Update #1: Save Our American Ports (SOAP) – SCRUB THE DEAL!

We've been duped. Again. Just like kids who plunk down their quarters to bet on the bean as the carnival barker spins the nutshells around, we've been duped by the Bush administration's support for corporatism over common sense and the national security, a Congress more responsive to form than to function, and a media unable or unwilling to focus on the facts that matter. After a flurry of controversy lighting up the congressional switchboards over the sale of American port operations to DP World, a company owned by the monarchy United Arab Emirates, ABC now reports that a Miami-based company's lawsuit is causing a brief delay in the turnover of port operations. Of course, in his characteristic media misinformation style, presidential advisor Karl Rove said ...there is no requirement" that Dubai Ports take over the U.S. operations immediately after the March 2, adding "What is important is that members of Congress have the time to get fully briefed on this....We intend to work closely with them in order to give them a comfort level on this," Rove told the "Tony Snow Show." So, you see, the issue was never our national security dependent on the ports sale, but rather to reframe the issue for members of Congress. And reframe they did. Senate bill S. 2333 introduced by Senator Schumer (D-NY) with 20 bi-partisan co-sponsors that would have required Mr. Bush to place a stay on DP World’s takeover of P&O ports was quietly and interminably shuffled off to Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. Though 75% of Americans surveyed think this deal poses a threat to national security, the administration is tone deaf to their concerns. Instead, it misrepresents legitimate national security concerns as xenophobia. A Congressional Research Service report notes the UAE has a "relatively open economy and borders, particularly in the emirate of Dubai, have caused problems in proliferation, terrorism, and human trafficking...In connection with recent revelations of illicit sales of nuclear technology to Iran, Libya, and North Korea by Pakistan’s nuclear scientist A.Q. Khan, Dubai was named as a key transfer point for shipments of nuclear components sold by Khan. Two Dubai-based companies were apparently involved in trans-shipping such components: SMB Computers and Gulf Technical Industries." The administration's own most current State Department Human Rights Practices report states "trafficking in women and girls used as prostitutes and domestic servants, men used as servants, laborers, and unskilled workers, and very young boys used as camel jockeys, continued to be serious problems" in the UAE. It appears nothing will stop this deal – which, in itself, is an interesting notion to explore, given that the administration's agenda is not our national security. But for now, the statement by Rep. King (R-NY) that he was told by officials of the Homeland Security and Treasury departments that there was no real investigation into national security aspects should sound alarm bells and ACTION to stop the transfer of the port operations so the legally required security assessments can be done beforehand.