Now the LieHouse tells us, that George didn't know.
Thats the problem. He never knows and he never briefs Congress with the 
truth.


Bush Didn't Know About Ports Deal By TED BRIDIS, AP 

WASHINGTON -     President Bush was unaware of the pending sale of shipping 
operations at six major U.S. seaports to a state-owned business in the 
United Arab Emirates until the deal already had been approved by his 
administration, the White House said Wednesday. 

Defending the deal anew, the administration also said that it should have 
briefed Congress sooner about the transaction, which has triggered a major 
political backlash among both Republicans and Democrats.

Bush on Tuesday brushed aside objections by leaders in the Senate and House 
that the $6.8 billion sale could raise risks of terrorism at American 
ports. In a forceful defense of his administration's earlier approval of 
the deal, he pledged to veto any bill Congress might approve to block the 
agreement.

But Lawmakers determined to capsize the pending sale said Bush's surprise 
veto threat won't deter them.

"I will fight harder than ever for this legislation, and if it is vetoed I 
will fight as hard as I can to override it," said Rep. Pete King, R-N.Y., 
chairman of the Homeland Security Committee. King and Democratic Sen. 
Charles Schumer of New York said they will introduce emergency legislation 
to suspend the ports deal.

Another Democrat, Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey, urged his colleagues to 
force Bush to wield his veto, which Bush — in his sixth year in office — 
has never done. "We should really test the resolve of the president on this 
one because what we're really doing is securing the safety of our people."

White House counselor Dan Bartlett said Wednesday the UAE company, Dubai 
Ports, "is a reputable firm that went through a congressionally approved 
vetting process." He said the U.S. has "the necessary safeguards to make 
sure that the security of our country is in place" and that rejecting the 
deal would send "a dangerous signal to people overseas that America plays 
favorites."

"The president wants this deal to go forward because it was followed by the 
book and he wants Congress to understand that," Bartlett said on CBS' "The 
Early Show." He told Fox News Channel that Bush felt strongly that "we need 
to be adding strategic partners" in the Mideast.

But Sen. Joseph Biden, D-Del., said the bipartisan opposition to the deal 
indicated "a lack of confidence in the administration" on both sides. 
"Sure, we have to link up with our Arab friends but ... we want to see and 
those in Congress want to know what ... safeguards are built in," Biden 
said on ABC's "Good Morning America."

The first-ever sale involving U.S. port operations to a foreign, state-
owned company is set to be completed in early March. It would put Dubai 
Ports in charge of major shipping operations in New York, New Jersey, 
Baltimore, New Orleans, Miami and Philadelphia. "If there was any chance 
that this transaction would jeopardize the security of the United States, 
it would not go forward," Bush said.

Defending his decision, Bush responded to a chorus of objections this week 
in Congress over potential security concerns in the sale of London-based 
Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Co.

Bush's veto threat sought to quiet a political storm that has united 
Republican governors and Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist of Tennessee 
with liberal Democrats, including New York Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton and 
Schumer.

To assuage concerns, the administration disclosed some assurances it 
negotiated with Dubai Ports. It required mandatory participation in U.S. 
security programs to stop smuggling and detect illegal shipments of nuclear 
materials; roughly 33 other port companies participate in these 
voluntarily. The Coast Guard also said it was nearly finished inspecting 
Dubai Ports' facilities in the United States.

Frist said Tuesday, before Bush's comments, that he would introduce 
legislation to put the sale on hold if the White House did not delay the 
takeover. He said the deal raised "serious questions regarding the safety 
and security of our homeland.

House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., asked the president for a moratorium 
on the sale until it could be studied further. "We must not allow the 
possibility of compromising our national security due to lack of review or 
oversight by the federal government," Hastert said.

Bush took the rare step of calling reporters to his conference room on Air 
Force One after returning from a speech in Colorado. He also stopped to 
talk before television cameras after he returned to the White House.

"I can understand why some in Congress have raised questions about whether 
or not our country will be less secure as a result of this transaction," 
the president said. "But they need to know that our government has looked 
at this issue and looked at it carefully."

A senior executive from Dubai Ports World pledged the company would agree 
to whatever security precautions the U.S. government demanded to salvage 
the deal. Chief operating officer Edward "Ted" H. Bilkey promised Dubai 
Ports "will fully cooperate in putting into place whatever is necessary to 
protect the terminals." 

Bush said protesting lawmakers should understand that if "they pass a law, 
I'll deal with it with a veto." 

Lawmakers from both parties have noted that some of the Sept. 11 hijackers 
used the United Arab Emirates as an operational and financial base. In 
addition, critics contend the UAE was an important transfer point for 
shipments of smuggled nuclear components sent to Iran, North Korea and 
Libya by a Pakistani scientist. 

* To join/leave the list, search archives, change list settings, *
* etc., please visit http://raven.utc.edu/archives/hp3000-l.html *