An unfortunate comparison
Tod Lindberg is close to the mark in his assessment of the ports deal. He criticizes Congress for its ignorant knee-jerk reaction, but also faults President Bush for, among other things, complaining that a company from the Middle East would receive greater scrutiny than a company from Great Britain.
To be sure, the United Arab Emirates has been a good ally in the war on terror. And it may well be that this deal with the state owned UAE company is not objectionable from a security standpoint. But, as Lindberg shows, the UAE is not to be confused with Great Britain, and it's surprising that an administration which has emphasized the importance of the internal political arrangements of a state would present such misguided (not to mention tone-deaf) comparison.
