The Dubai/Ports Deal

While I'm not convinced that this deal is as dangerous as some in both parties claim, I think the New York Times raised a valid point in an editorial this morning:

The Bush administration has followed a disturbing pattern in its approach to the war on terror. It has been perpetually willing to sacrifice individual rights in favor of security. But it has been loath to do the same thing when it comes to business interests. It has not imposed reasonable safety requirements on chemical plants, one of the nation's greatest points of vulnerability, or on the transport of toxic materials. The ports deal is another decision that has made the corporations involved happy, and has made ordinary Americans worry about whether they are being adequately protected.

Let's keep in mind that the operation of some terminals in some ports by foreign corporations is not new -- British, Chinese, and other foreign companies are involved at many of our ports. These companies oversee the loading and unloading of containers, and work with perhaps half a dozen state and federal agencies to ensure security and screening of what enters this country. (A broader discussion and national debate about the status quo at our ports is certainly appropriate and perhaps overdue.)

As we know, all containers are screened for radioactive material, all manifests are scrutinized, but fewer than 10 percent of containers are fully inspected. That's not a function carried out by the firm managing the port operations; it's our government's job.

There are legitimate questions about a state-owned corporation from the Middle East running any operations in a sensitive U.S. location, and I believe closer examination is warranted. But as the Times notes, this is an example of the president clearing the way for corporate interests -- perhaps with his first and only veto -- in a way that seems remarkable, given the adminstration's drum-beating on national security.

Just as the vice president's handling of his hunting accident quickly became a metaphor for the administration's penchant for unnecessary secrecy, so too is this ports issue becoming an example of the power of corporate interests over current government policy and priorities.