[Yossarian]

According to Mr. Scarborough, the administration wanted the deal to go through because the UAE government had agreed to let the United States post agents inside its global port network who could report on world shipping.

Even if this story is true, the response to this is simple: the Bush Administration should have found a different way of paying the UAE back than allowing them to manage our ports.

Of all the quid pro quos possible, giving away any form of access to our port management to an islamic country was and is just plain stupid, from both a security and political standpoint.

And to all of you who are backslapping yourselves since you "knew" there must have been some kind of reciprocal agreement going on with the UAE behind the scenes: don't you thing the terrorist and evil governments out there suspected the same, based on Bush's hints? And wouldn't that affect whether they used the UAE & affiliated companies for shipping?

[Sudetenland]

Oh, I see. You already knew all about this from "Bush's hints." Riiighhht!

I think I'll believe Scarborough before I believe that.

[lepton]

the Bush Administration should have found a different way of paying the UAE back than allowing them to manage our ports.

Your statement is an example of how the demogoguery completely overcame the issue. "Managing our ports" was never even an option put on the table. Well over half the crazy stuff being argued about had nothing to do with what was being suggested, and virtually none of the hysterical tirades.

[Rodney King]

Even if this story is true, the response to this is simple: the Bush Administration should have found a different way of paying the UAE back than allowing them to manage our ports.

Exactly. But, after the Bush bots have taken it on the chin for a few years, they see this as a rare win. Let 'em gloat for a while, this is the best they have.