Frist Calls for Halt to U.S. Ports Deal

[sabra]

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=1644717

Frist Calls for Halt to U.S. Ports DealSenate Majority Leader Frist Calls for Halt to Deal Giving Arab Firm Control of U.S. Ports

WASHINGTON Feb 21, 2006 (AP)— Senate Republican Leader Bill Frist called Tuesday for the Bush administration to stop a deal permitting a United Arab Emirates company to take over six major U.S. seaports, upping the ante on a fight that several congressmen, governors and mayors are waging with the White House.

"The decision to finalize this deal should be put on hold until the administration conducts a more extensive review of this matter," said Frist. "If the administration cannot delay this process, I plan on introducing legislation to ensure that the deal is placed on hold until this decision gets a more thorough review."

In the uneasy climate after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the Bush administration decision to allow the transaction is threatening to develop a major political headache for the White House.

Frist, R-Tenn., spoke as other lawmakers, including Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., and Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., said they would offer emergency legislation next week to block the deal ahead of a planned March 2 takeover.

[XNASA]

1. I smell a rat.

No doubt this deal will now be given to Halliburton.

[anitar1]

21. Brilliant, XNASA. My first thought when I saw this. So

Fristie is the elected one who will front for Halliburton.

[XNASA]

23. Too bad none of the Dems will figure it out.

[HannibalBarca]

33. I smell a cat!, its dead

[wordpix2]

2. haha. Maybe insider trader Frist didn't get a cut of the deal this time

[madaboutharry]

3. This is an easy one.

Don't go giving Frist any credit for this. This is a no brainer. It has nothing to do with integrity. It has to do with common sense, which the administration is in possession of the amount of ZERO. Apparently, Mr. Frist has a thimble full of it.

on edit: I agree with Haliburton figuring into this.

[napi21]

4. Holy Sh*t! FRIST????

I can't believe how many of the prominent Pubs are fighting against this! My guess is that lots of constituents called their Reps & Sens and said this is BS. These guys are worried about control of the House and & Senate, and I think this is the first of many things they'll turn against their Pres on.

[calimary]

16. I think that's EXACTLY it. These schmucks are rising against it ONLY

because they're hearing it from among their own. THEIR constituents, and specifically THEIR FELLOW rEPUBLI-CON constituents (hell, even their regular Republican constituents) are complaining. THIS they listen to. THIS they pay attention to. THIS they take seriously. When their own people climb on the bandwagon, they ignore it at their peril.

[zara]

5. Freedom Fries Anyone?

Of course you can't trust an Arab right? I mean let's play the Zenophobia card. This move by Dems and Repugs targets the fear of the other in the culture wars.
Why would Bush do it? Well its a way of letting the Arabs on our side know we trust them.
And its consistent with letting Big Business do what it wants, on the basis that they will back Bush and his ilk.
So it seems like a politically tone deaf but geopolitically shrewd move by BushCo.
On the other hand, we are the country that changed French fries to freedom fries. I hope the recent move by Iran to call Danish pastries Rose buds of the Prophet Mohammad (or something ridiculous like that) reflects on just what fools we looked like to the world.
Query: who benefits more by looking like a reactionary Zenophobe? Frist or Schumer? Which party can take these emotions and stoke them into votes better? Just asking....

[Demeter]

15. You Know Zenophobia Isn't The Issue

It is the security of the US and how little anyone in BushCo sems to worry about it.

[mac56]

22. I'm insulted that you're attributing this to xenophobia.

Nice attempt at derailment.

By the way, learn to spell it right.

[zara]

34. Perhaps you are easily insulted?

Perhaps Jimmy Carter insults you as well?
: )

[tabasco]

27. Yeah, we're not really concerned with national security ...

we're just a bunch of "zenophobes" {sic} trying to make political hay.

The Bush cabal has just done such a wonderful job with national security. They ignored warnings about Bin Laden and allowed 9-11 to happen on their watch. They have failed to capture Bin Laden or the anthrax terrorist. They invaded a country with no connection to 9-11 and abandoned the mission against the real enemy. The cabal displayed a total inability to deal with crisis during Katrina. So we have no real reason to mistrust their decisions, right? It must be pure hatred of Arabs.

Go to freerepublic if you want to see irrational hatred and racism.

[zara]

35. Tabasco is a suitable moniker!

Why wuold you possibly think I am a Bush supporter?
You miss the whole aspect of his support is completely consistent with his corporatism.
And the irony that we are being Xenophobic (see I can learn!) and now the Dems are embracing this position that the Rethugs usually batter us with!
: )

[catmandu57]

6. He's just reading the writing on the wall

This is an incredibly stupid move by the boy blunder* Who was behind this? I suppose this is arrogance run amok.

[Sadie5]

7. Frist tries any trick he can think of

because he wants to be Prez. Frist is lying scum. This must not be to his benefit.

[reprobate]

36. Who's behind this? A Bush of course. This time Neil Bush. And Marvin Bush

The Bush Skinny
[br />Snip

"Marvin served on the board of Securacom (renamed Stratesec), which had contracts to provide security for Dulles Airport and the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. Securacom’s backers included a number of Kuwaitis, through a company called KuwAm Corp (Kuwaiti-American Corp.). KuwAm also financially backed Aviation General, formerly Commander Aircraft, which brokered the sale of airplanes to the National Civil Aviation Training Organization (NCATO), located in Giza, Egypt, the hometown of lead hijacker Mohammed Atta and the only civilian pilot training school in Egypt. NCATO has a training agreement with Embry-Riddle University in Daytona Beach, Florida, the flight school that was investigated by the FBI for possibly training at least one of the 911 hijackers. original link http://www.waynemadsenreport.com/"

"Neil also developed close connections to the Maktoum family of Dubai, the same family that has interests in the state-owned firm, Dubai Ports World, that is poised to take over the operations of six U.S. ports (New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia-Camden, Miami, New Orleans, and Baltimore) after its purchase of the British P&O Company."


It's called the Bush Family Evil Empire.

[madmom]

8. Election year!!!!

[Charlie Brown]

17. Frist is not running n/t

[madmom]

19. but other repugs are and they're all in it together.

[warrens]

9. Proof that the incompetent thugs in the White House

REALLY fucked up this time. And they will fight to the death until they see they have no chance, then try to say they were against it all the time.

The FRetards are going BALLISTIC over at FReeper City. Even some of the purple-tongued Kool-Aid drinkers.

[MiniMe]

10. Didn't Frist support the Port Deal last week?

He's going to get whiplash changing directions like that!

[savemefromdumbya]

11. Republicans are all over the place on this

any more controversies to pile on?

[katinmn]

12. Damage Control!!

They know this could be the breaking point for BushCo.

Well, Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Rice, Chertoff, etc. ALREADY approved it and have been defending their decision. They are too incompetent and dangerous to be running our country. They all need to be put out in the street. Now.

[w8liftinglady]

13. Can they even stop the deal now?

I was under the understanding that the time period was up for questions

[katinmn]

18. If the Repukes want to save the Bush Admin, they will find a way

to stop it. This decision is waaaaaay more unpopular among the public (which has been trained like Pavlov's dog to become fearful when you say the word 'terror') than going into Iraq.

Frist is only asking for more thorough review, but I think it won't stop there.

"The decision to finalize this deal should be put on hold until the administration conducts a more extensive review of this matter," said Frist. "If the administration cannot delay this process, I plan on introducing legislation to ensure that the deal is placed on hold until this decision gets a more thorough review."

[katty]

14. major damage control! even Fristy isn't this high all day!

[Roland99]

20. Is he up for re-election? Or getting pressure from Repukes that are?

[katty]

24. getting the pressha

[Roland99]

25. Uh oh...but the Propagandist threatens to actually VETO a bill!

AH HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA


Oh yeah....he's real transparent now!!


http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/WBT004834.htm

[gizmo1979]

26. Holy smokes

what the hell has Frist been smoking?He must of joined that New Mexico church.

[nostalgicaboutmyfutr]

28. What if Haliburton is the Only Co. that can do this??

This is a set up to save face for the pukes....they bitch about going with Dubai...and low and behold the only "company" that can handle this kind of contract is haliburton.....

both Pukes win....the prez flushes more cass to Haliburton; and frist looks good by "contradicting" the prez and looking "outside washington"...


don't fall for it.

[mac56]

29. It's not.

Everybody knows it too.

Don't buy into this because you're afraid they'll foist it onto Halliburton.

[katinmn]

30. I wonder what Jean Schmidt says?

(snicker, snicker)

[pinniped]

31. The presinut must be creating this fiasco to make the GOPukes....

look tough on security.

* is a sacrificial lamb.

[Blaze Diem]

32. Could be ..So was Ruth Myers....

Look who we got in place of her.

We'll get Haliburton minding our ports rather than the Arabs..Notice how many GOP Senators are suddenly appearing upfront and center mic in hand, to disagee with Bush and side with a more popular stance on this one.

Besides Cheney has orchestrated this one anyway, and once again Cheney grabs another big one for himself, via the American Government.