by Stuart Rothenberg ( bio archive contact )

This s a great article from a Washington insider about the current climate around the Dubai Ports World Deal. I applaud Mr. Rothenberg for his insight and objective analysis.

While Democrats and Republicans vent their anger over the Bush Administration’s decision to allow a United Arab Emirates-based company from taking “control” of America’s east coast ports (from a British company), I have a question: Exactly what responsibility and authority does this UAE company have? Specifically, how is U.S. security weakened?

I don’t know, and I bet 99.5% of the people discussing the “threat” don’t know. As a matter of fact, I’ll bet most of us have no idea what managing a port entails.

But that hasn’t stopped people from ranting about the Administration’s decision to approve the British-UAE deal . . .

The White House probably does deserve blame – blame for not seeing that his decision could easily be demagogued and turned into a political issue. Now, fairly or unfairly, the President is on the defensive and some in the media have started to pile on, as did CNN’s Jack Cafferty, who never allows reason or logic to interfere with his analysis.

The President does not have to change his decision if he believes it to be correct. But he needs to make the case that the new company will not be in a position to aid terrorists, and that it will continue policies and procedures (both involving personnel and operations) to keep America’s ports safe, and to enhance that safety and security.

Still, the President is taking a political hit, and given his current standing, it’s a hit that he cannot afford.

Stuart Rothenberg is editor of The Rothenberg Political Report, a non-partisan newsletter that handicaps U.S. House, Senate, and gubernatorial elections, and a columnist for Roll Call.

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