being leased. To unload container cargo or for stevedore operations.

Bush derangement syndrome makes people say and do funny things.

Funny in all senses of that word.

SMG

[clarice]

I'm calling FNL--Pick a dull thread and let's go.

As to charges and interest, when the goddess delegates, she delegates. Deal with Rick. He has the final word. (I've got chants and divinations to work out and virtual cirgins to pick.) Now whoever ahasn't been assigned, let me know what you're iterested in, There's room for everyone and with Rick handling the finances, we've money enough to compensate everyone richly.

[clarice]

Virgins, that is--

[Sue]

Are you only compensating virgins? ::grin::

[larwyn]

Rick,
"The rest is fodder for the cattle."

They hate sending our red blooded
"rough men" out to pre empt. No union jobs involved and that means all those dues don't find their way into Dem coffers.

Now if they could unionize the military and put it under the Department of Peace all would be well with the world.

[Rick Ballard]

R/S/S giggled. The sudden release of endorphins overcame his well disciplined inhibitory mechanisms to the point where he actually guffawed.

"What's up, Turd Blossom?"

"You won't, I mean, absolutely won't believe this boss. You know the little game we're playing on the freight terminal thing, right?"

"You mean that UAE deal, right?"

"Yeah, that's it. Look, I called Mowlitt's Ass yesterday - doing my George bit - and told him this was the real deal - jump on board with all four hooves 'cause this was gonna carry us to victory. Then I called Schumer's and Clinton's offices as Bob and told them: "Look, they'll never figure out the ILU connection and who the hell knows about the difference between a freight terminal and a port, anyway?"

They all hopped on like they were finding manna in the desert, the NYT slackers in the ed columns who couldn't tell a container from a condom jumped in beside 'em and they're whirling up a stew of idiocy like we havn't seen since Ambassador Munchausen got the NYT op-ed page. The only problem is that some of the guys on our side are too dumb to find the door in a telephone booth.

"Karl, I follow you on the main point but how does this help in the long run?"

"Boss, they're boxed. This is a 'long bleeder' - everyone involved that's talking through there hats gets the idiots prize at the end. We'll start pushback tomorrow and let Schumer and Clinton start explaining the union and competitor money in their re-election accounts. Limbaugh caught it early and the numbers will start moving by the end of next week."

"This is gonna be more fun than marrying Reid to Abramoff."

Karl watched the boss as he walked away shaking his head. He smiled, picked up the phone and dialed the number which rang in the governors office in Texas. Pick 'em early and ride 'em hard - Lee would be proud.

[PeterUK]

Where to start with this coruscating cavalcade of cretinism?

"This is absofuckolutely incredible. I did NOT realize until this debacle how completely the wingnut brigade has replace shit for their brains!

"Invade a country NOT aligned with 9/11 terrorists, destabilize the region and excuse it in the name of spreading democracy! Cool! Get 10-50 thousand young Americans killed or maimed in the process and hang them out to dry in an underfunded vet system! Yay! That's what makes Memorial Day worth the BBQ!"

10-50 Killed? Only the second paragraph and your synapses begin to misfire,are you Steve Lovelady?

"Invite a country that financed and supplied bodies for 9/11, that sent their royal family to dine with Osama, that seeks the destruction of Israel, that has an autocratic Islamic royal non democratic leadership to BUY our port terminals! YeelHaw!"

"And why the hell not?"

Because they did not invite the UAE to bid,the bid was on the open market for a British owned company.

"Let's list why it's cool. You can pick from yer favorite!"

"1. Bush would never let us down. He loves us like a baby loves its mammy, like a cowboy loves his sheep."

On that basis,he woild be a sheepboy,what's the matter,aren't you a Brokeback fan?

"2. Why bother with port security? We got the Mafia unloading the ships and what could be worse than that? Plus, shee-it , who uses ships anymore anyways?"

Now Now,little fellow,don't go making shit up.

"3. No one would EVER smuggle anything on a ship, since, hell you could kill the whole world with just a few packets of white powder. You could send that through the P.O.!"

See above,and perhaps you should lay off the white powder,there are your grades to think of.

"4. If anything happens through a UAE port, we'll just blow all their kids to kingdom come, so they HAVE to be good."

Why are you peacenics so violent.is it the drugs?

"5. What kind of lefty loony moonbat would think that an arab country that oppresses its poor and encourages Islamic fundamentalism would present any openings for infiltrating US ports? They KILL all the suspicious characters. Don't worry, be happy."

So basically you are a racist?

"6. All they're gonna control are the candy machines and the johns in the terminal. What are you - against free enterprise, commie?"

It is a container terminal you poor benighted quarterwit,containers don't need to take a leak.This is a union terminal the family control the candy machine in ths canteen.

"7. Did we have any attacks since 9/11? Ok, case closed, we are officially safe forever...as long as you don't ever elect no moonbats. Or ask any questions."

The phrase is elect ANY moonbats you oaf.Of course you can ask questions,but you seem to render the exercise redundant by answering them yourself.

"8. However, please remain under your beds in fear of terrorism because we do NOT want to explain why we have suspended your civil liberties or expanded executive power beyond Nixons wildest dreams. It's all because we love you. And the Constitution is really old. And ...um, what are you - a damn defeatist?"

Now you might consider containers to be animate objects,probably some kind of anthropomorphism induced by a childhood friendship with a tin of beans,but really the civil liberties of inanimate objects is down the road somewhat.

"9. Go back to that awesome widescreen tv, pop another brewski and jerk off to your internet porn. Nighty night, like a good little hedonistic patriot."

There seems to be some kind of class antagonism here,or perhaps you have been confined to your room for amusing yourself by abusing yourself.Is your eyesight getting a little dim?

"But don't worry your little self that
The Marine Transportation Security Act of 2002 requires vessels and port facilities to conduct vulnerability assessments and develop security plans including passenger, vehicle and baggage screening procedures; security patrols; establishing restricted areas; personnel identification procedures; access control measures; and/or installation of surveillance equipment.

Under the same law, port facility operators may have access to Coast Guard security incident response plans -- that is, they would know how the Coast Guard plans to counter and respond to terrorist attacks"

The terminals of course,have customs and police assigned,the same procedure that is obtains at all ports of entry.But have you seen a container terminal? Like a vast metal city.But of course you haven't cherub.

"And remember whatever you do...Don't elect no dummycrats cuz only us Great 'Murrcans can keep you and yours safe."

Now here Clashi baby I totally concur,"them dummycrats is only good for shagging the help"

"One can truly only PRAY that the average American is smarter than you asskissing cowards and toadies."

You of the leftist preying persuasion Clashi? Od combination.
Seems you are all for slapping an ally in the face with a wet fish,but run cringing from a fight with enemies.

[clarice]

Trixie was upset at first when she received her pink slip from the AFL-CIO just after she'd mailed those Abramoff checks, but she was hardly out the door when she got a better offer from R/S/S Inc. Ltd.
"Trixie we know how smart you are,"he man at R/S/S said. We'd like to make you an offer.."

And before she could blink it seemed, she had a big desk and a phone bank to run.

It wasn't hard after practicing.
"Hello, I wonder if you could help us with this poll. It will only take about 5 minutes and for participating we'll send you a fabulous 20 pc set of Ronco Samurai knives..
"I'm going to play you this speech Al Gore, the former Democrat vice -President gave in Jeddah...

Do you agree with him that we have treated Arabs badly?
Do you think we should ease the visa requirements for Arabs who wish to come here?
Do you think it's a bad thing to listen in on Al Qaeda conversations with people in the U.S.?

Now I'm going to play this speech by Bill CLinton on Dubai...

Do you think he lied when he said they were good allies with us on the WOT?

Finally, I'm going to play this speech by Hillary CLinton on Dubai?
Do you think we should let them lease terminal space to load and unload containers under US supervision?"

[topsecretk9]

"This is absofuckolutely incredible. I did NOT realize until this debacle how completely the wingnut brigade has replace shit for their brains!

You know, it's this kind of zealotry, on the "debacle" that makes the "bigotry" claim more palatable

[Barney Frank]

Pete,

To be fair to Mr Clash he did say 10-50 thousand killed OR maimed.

Otherwise he is just as loony as you said.

I figured I better respond for him as he's probably out shagging the help, or considering what he said about Bush, maybe he's out shagging the sheep.

[PeterUK]

Barney,
Killed or injured might be more accurate.It's the lose use of language,takes no account of those who can return to duty or normal life.
Yes I got the impression he was a sheep man,that would make it Berkeley then?

[Rick Ballard]

Line three rang in Sen. Chuck Schumer's private office. He glanced at it with a tinge of fear on his face. Line three was a very, very private number.

"This is Sen. Schumer."

"Chuck?"

"Yes, Sen. Schumer warbled, feeling an unfamiliar looseness a little south of his belt."

"Chuck, this is Tooch - you recognize my voice?"

"Oh yes, Tooch, I couldn't forget it."

"Chuck, you know we've got an investment in you. You know that we threw one of our own, D'Amato, under the train to put you where you are, right?"

"Yes, Tooch, I know that"

"Look schmuck, we didn't do that for nothing. We've had our hooks into P&O since they bought their contract and we like the way we've trained them to do business. There's no damned way we're interested in any ragheads taking over their turf. Do you understand me?"

"Yeah, Tooch, I'll do what I can."

"No schmuck - you'll do what you're told. And so will that bitch. Now get off the phone and go to work. Don't make me call you again."

"I understand, Tooch."

"You better, Senator. You damn well better."

[maryrose]

R/S/S rubbed his hands together in glee! " Yes by golly the Senate in South Dakota passed that bill he and Governor Rounds had talked about regarding abortion. Boy 5 years and counting on that one. First he had to get Rounds elected and then make sure Frist realized he was going to have to campaign against Daschle to make sure Thune got elected and Daschle was out. " " Well serves Daschle right after all that obstruction of judges he championed" " Now they've got that old fool Reid in there who is totally ineffective and just blew the Ohio Senate race away by throwing Hackett from the train. But I digress... Wait until the Christian Coalition gets a picture of the new Supreme Court taking on partial birth abortion and then the South Dakota case. They'll come out in droves in 08 if they think a republican president will get to select another Supreme Court justice. My work is done..