What's the opposite of "paranoia and isolationism"?
As I said on Wednesday, this Dubai ports deal isn't a security issue. It's about crony capitalism and the way our government does business (or, just as accurately, how our company does governance). More importantly, it points to how precariously our economy is balanced, gutted of manufacturing capacity and indebted up to its ears.
I don't know whether the contract in question was the best one out there. We know that there are connections between the Whitehouse and Dubai through the Carlyle Group and through two senior Whitehouse officials. And George's requisite embarrassing brother, Neil Bush -- you can't be President without one -- got funding from the same Dubai investors for one of his dubious schemes business endeavors.
We also know that former Senate Minority Leader Bob "I Fought in WW Two!" Dole has been leading the K Street lobbying effort on behalf of the Emirate. From CNN: