Ports--I Hate It When I Agree with Bush

Like the lapdog to Democrats that I am afraid I sometimes become, my immediate reaction to the Bush administration's decision to allow Dubai Ports World to operate terminals at several U.S. ports was negative. If Bush permits it, it must be bad. That is an easy trap to fall into, because almost everything Bush favors is bad.

In the case of the Dubai ownership of leases in port terminals, though, I think the Democrats, and even the snarling Republicans, are wrong. I base my opinion on what I thought was a realy illuminating piece on the subject on tonight's News Hour with Jim Lehrer.

The anchor woman to the segment I watched (I never remember her name), inquired of two experts what all the hubbub was all about. Both of them explained that, first, the issue is not about Dubai "buying" or "owning" ports; rather, the governmentally owned company is buying from the British company only the ownership of leases to specific terminals. When I first learned of this issue, I immediately wondered why in the hell foreign companies had so much ownership of port operations. Tonight, I learned that the reason for foreign ownership of port terminal leases is that these foreign owners want to make sure that they have control over scheduling of incoming and outgoing cargo...particularly to and from their home countries. By leasing port facilities, the companies can take some control over the shipping traffic that uses the facilities...they can be sure that there is space for ships important to them and their economies.

One of the people being interviewed noted that there must be control over what occurs in these terminals (and they both say there is...a lot of it, though it should be increased). But they say people don't seem to understand that the U.S. is in a position to insist on control of inspections, etc. at the point of departure in foreign ports of ships heading our way. And they say we have not established any appreciable leadership in setting standards in this area, nor have we implemented the sorts of inspections of outgoing cargo that we should.

Ultimately, they argue (and they convinced me), the issue is not who owns leases in terminals (the media is saying foreign companies are buying ports...they are not, they are buying leases of terminals), but who controls and inspects containers leaving foreign ports and bound for U.S. ports.

I think the issue should be explored, and explored deeply, but based on what I learned on The News Hour, I am far less concerned about foreign ownership of terminal leases than I am with this administration's continuing failure to set standards of surveillance and assessment of cargo destined for U.S. ports.

Of course, I do not think George Bush has a clue about any of this. He is still, and will always be, an irrepressible idiot. Mr. Moron. Or, as the South American nutcase (that would be Hugo Chavez) calls him, Mr. Danger!