UAE Port Deal = Japanese Internment

I imagine that my first reaction about hearing about the company from the United Arab Emirates taking control of some US ports was similar to most. I thought, "that's crazy! Why not just hand the keys to the country to the terrorists."

Then I read some more about the deal and I thought some more about it. Then I saw this at Instapundit:

SO NOW BUSH IS THREATENING TO VETO any legislation that would block the Dubai ports deal? Either this deal is somehow a lot more important than it seems (a quid pro quo for, well, something . . . ) or Bush is an idiot. Your call.

I have to admit that one of my first thoughts was of Japanese internment during World War II. At the time I'm sure most people thought it was simply common sense. "Letting those Japanese roam free on American soil? That's crazy! Why not just hand the keys to the country to the Japanese."

In hindsight we made a terrible mistake by interring Japanese-Americans and I think our knee-jerk reaction to this UAE deal will be viewed in similar terms (on a much lesser scale) in the future if we let the politically expedient rule the day.

The company that will run our ports is in the business of running ports. Its not like we are handing over the control of Homeland Security to them. The UAE company will have to deal with the same employment laws and Homeland Security oversight that any other company will have to deal with. The NSA probably looked over the deal and gave it the OK. It seems conceited to think that we would have a better handle on the situation.

I'm frankly disgusted that some of the same people who vocally opposed the Patriot Act have come out and behaved like they are somehow saving the country by stopping contracts like this on a purely racially profiled basis (and I should say I mean people like Chuck Shumer - not Glenn Reynolds).

It seems to be political opportunism at its worst. If the contract does get pulled - I hope it goes to Halliburton. That would be real cosmic justice.