When the attacks of September 11, 2001 occured despite the fact that we had known the airlines were a target of terrorists I did not blame our sitting president but instead opened my eyes to the bigger picture. What I saw when I did was that terrorists had been using our airlines as a way to terrify us for decades with a great deal of success. The truth of the matter is that this enemy, like all that have come before it, will find a weakness in either our defenses or our senses and will exploit it to its fullest.

Now concerning the Dubai port deal. Yes it is true that two of the September 11 hijackers had frequented Dubai and that they received funding from sources there. It is also true that Dubai itself had dealt with some of those individuals who later became enemies of our country and their's. It is also true, however, that our military currently uses ports which are serviced by the company in question without incident.

What it all boils down to is that none of us can know what the future will bring. We could allow this company in or we could block them, either way individuals of Middle Eastern descent will work the docks. Honestly I'd like to see some ambitious Americans with money to spend step forward and take over these operations, but none has done so thus far so I don't know what to think will come of all this concern.

This post at Democratic Underground is very good. "When Dean said it, they called him a traitor."

Well, yes, they did. Just a few months ago.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x515132

BUSH AND THE REPUBLICANS HAVE FAILED

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/opinion/13957696.htm

"I'm a big Republican and I think Bush has lost his mind," Newark longshoreman Tom DiDomenico told a local news service here in New Jersey.

Port operators
Re the Feb. 20 story
Arab company's control of some U.S. port operations debated, in which Homeland Security chief Michael Chertoff defends the U.S. security review.
There should be no surprise in this. Whatever the administration wants, its appointees defend. Americans should do everything possible to encourage our representatives to fight against the sale of the operations of six major port facilities to a company controlled by the United Arab Emirates.
How did we ever allow ports to fall into the hands of a company owned by a foreign country, no matter how friendly? More important, why would the administration encourage this foreign buyer to control our ports?
ELLEN SCHINDLER, Davie
Just when you thought that the Department of Homeland Security couldn't be any more inept, we find out that the Bush administration approved the sale of six major U.S. port operations to a company controlled by the United Arab Emirates.
Isn't this the same United Arab Emirates that was one of the few countrys to recognize the Taliban regime in Afghanistan?
Isn't this the same United Arab Emirates that has been the transfer point for rogue nuclear-weapons components and that harbored al Qaeda terrorists?
Are administration officials out of their minds -- or are we for allowing them to remain in power in Washington even one more day?

-------------------------------------

is it 2008 yet?!!!

Posted by ezworld on February 25, 2006 at 07:52 AM

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thank's for that post.George Bush is the biggest idiot in all history.I bet Republicans are glad it's an Election year just to be able to finally get away with distancing themselves from the nutcase.We all know they have been wanting to do that for a while.LOL

The similarities between the August, 2000, PDA warning Bush that Bin Lauden was going to strike within the United States and the glaring ties to al Queda by the UAE are so stunning. It defies logic to say it doesn't matter.

To think Bush would invite a country that harbored the 9/11 highjackers (and that has enabled every form of terrorism since then to florish within it's borders) to set up business within our ports is demented. The President obviously doesn't care about the domestic security of this nation (HIS Government after all?) and its people.

It's been one mistake after another. Beginning with ignoring that PDA and all the rest of Clarke's persistent warnings. Bush then struck Iraq which didn't have anything to do with 9/11; and by doing so, becomes dependent on the UAE to keep our supply lines open. Now the Emir is blackmailing Bush into giving him (and al Queda) access through our ports, so Rumsfeld can continue to use their's for the Iraqi occupation.

Bush has placed us in worst danger from Bin Lauden now than before 9/11. This Republican neocon experiment has been a complete failure.

And the danger is now been institutionalized by the President. The Republicans are actually setting up a supply route for al Queda operatives deep within our borders.

Let's make this plain to the voters this fall. Either they throw the bums out or the inevitable will happen. You only have to look at the chaos in Baghdad today and the administration's handling of Katrina/Rita/Wilma to know you don't want your children or grandchildren to deal with these incompetent, irresponsible people anymore.

BUSH NOW PAYS THE PRICE FOR POLITICIZING NATIONAL SECURITY

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ucas/20060225/cm_ucas/bushnowpaysthepriceforpoliticizingnationalsecurity;_ylt=A86.I2i1u_9DhwABhwz9wxIF;_ylu=X3oDMTBjMHVqMTQ4BHNlYwN5bnN1YmNhdA--

President Bush turns out to be a great professor of politics. His lessons -- he teaches through example -- have become essential political wisdom.

He taught Americans that all Arabs are alike by toppling Saddam Hussein, who had nothing to do with the terrorist atrocities of 9/11.

Bush taught us that in the pursuit of power, politics trumps principle. So you never risk alienating the part of your base that's loony and hateful -- the Ann Coulter chorus -- by publicly criticizing their xenophobia.

And the president taught us that a War on Terror can cover a lot of ground. No programs, no policies, no answers? No problem. When you're waging a War on Terror, you don't have to make sense, and you don't have to explain yourself.

Having led so well, Bush should not be at all surprised that Democrats and Republicans are trampling each other to get to the microphones to denounce the deal allowing an Arab-owned company to manage seaports in New York, Philadelphia, Miami and other cities. Isn't this Karl Rove's playbook?

The Denocratic leaderships mantra on this matter should be FOLLOW THE MONEY we should keep pointing out the financial realtionship btween the Bush family and the Royal family of the UAE.
This administration is obviously wiliing to sell out the security of this country for their own personal gains. It might also help to point out that for something this administration was unaware of they were mighty quick to defend it. And yes, I do find the timing of the donation for Katrina victims and the approval of this as suspect at best.

There are several things that are very dangerous to our Nation. 1.Publishing fear to control the people? Where is the theory, that the Bush Administration has protected us from another attack?
Were we ever in that much danger? Or were the urgency codes used so the Bush Administration could have their way with us?
"I wish someone that has been counting the times the Bush Administration has cleverly controlled with feared the peoples mind? Would write the times in a list?
And now there is no reason to fear the Nation that harbored the Terrorist???? Where Oh Where has my little watch dog gone?

Let us put our thinking caps on and look back to name all the times the code changed when something was being revealed that the Bush Administration wanted their way?

It's now being reported that it's actually not 6 ports, but 21 ports up and down the Eastern and Gulf coasts. This is what Republicans call security.

Nobody seems to be focusing on the main thing the administration and the UAE have in common: They're Big Oil frat brothers! Yeah, let's have an oil cartel country manage our ports! They need more power to manipulate oil prices. It's the oil, stupid!

Follow the money? The Republicans have it all.

How about following the terris enablers? K Street is terris central nowdays. Isn't it odd that past Republican politicans like Bob Dole can't wait to represent these dangerous regimes? Or any other country besides our's?

And just how long do you think it will take before they have these terris moneylaunders operating shipyards, railroad stations, or truck stops in all our backyards? Do we think this will end with just these six/eight ports?

They would put our whole transportation system under the operation of foreign governments for the right price. Bin Lauden will be traveling first-class any place he wants in the country soon...and we won't know...or be able to stop him.

It's complete madness. The President has surrendered to the terris and run the white flag up the pole in front of the White House where the American flag used to fly. The Republican-controlled Congress has us in debt up to the gills to the Asians. The OPEC nations have us over a barrel.

I don't like being blackmailed. And I sure as hell don't like seeing "MY Governement" selling out to other nations.

Throw the bums out.

Posted by arcticopiner on February 25, 2006 at 01:43 PM
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

DITTO! Your right.It's always been about the oil.Bush isn't fooling anyone but the idiots.

(snippets of an article)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/25/AR2006022500648.html

Democrats hit Bush on security

Bush has seen security as a winning political issue for him and his fellow Republicans, particularly ahead of the November mid-term elections. But Democrats have seized on the ports issue to raise doubts about his ability to keep America safe.

A poll this week by Rasmussen Reports showed that Democrats in Congress have edged ahead of Bush, 43 percent to 41 percent, when it comes to who Americans trust more on national security issues.

Some lawmakers have vowed to pass legislation that would block the deal, but Bush has threatened to veto the measure and said the UAE is a key partner in combating terrorism.
-----------------------------------------------
AND....

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates -- The United Arab Emirates was one of only three countries that recognized the Taliban militia as the legitimate rulers of Afghanistan in the 1990s, linking the Perian Gulf nation to one of the world's most hard-line regimes.

-------------------------------------------

with friends like this who needs enemies?!!!

RE: It's always been about the oil. Bush isn't fooling anyone but the idiots. Posted by FreedomOfSpeech

The scary part is that the idiots you are referring to -- aren't idiots. They are very smart people who don't investigate beyond their own party's message -- and that holds true for any party. They are LAZY.

The 9-11 Commissioners were pawns.

They allowed a partial report to be released and become a BEST SELLER without all the data revealed.

If the 9-11 Commission had resisted pressure to
1/ End their work before the election and
2/ Back off from key investigations like FOLLOWING THE MONEY (who DID profit when the Twin Towers went down?) and
3/ Split the commission's work up so it all wouldn't be released before the election (and WHERE IS PART TWO today, anyway?!)
and I bet I've forgot other failings.

Bush&Co used the commission. It is a disgrace that participants did not resign in protest.

Would that we had smart Democratic leadership that would take advantage of EVERY opportunity to bash Republican screwups while - AT THE SAME TIME - providing a clear alternative that would promote a POSITIVE agenda.

In this case, I think the argument ought not to be focusing on the UAE's past (hopefully past) connection with terrorists. That's a real concern, of course. However it's too easy for Bush and Republicans to charge (and the Economist to echo, by the way) that the objections made on that basis are xenophobic. After all, the company bought out Brits who had the contract, right? Evidently we were OK with that, right?

A better argument would be that the Democratic Party, if given the White House and the Congress, would work to find AMERICAN companies to protect AMERICAN ports by employing AMERICAN workers. If we employ Americans to protect Americans, we get the double benefit of enjoying unquestioned loyalty as well as adding to our job base.

But no, we'd rather just bash Bush. Jesus.

Memorize this:
Democratic Party message in 30 seconds:

One: American jobs that will stay in America, using energy independence to generate those jobs.
Two: A strong national defense based on telling the truth to our citizens, our soldiers and our allies.
Three: Honesty and integrity to be restored to government.
Four: A health care system that works for everybody just like they have in 36 other countries.
Five: A strong public education system so we can have optimism and opportunity back in America.

Deepak Chopra
02.24.2006
As the Darkness Closes In
No one can tell if the widespread and totally unchecked violence spreading across Iraq will turn into a declared civil war. But for months the world has held its breath, knowing that such a war was bubbling just beneath the surface. The undeclared sectarian war was already obvious to everyone. Reality is catching up with fantasy, as the neo-cons and other right wingers learn a hard lesson: History isn't the pawn of bright ideas.

Here are the facts reality faces us with: Iraq was a militaristic country ruled by arms. Its male citizens almost universally own guns and often machine guns. They were attacked by armed force, and they live in an unstable region where violence is the most common form of political expression. Killing your political enemy is a daily occurrence. These facts, which have been true for two generations, didn't stop the administration and its neo-con theorists from believing in the fantasy of American troops embraced in the streets, after which a liberated Iraqi people would transform into a free market of democracy-loving consumers ready for Coca-Cola, the Internet, and F-16 fighters.

In the New York Times on Feb. 19 Francis Fukuyama wrote a detailed epitaph and mea culpa for the neo-con beliefs that got us into this immoral and unwinnable conflict.

As intelligent as his article was, every single point had been made in advance by the vast majority of Iraqi experts that the administration arrogantly ignored. We are now isolated and hated as never before. Our allies mistrust us. We have on our record the blot of starting a preemptive war, a blot that will never be erased. The Iraq we have created is weak, divided, and open to destabilizing influence from all sides (the influx of terrorists from other countries is only the beginning -- witness Syria's stranglehold on Lebanon).

The red states believe that the U.S. went into Iraq to bring democracy and prevent terrorist attacks on American soil. Many still believe that, while cynics say this is all about oil. Both sides are mistaken: this was about a right-wing world view that thought it could alter the course of history with the mere wave of a hand. There was no follow-up plan after the Iraqi invasion toppled Saddam because the neo-con world view said none was needed. It also said that the Middle East was ready for democracy. And that the U.S. was a shining model of peace despite our horrific arms buildup.

As the darkness closes in even further, we must accept history for we cannot escape it. It's inevitable that the administration will limp along for three years talking to itself about how right it was. As Iraqi society collapses, the neo-cons will have to live with the truth, which is that they never cared a straw for the Iraqi people. They only wanted to prove that their ideology must prevail. How ironic that their arch-enemy, Communism, spent seventy agonizing years doing exactly the same thing.

Transcript of Dean's 02/20/06 speech in Olympia, WA on one of the 02/25 threads at:

http://howardempowered.blogspot.com/

MaryinSeattle, you must have been there too!

Mary in Seattle and LH-
I like all items on the list but...
Shouldn't the list explicitly emphasize CIVIL LIBERTIES of all types:
-Freedom of Choice
-Feedom of Privacy
-Freedom for Gays
-Freedom for Minorities
-Freedom from Invasions of Privacy
-Freedom from Oppression of the Poor
If these are not on the emphasized list for all Democrats to remember, I'm not sure I want to be a Democrat.
-ma

MaryinSeattle -

You give Fukuyama far too much credit for a "mea culpa."

In his NYT piece he was clear in pointing out the myriad failures of the neocon agenda, yes. However all he said was that he had "parted ways" with his neocon buddies. He never said - "and oh by the way, I was one of the people (along with half the current Bush administration) who signed the 1998 PNAC letter BEGGING Clinton to overthrow Saddam. That letter was all about protecting our security and OIL interests in Iraq and said nothing about the 'poor Kurds'. I was wrong to sign the letter."

Know Thy Enemy

I write this in an effort to inform civilian followers of our war, but if the shoe fits…

We call them terrorist. They happen to reside mainly within what we have come to know as the Middle East, which consists of Bahrain, Cyprus, Egypt, Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Isreal, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates, Yemen, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip. Afghanistan and Pakistan are usually included in this definition although they are not part of what we traditionally know as the Middle East. The Middle East, by the way, defines a cultural area in which Christianity, Judaism, and Islam were born.

Now it is important to understand that the terrorist movement is not a relgious movement, although their leaders would like us to think so. In reality the terrorist movement is a power movement which attempts to use the most popular religion of the area with which to gain that power. Their leaders want nothing more than to see believers of Islam being marginalized by the world because this provides them with a great recruiting atmosphere.

So the next time you hear someone refer to terrorists as Islamic Extremists, Muslim Extremists, or anything of the kind remind them exactly who we are fighting and inform them of the role they play in terrorist’ strategy.

"Memorize this:
Democratic Party message in 30 seconds"

Good start, MaryinSeattle, but the message has to be even shorter than this. I once heard a republican congressman say that he could rattle off the core ideas of the republican platform in eight words. It was effective because he could say it all in less than 10 seconds, and because the message was so short, he could repeat it over and over and over again without boring people. We need to refine our message to that level and hammer it home:

Equal rights
Strong defense
Honest government
Prosperous families
Individual liberty

Unfortunately, people tune out even within 30 seconds. Our message has to adapt to this in order to be effective.

Why aren't the pundits talking about the FEMA factor? Do we really want to trust the same incompetent government agencies that produced the Katrina fiasco telling us they looked into this deal and it's all hunky dory? Isn't our national security more important?

Instead of crisis management, I'd like to have Congress addressing risk management. Either this Republican-controlled Congress begins to do their job (look out for the interests of the American people not the President) or they need to be replaced.

mugwump-

I like it!

Mnemonic is E-ship
E can stand for election.

-ma

The E-SHIP for America

E for EQUAL rights
S for STRONG defense
H for HONEST government
I for INDIVIDUAL liberties
P for PROSPEROUS families

Democrats want equal, strong, honest, prosperous individuals!

Say it electronically (E) and win the election(E).

E-SHIP.

All aboard the E-SHIP! I hope you don't mind (and I'm pretty sure you won't) but I'm going to send that out to my Law Democrats organization along with some talking points to get the school on board leading up to the midterm elections. Any tips on how people can flesh it out if they have questions?

Here we go:

Troops surround Afghan riot jail

Hundreds of Afghan security forces have surrounded a notorious high-security jail where an uprising by up to 2,000 prisoners is under way.

Taleban and al-Qaeda members as well as ordinary criminals are involved.

Hi fade,

looks like the lack of Open thread has thwarted a lot of blogger today. Hopefully they will come in this one instead.

Since probably 98% of Americans had no idea that the British company P&O was managing our ports before Dubai Ports World bought them I tried to find out when this happened. If you google "P&O PORTS MAKES FIRST US INVESTMENT" you will find out that P&O bought US ITO in 1999 for about 75 million dollars and got all of ITO's 17 US ports on the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. P&O has since expanded that to 21 ports in the US. We are being told that this deal with Dubai is for only 6 US ports. I believe it is really for ALL 21 ports since Dubai paid 6.8 billion for ALL of P&O. Is it for all 21 ports?? If it is then the Democrats ought to be calling the Bush Administration on it. All American citizens need to know that if this is true then they have not been truthful in saying this deal is only for 6 ports! I would like to see JUST ONE NEWS PERSON, GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL, ANYBODY ASK PUBLICALLY THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION IF THIS DEAL IS FOR ALL 21 OF P&Os US PORTS! Any American left in this country able to find out the truth on this??????

Hi Pam

It seems like we lost a few to the "Exile" place, etc. I stopped in a few times, but there was no one posting.

It's very good to see you. I'd hate to see this go flat, after all these years you've had it going. Surely it will revv back up come election time.

I want to know WHY, even today, Wolf and others on TV, STILL saying it is 6 Ports that we are giving up!

WASHINGTON, Feb. 24 (UPI) -- A United Arab Emirates government-owned company is poised to take over port terminal operations in 21 American ports, far more than the six widely reported.

http://www.upi.com/SecurityTerrorism/view.php?StoryID=20060223-051657-4981r

WINNOVO6

Jinx !

fade,

Hopefully the novelty of having one's own blog will pale, as we get closer to the 06 elections.

They lack an ongoing conversation on those, and they are just not for me. I don't like just hit and run type chatting.

It is so necessary to brainstorm with a group, as we get closer and closer. those 252 days will go by so quickly!

It is so necessary to brainstorm with a group, as we get closer and closer. those 252 days will go by so quickly!

Posted by PamB on February 26, 2006 at 04:41 PM

Couldn't agree more, Pam. I hope we have the energy, the focus and the discipline to deliver the votes. I didn't watch the "pundits" today, did you? Knew better than to turn on Meet the Press with all reThugs on...all i can do is shake my head...

Hi, Pam and fade--I finally found you guys! I have to admit, it's been my fault. I've been so busy with the move, the job, the book, and the dog (who's still a puppy after 18 months). I'm also a lot less isolated having moved into Democratic Albany, where the second biggest party is the Greens. However, one of the folks in my political discussion group--also my writing critique group--had a letter in the NY Times this week about the Dubai ports deal. Summarizing briefly, he argued that Bush was actually right on this one but his creation and exploitation of the politics of fear had come to bite him in the hindquarters.

yeah, what happened? In 1999:

The ports of operation are Searsport, Portland, Boston, New York/New Jersey, Camden, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Norfolk, Newport News, Portsmouth, Miami, Gulfport, New Orleans, Beaumont, Galveston, Corpus Christi and Houston

and today, they condense New York and New Jersey, and a few are no longer mentioned...

Dubai agreed last week to temporarily delay its takeover of the six US ports where P&O operates: New York-Newark, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Miami and New Orleans.

even with the arbusto crime family fuzzy math, the numbers are not adding up. a couple of u.s. ports vanished?

Described as having over 100 ports in terms of the sale, these will be added:

The deal also gives DP World terminals in 17 other countries including Australia, India, China, Canada, Belgium and France. In Australia, DB World will be a major player on wharves in most major ports, rivalling stevedoring group Patrick Corp.
In India, Dubai will take control of about half the country's container shipping operations.

This is good, for a country whose oil business only contributes to 6% of it's GNP, so they say. Those goofy islands, like a palm tree and whatever, must really be a bit hit. Terrorisssss money? Bad guys don't have friends, or money. Yeah, right. This is some bull....

Hi Lynn! It's wonderful to see you, after so long, and great to hear that things are going so well. I've really missed your comments.

RE: Dubai Ports World

Questions have been raised, perhaps too quickly, regarding national security but I don't think that there are any questions regarding where the profits will go for the operation of our ports.

What amazed me was the administration's relaxing of the rule in this case, that foreign-owned companies had to keep their records on U.S. soil, where they could be subject to a U.S. subpoena.

Hi Rash!

Excellent point, which is illustrated beautifully in this article.

Do you think the Taeleban is back with Al Queda for a singular purpose, or have they been waiting for the right opportunity to announce their revival?

Posted by fade2bluz on February 26, 2006 at 05:20 PM

Fade, great article. Of course, I am concerned about national secutity and I'm just as concerned that more American dollars will be going to not onlyto a foreign country but a foreign government. Disturbing!

LYN- Welcome back. This time to stay, I hope. We had a meetup a couple months ago, with Bob from Boston, myself, and then Gregg, Lizzy and Cyn from NY. We met at the Mass Pike exit for the town where those outlet stores are advertised. I wish we had thought to invite you!

I turned on CNN while making dinner a while ago, and they were saying that Washington is all fine now over the Dubai deal! they (CNN) seemed to think the 45 days that they gave Congress to review the deal, was as good as a done deal. That today, in DC, things have turned around! WTF????? Just because this country is giving us some time, does not make them look any better!

Wouldn't you LOVE to see a show down between these 2? Watch that yellow liquid run down Chimpy's leg?

"Lahore - When President Bush lands in Islamabad later this week, it may be the closest he ever comes to being in the same neighborhood as Osama bin Laden. His nemesis is probably only a few hours drive away in Pakistan's Pashtun belt, now considered to be al Qaeda Central and one of the world's most dangerous regions

Al Qaeda's money, inspiration and organizational abilities have helped turn Pakistan's Pashtun belt into the extremist base it is today, but U.S. and Pakistani policies have helped more. Although the Taliban and al Qaeda extremists were routed from Afghanistan by U.S. forces, Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld's refusal to put enough U.S. troops on the ground let the extremists escape and regroup in Pakistan's Pashtun belt. The Taliban settled in Balochistan where they had originated before 1994, while al Qaeda members hid in the tribal agencies they knew well. Bin Laden had built tunnels and caves there for the anti-Soviet mujaheddin in the 1980s.

Washington's recent decison to start pulling U.S. troops out of Afghanistan this year has only reinforced al Qaeda's belief that it is winning. After nearly five years of avoiding capture or death, every single day that bin Laden stays alive is a day that inspires the extremists who protect him and join his ranks.

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/022606A.shtml

Wouldn't you LOVE to see a show down between these 2? Watch that yellow liquid run down Chimpy's leg?

"Lahore - When President Bush lands in Islamabad later this week, it may be the closest he ever comes to being in the same neighborhood as Osama bin Laden. His nemesis is probably only a few hours drive away in Pakistan's Pashtun belt, now considered to be al Qaeda Central and one of the world's most dangerous regions

Al Qaeda's money, inspiration and organizational abilities have helped turn Pakistan's Pashtun belt into the extremist base it is today, but U.S. and Pakistani policies have helped more. Although the Taliban and al Qaeda extremists were routed from Afghanistan by U.S. forces, Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld's refusal to put enough U.S. troops on the ground let the extremists escape and regroup in Pakistan's Pashtun belt. The Taliban settled in Balochistan where they had originated before 1994, while al Qaeda members hid in the tribal agencies they knew well. Bin Laden had built tunnels and caves there for the anti-Soviet mujaheddin in the 1980s.

Washington's recent decison to start pulling U.S. troops out of Afghanistan this year has only reinforced al Qaeda's belief that it is winning. After nearly five years of avoiding capture or death, every single day that bin Laden stays alive is a day that inspires the extremists who protect him and join his ranks.

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/022606A.shtml

I'm sorry I missed the meetup. Are y'all planning another one? That exit is about 30-45 minutes from me, and it's a great spot to go in the summer.

Given our budget (and consumerist) profligacy and their manifestations in the budget and trade deficits, it's no surprise that more and more of our assets are coming under foreign control. The safety of DP World's management of the ports--as would management by any other entity--could be addressed by more attention to port security and the vigorous enforcement of customs regulations such as the availability of records on-site.

Wouldn't you LOVE to see a show down between these 2? Watch that yellow liquid run down Chimpy's leg?

"Lahore - When President Bush lands in Islamabad later this week, it may be the closest he ever comes to being in the same neighborhood as Osama bin Laden. His nemesis is probably only a few hours drive away in Pakistan's Pashtun belt, now considered to be al Qaeda Central and one of the world's most dangerous regions

Al Qaeda's money, inspiration and organizational abilities have helped turn Pakistan's Pashtun belt into the extremist base it is today, but U.S. and Pakistani policies have helped more. Although the Taliban and al Qaeda extremists were routed from Afghanistan by U.S. forces, Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld's refusal to put enough U.S. troops on the ground let the extremists escape and regroup in Pakistan's Pashtun belt. The Taliban settled in Balochistan where they had originated before 1994, while al Qaeda members hid in the tribal agencies they knew well. Bin Laden had built tunnels and caves there for the anti-Soviet mujaheddin in the 1980s.

Washington's recent decison to start pulling U.S. troops out of Afghanistan this year has only reinforced al Qaeda's belief that it is winning. After nearly five years of avoiding capture or death, every single day that bin Laden stays alive is a day that inspires the extremists who protect him and join his ranks.

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/022606A.shtml

Lyn,

Hopefully, we can get another meetup going. I will keep you in the loop.

Whether Dubai is legitimate and safe to use or not, the point is, do we want to give Billions of our dollars to an organization that helped finance terrorists? Especially our own 9/11 ones?

Detainees, Detainees. Where will all Guantanamo's go?

Here? Nuh, uh.

Here?

Some of these "detainees" have been held for three years.

A lot of people around here are concerned that opposition to the DP World deal is merely a manifestation of anti-Arab prejudice. One has to investigate thoroughly and make sure there is adequate security at the ports--which there hasn't been up to now.

In our area, several Muslim Americans have been or are currently being held in prison, incommunicado and without charges. One must be sensitive to the double standard of doing business with this Dubai entity while individuals of similar ethnic and religious heritage have suffered persecution.

Lyn,

I still cannot understand WHY American workers out of jobs, or who have had to take under-qualified postions, cannot be trained and given the jobs of Port Security! WHY is this foreign entity supposed to be better than giving our own men and women jobs? Why can't we outsource the Presidency then, if we can outsouce something as important as Security? I don't get it.

Thank you, Lyn. Said well. It's not possible for me to think of what goes on in those "secret" prisons without getting chills. We've stood by, helplessly, as this majority has made the wrong decisions, time after time.

The midterm elections must bring us back into power.

In fact. DP World is not responsible for security, only for the administration of the port and the loading and unloading of cargo. We would need to provide security even if an American company were running the port. If the merger that brought DP World to our ports results in attention being paid to this problem, and the promised port security finally delivered, the merger would be a net positive even if not the situation we would have wanted.

Off to dinner. Catch y'all later.

Need a laugh? Click my name. Funniest thing I've seen in a long time.

Hi, everyone.

Instead of discussintg whether there is a civil war in Iraq or not, maybe it would be better to look at who could actually bring order over there. Rumsfeld has proved we can't.

How about al-Sadr? He seems to be able to bring the militias out...on both sides. If the ex-Republican Army officers could be bought off, maybe he could control them all?

How about Turkey? The Ottomann Empire held that area together for centuries. If they were given a green light in Kurdestan, would that break up the Shiite/Kurd alliance enough to force the Shiites to deal with the Sunnis?

How about Iran? Would they be able to force the Shiites in Iraq to work with the Sunnis if they were given some leway with their nuclear program?

Or how about the Arab League? Would they have any control over the insurgents by agreeing amongst themselves to curb financial and logistical help? What would we have to promise to get them to step in?

How about Saddam? In exchange for a ticket to exile, could he persuade his former followers to put down their guns and cut a deal?

How about Israel? If they invaded, would that unite all factions in Iraq enough for them to work out a deal they could all live with?

How about the UAE? They seem to know how to twist arms and make deals? If we gave them control of all those holy places in Iraq would they give us our ports back in exchange?

We have to devise a plan beyond redeployment of our forces. Asking the UN to step in with peacekeepers will not solve the power vacuum that now exisits.

Maybe we should send DeLay over there to redistrict their political boundaries so none of the parties have any control over the oil fields except Halliburton. Cheney could resign and apppoint himself Emir and hold down the fort with his shotgun?

Seriously, I don't think any democratic government is going to work. There are too many factions with too little in common. They have been forced to co-exist in the past, but it always falls apart. Three separte govenments without a fair distribution of the oil fields won't work either.

And they all know the oil revenues are their only assets at this point. Nobody is going to give them up without a fight and nobody wants to share. Someone has to take control and distribute the wealth. We had our chance and Rumsfeld blew it.

Who could we live with as the next dictator?

Hi {{Cyn}}

Sorry you just missed Lyn of NY. She was one of the original bloggers here, and took some time off for moving, etc. She lives near you, is 30-40 minutes away from where we met. Will definetly get her involved next time. She is really cool! Went to the NY protests with Bob and I.

Cyn,

that is a funny piece on Cheney! Sounds like him, too! :)

Heading out. Finale for Dancing with the Stars is on tonight. Have to see who wins.

Then my Gray's Anatomy on after that.

(And fade, to answer your earlier question, NO, I , too did not watch Sunday morning shows, when I saw how many Republicans they had out pimping for the President!)

Night all.

Pam, I remember Lynn! I have been here that long. She used to live in Clifton Park, nowt too far away from me or my youngest daughter. However, I think she has moved? Maybe not, but I will check. She is an amazing woman!

Fade, I didn't watch them, either. In fact, haven't watched them for a few weeks now.

how'd your guys do this afternoon Pam?

Hi, Bob. I found the new blog, and y'all are still here. I'm so happy! Except I haven't found where they have instructions on bold, italics, and pasting links. It used to be below the comments.

Cyn, I think I'm closer to you now that I've moved. Aren't you in Columbia County?

US leader crashed by trying to 'pedal, wave and speak at same time'

The details are out on the G8 accident. Funny stuff

hi Lyn- there have been alleged blog enhancements while you were getting on with life.
curiously , my PC at work shows very handy buttons for links, itallics & bolds above the dialogue box. For reasons maybe only Schubert can explain, these buttons don't show on my Mac at home. It's the wonder, the wonder of the blog. Schube hasn't been around much so i haven't had the chance to ask him.

good to see you again. i meant to invite you to our fall gathering. if i forgot, well, opps....

Posted by Cyn_NY on February 26, 2006 at 07:22 PM

hahahahahahahahaha

(great lyrics too!)

Bob, if the "blog enhancements" only work on a PC, I'm going to have to dig my son's old Sony laptop out of his bottom drawer, where he left it when he went to the Mac side for college. And I think you did invite me to the fall gathering (was it at the end of October?), but I couldn't make it that weekend.

Hi, Dark! Which side of the ocean are you on these days?

Still on the Dutch side, though there's a short US visit coming up soon :) (no exact date known yet, but probably somwhere late March / early April)

Visit www.democracyforamerica.com

Lets take back the Democratic party from the Republican-lites!!

Hi everyone!

Hey! Lyn is here. It's been a while.

I'm going to post a link for you all to a video about "Shooter" Cheney, but you're going to have to do a little work. Right above the title "ASCENT TO POWER" just below the yellow strip, you'll see "NEW: Watch the entire documentary online". Click on that. It's a TV documentory from Canada, and tells you stuff you'll never be told in this country.

http://www.cbc.ca/fifth/dickcheney/ascent.html

GEORGE W. BUSH'S CULTURE OF DEATH

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/0217062contract1.h...

Dear FLORIDA Democrats,

If any of you were a part of the opposition to this disgusting group,I want to personally thank You for protesting against them.If you know anyone who was arrested for fighting these nutjobs,my prayers are with them.As an Black American,I thank you from the bottom of my heart. :D ......See Link if confused.

http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7002562904

Posted by diana on February 27, 2006 at 03:12 AM This may make your wife, girlfriend or female friends a little upset! Do you think he is a republican?

Posted by diana on February 27, 2006 at 03:12 AM
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ahhh,Thank's for reminding me why I choose NOT to become some man's wife just yet.;D

good morning team. we need a new thread this one is confusing.

A three-day old thread.

Wow. Our party is ever at the ready.

Hey, guess what?

Lindberg made it!

Good morning, Captain Gregg. This is indeed confusing.

Good morning, all

Questions that the American media are either afraid to ask this administration or don't realize need to be asked:

The skepticism in the region was reflected in the blunt questions posed to Rice by Arab journalists.

In Saudi Arabia, a female journalist, dressed head to toe in a black abaya , demanded: "How is it possible to harmonize the U.S. position as a nation supporting freedom of expression and the right of people to practice democracy with your effort to curb the will of Hamas?"

Egyptian Television's Mervat Mohsen also rattled off a series of tough questions. "American calls for democracy have unwittingly brought unprecedented support for the Muslim Brotherhood, but you're not happy with the Muslim Brotherhood in power," he said. "Is this some kind of designer's democracy then, Dr. Rice?"

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/24/AR2006022400739.html

The designer democracy remark is very telling. I wonder if the rest of the world sees a coilation between Mr. Bush's Government and Mr Mubarak's dictatorship?

chuck, what time does amelia's flight take off?

Economy Seen As Rebounding in Early 2006

By JEANNINE AVERSA, AP Economics Writer
Mon Feb 27

WASHINGTON - The economy ended 2005 like a lamb and is roaring back like a lion, a resounding rebound that economists say will lead the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates in the months ahead.

The fresh forecast from the National Association for Business Economics has gross domestic product growing at a robust 4.5 percent annual rate from January through March.

The group earlier had predicted a 3.4 percent rate. If the revised forecast proves accurate, it would mark the best showing since the July-through-September period in 2003, when the economy expanded at a blistering 7.2 percent pace....

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060227/ap_on_bi_ge/economic_outlook

How many times in the last five years have we seen this story? The economy never quite rebounds or meets the expectations. Could it be that the Republicans' policies just don't work?

Interest rates are definitely on the rise.

(CNN) -- After an outcry from U.S. lawmakers over possible security risks, a company owned by the United Arab Emirates said Sunday it had asked for further review of its deal to buy management rights to terminals at major U.S. ports.

back story to this remarkable development:

ring ring

"hello this is sultan fat."

"hey sully this is w."

"w?"

"yeah you know w, leader of the fried world."

"ahem, oh yes w. so nice to hear from you."

"well sully ya know the deal we talked about....you get our ports and i get the 70 virginians?"

"virgins."

"yeah right i always confuse those. anyhow a bunch of terrorist lovers and jews over here are making trouble just cause ya'll used to swing that bin laden way."

"well thats none of their buisness w. thats our buisness."

"i know but my ass is in a sling ovahea and i need help, pleeeezzze!"

"stop crying w. as the leader of the world of infidels it is unbecoming. here is what we will do. we will say we want a review of ourselves, you will of course grant it and then in 45 days we get all the ports in your country. deal?"

"deal sully. sorry to drive such a hard bargain but in texas we call this horse trading."

"yes of course w. and w....remember no jews can touch the contract."

"got it."

Posted by at February 27, 2006 08:19 AM

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Comments:
(CNN) -- After an outcry from U.S. lawmakers over possible security risks, a company owned by the United Arab Emirates said Sunday it had asked for further review of its deal to buy management rights to terminals at major U.S. ports.

back story to this remarkable development:

ring ring

"hello this is sultan fat"

"hey sully this is w"

"w?"

"yeah you know w, leader of the fried world"

"ahem, oh yes w. so nice to hear from you"

"well sully ya know the deal we talked about....you get our ports and i get the 70 virginians?"

"virgins."

"yeah right i always confuse those. anyhow a bunch of terrorist lovers and jews over here are making trouble just cause ya'll used to swing that bin laden way"

"well thats none of their buisness w. thats our buisness."

"i know but my ass is in a sling ovahea and i need help, pleeeezzze"

"stop crying w. as the leader of the world of infidels it is unbecoming. here is what we will do. we will say we want a review of ourselves, you will of course grant it and then in 45 days we get all the ports in your country. deal?"

"deal sully. sorry to drive such a hard bargain but in texas we call this horse trading"

"yes of course w. and w....remember no jews can touch the contract."

"got it."

sorry for the double post.

The Rahhhhm and Chuck Incumbent Protection Company is already at work to discredit "undelcared" senate candidate Ned Lamont of Connecticut. Chris Dodd is already whining that a Lamont candidacy will be "harmful" to Democrats.

Well, it's the same old sad story from the DNC: kill primary opponents as soon as they are born. Kill them!!!!!!

Joe Nomentum Lieberman has been a Bush sycophant from the beginning, far more a Republican than a Democrat. He's a shameless Bush apologist. He did handsprings for Bush all over the chambers on State of the Union night. It's time for Joe to go.

The DNC may talk the talk of change, returning to the people, going grass roots, embracing debate and competition, but the actions of the Incumbent Club reveal otherwise.

Go here to help Ned put Joe out of our misery:

http://www.nedlamont.com/index.html

Just wait: you will see Rahhhhhhm and Chuck give Mr. Lamont the old, one - two Paul Hackett treatment. Indeed, they already are.

good morning, dazed and confused

i still want to know how 59 million amukins can be so stupid...

prediction for the week, from the bottom of my coffee cup: Afghanistan will become tied for the lead. That place is jumpin' and the Taeleban (Taliban) and al Quaeda are baaaaaacccckkkkk.

will Fitzgerald EVER find a way to thwart these legal challenges?

will we EVER find the Anthrax killer?

what's the story on the Risen in the roll of quarters?

gracious good morninig, one and all

Chuck: i agree...and invite you to join us in reminding them who the REAL party bosses are!

ACTION ALERT

Zack Space takes on Ney

And the AP pays no attention

Let's help make the media pay attention to this good Democratic candidate by contacting the following:

Al Franken

jerry@springerontheradio.com

rrhodes@airamericaradio.com

Majority Report

Rachel Maddow

Comments on Ed Schultz show content: wendyjoschultz@yahoo.com

Ed Schultz's producer: james@edschultzshow.com

Stephanie Miller

Your help would be greatly appreciated by Ohio! Remember, if you help Ohio, you also really help Dems nationally!

Crosspost from Asskickers in Exile

Keep the pressure on the old losers, please. Now is the time! Thank you, for your efforts.

Have a wonderful day, everyone.

and you fade.

Morning all,

Remember when those Chimpy lips uttered this Guarantee ??

Bush on civil war: "It will not happen on my watch"

http://www.crooksandliars.com/2006/02/26.html#a7308

How many times in the last five years have we seen this story? The economy never quite rebounds or meets the expectations. Could it be that the Republicans' policies just don't work?

Interest rates are definitely on the rise. Posted by SandyH on February 27, 2006 at 08:13 AM

This phenomenon, Sandy is why economics is called "the dismal science." if you were wrong as often as Bush's economists, you'd be dismal too.

Here's the real story: The Real Wage Rate
This is another problem for the Bush Administration. Since the start of 2005 the real wage rate has been declining and in the last two months the real wage has dipped below its November 2001 level. In other words, the real wage (the hourly wage put out by the BLS adjusted for inflation) is lower now than it was 4 years ago.

http://www.steveverdon.com/archives/economics/002400.html

bb,

And the stock market is still not where it was!

My IRA's are barely making any interest, infact, many have minuses still each quarterly!

People in the US HEAR that the economy is doing well, but they do not look into the nitty gritty of each area, like lower family incomes, etc, and say, HEY, we did much better under a Democratic President!

Trying to get involved and have been reading your posts for about a week. This may be old news but interesting.

http://www.airamericaradio.com/node/1608

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