So, the Dubai Ports World is bowing out gracefully, Bush won't have to veto a congressional move, attached to a supplimental funding bill for Katrina and Iraq, blocking (recinding?) the sale.
And what was the objection to this deal? Bush handled it badly. Yup. The timing was bad. Okay. People are nervous about Arabs. Uh, huh.
So... what was the objection to the deal?
Do we toss our best interests to the winds because Bush is less than graceful? Do we let timing dictate how we treat our friends? Do we bow to prejudice rather than combat it? Do we expect our representatives in Congress to *lead* or do we expect them to be sock puppets?
Yes... sock puppets. We've got the internet, how hard would it be to skip our representatives all together and just run a program to determine what constituents want and animate a little sock puppet to vote that way? It's not like our representatives add value. Obviously.
Citizen Smash said it fantastically well: "This sad episode has undoubtedly confirmed suspicions in the Arab world that they will never get fair treatment in the West. (...) Xenophobia wins again."
To add my two cents... We've invited the Middle East to the 21st century, and then slammed the door in their face. The message is entirely clear.
Arabs need not apply.
Don't doubt that the message has been recieved, loud and clear. It's all about me, me, me.
Update: Link to lots of links at Wizbang.
Update: Wizbang links to blogger reactions.
And what was the objection to this deal? Bush handled it badly. Yup. The timing was bad. Okay. People are nervous about Arabs. Uh, huh.
So... what was the objection to the deal?
Do we toss our best interests to the winds because Bush is less than graceful? Do we let timing dictate how we treat our friends? Do we bow to prejudice rather than combat it? Do we expect our representatives in Congress to *lead* or do we expect them to be sock puppets?
Yes... sock puppets. We've got the internet, how hard would it be to skip our representatives all together and just run a program to determine what constituents want and animate a little sock puppet to vote that way? It's not like our representatives add value. Obviously.
Citizen Smash said it fantastically well: "This sad episode has undoubtedly confirmed suspicions in the Arab world that they will never get fair treatment in the West. (...) Xenophobia wins again."
To add my two cents... We've invited the Middle East to the 21st century, and then slammed the door in their face. The message is entirely clear.
Arabs need not apply.
Don't doubt that the message has been recieved, loud and clear. It's all about me, me, me.
Update: Link to lots of links at Wizbang.
Update: Wizbang links to blogger reactions.
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