Oops! All Reactionary Racists!

No need to fear, good citizens. The U.S. Congress has saved us from the clutches of the evil terrorists once again. Dubai Ports World, a company based out of the United Arab Emirates, has decided to sell or transfer it's newly obtained rights to operate six American ports to a quote/unquote "U.S. entity." This after two fabulous weeks of racist BS from a perfectly jingoist Congress. That's the U.S. Congress. Or the Congress of the United States of America. You know, one of the most enlightened nations in the world? Or not. Depending on whether we're dealing with Arabs. Which we apparently cannot trust, at all costs, and who must be stopped from leasing any property in America containing boats, planes or snowmobiles.

On second thought, maybe snowmobiles are okay.

It's bad enough that most major security companies couldn't find any good reason why an Arab country couldn't handle the day-to-day operations of the six ports. It's bad enough that no one bothered to listen when the Coast Guard and U.S. Customs reassured the public that they were the ones who handle the bulk of security and cargo inspection. It's bad enough that Dubai, a member of the United Arab Emirates, has been nothing but cooperative since 9/11 in helping the U.S. track down dirty money used by Al Qaeda to fund their organization and operations. Not to mention the fact that the UAE sent us $100 million to assist with post-Katrina disaster relief!

And this is how we repay them? When one of their businesses, and a totally legit one at that, uses the free market (that we Americans swoon over every time we shop at our discount price marts), to purchase the rights to run the day-to-day operations of six American ports?

• Ports which are run by a number of other foreign companies, including one such firm from that gentlest of giants and supreme defender of human rights, the People's Republic of China.
• Ports whose actual security are ever maintained by the United States Coast Guard no matter who leases them.
• Ports that no one in Congress seems to be concerned with when they need some $1.5 billion in unfunded security measures (PDF) as per the suggestion of the Coast Guard and the 9/11 Commission.

Oh, but I forgot. It's an election year isn't it? And we all know the best way to win elections is by appealing to the fears of every red, white and blue-blooded American voter. Even if we have to create those fears by pandering to baseless, bigoted accusations that someone can't be trusted if they believe in Mohammed or Allah.

Racism wins elections! News at 11!

Democrats should be ashamed for jumping on the chance to have a national security issue to bash President Bush on, no matter how baseless it may be. "See," they said, "our president isn't always tough on the terrorists. He almost sold them our ports! Now vote for a Democratic congress!"

The Republicans did no better. With Mr. Bush's approval ratings hovering around 40%, they've been desperate to find on issue to nail the president on, and are clinging to this one like a fly to giant, steaming crapola. Giant steaming racist crapola. Giant steaming racist asshole crapola. With awesome stinking racist pieces of yellow-bellied bigoted corn poking their way out of this newly created pile of hyperpatriotic excrement.

I am making myself clear here, right? How, for once, our President was actually doing the right thing by awarding Dubai, our friend and compatriot in the war against terror, a bid to run a handful of our ports because they've been our faithful buddy in a time when so many in the world hate our freaking guts? And what did our Congress have to say? Was it a warm hearty thank you for dealing Al Qaeda a stunning financial blow to their ability to blow things up?

No, instead, Congress mostly just cried smoke when there was no fire. Draped in the flag. With a giant white hood on. And told the rest of the world that we're just peachy about Arabs running things, as long as they stick to Subway franchises and Laundromats.