Thanks to joint efforts in paranoia by the GOP and DNC on Capitol Hill, Dubai Ports World is divesting in the United States. Dubai, the Manhattan of the Middle East, model of free markets of the Arab world and major hub of world trade, is seeing one of its strongest companies discontinue business on American shores. These representatives were fine with a European company conducting ports operations, but not an Arab one. This is supposed to have something to do with the 9/11 hijackers having money in Dubai banks (they had money in New York banks), two of the hijackers being born in Dubai (a city of over one million), and that the UAE recognized the Taliban government (along with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, mind you).

So, the freest country in the Arab world, its financial "nexus", has been snubbed. The message to Arabs? "We don't much like you. We want you to be free and stuff, which is why we invaded Iraq. But we'd rather not do business with you. And you most certainly cannot be trusted with our ports." Yes, this is how to fight terrorism.

"We want to protect the American people," said House Speaker Sen. J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill). "We've been doing it the last four and a half years. We fought a war in Iraq, fought a war in Afghanistan, stood up to the Homeland Security Department. We will continue to do that. We will maybe have our differences, but we think we're going to continue to" oppose the Dubal deal," he said Thursday morning.

Not to worry Senator, they've stop wanting our harbors. They got the message loud and clear. We're sure to be a better country now. Thank you. And keep up the good work on Iraq. P.S. Thanks for the Department of Homeland Security.

For Democrats, the issue may be a political windfall, even if Republicans side with them in a confrontation with the White House. About 70 percent of Americans oppose the port deal, and that opposition does not change if they are told port managers do not control security at the ports.

An issue on which Bush is right finally comes along, and Capitol Hill makes a PR stunt out of it. Of course, 70 percent of Americans oppose the deal, even when told that port managers don't do security. We call this racism, ladies and gentlemen. And our fear-based administration shouldn't expect more from a public that cannot differentiate between Saddam and Bin Laden, being constantly warned about mushroom clouds unless we invaded Iraq, and lose track of what "war on terrorism" is. What did you expect, Mr. President?