[Noachian]

Those pledges did not quell the uproar in Congress, statehouses and city halls ...

In politics perception is reality. Bush should know this.

How does the White House explain to the people that we're in a war with Arabs and at the same time we're letting Arabs run some of our ports?

Whether the security remains under American control or not is irrelevant. What the voters think about this deal is very relevant.

[MJY1288]

Easy, ask the media for a prime time national address and explain it to the people who have trouble with perception and reality. With all this attention to this non issue, he will have the stage and win big if he lays out the details like he did when he exposed the U.N. for the weak and feckless organization they are on September 12th, 2002

[dr_lew]

How does the White House explain to the people that we're in a war with Arabs and at the same time we're letting Arabs run some of our ports?

Bush has never said that we are at war with the Arabs. On the contrary, he has been kissing Arab and Moslem butt all over the place. It's a good-cop-bad-cop strategy, and I think he sees this deal as crucial to the good-cop phase. If he can overcome the anti-Arab racist Democrats and save the deal, it will be a real coup for the good-cop. Real theater. I wonder if the media are tumbling to it.

[Terpfen]

How does the White House explain to the people that we're in a war with Arabs and at the same time we're letting Arabs run some of our ports?

Quite simply: Arabs are not running the ports.

There is a difference between ownership and administration, especially given the laws governing port operations.

The same people administering and operating the ports right now will be the same people administering and operating the ports after the purchase. There will be no change. The UAE will not gain access to classified customs procedures--not that a total idiot can't guess at the security measures implemented anyway.

[DakotaRed]

How does the White House explain to the people that we're in a war with Arabs and at the same time we're letting Arabs run some of our ports?

The big misconception is we are at war with Arabs. We are at war with terrorists, most of whom happen to be Arab. We are not fighting all Arabs. We are also enlisting their aid in the fight against terror and according to Bush the UAE has been very helpful in that fight. How, I wish would made public.