** updates continue at the end **

We lost more security world wide. Recall DPW operates a lot of ports sending goods here to the US. They are our first line of defense for stopping WMDs being smuggled in. Here is just a fraction of what we lost:

Until Rove’s decision, Dubai’s business leaders had insisted they would fight on. The chairman of Dubai Ports World, Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, told me emphatically on Wednesday that his company would do whatever was necessary to convince Congress that the deal posed no security risk — new investment, additional equipment, more scanning of cargo, special checks of UAE personnel, including himself. But that was before the House Appropriations Committee voted 62 to 2 to kill the deal.

Well, are we safer now? Of course not. The Chicken Hawks who could not handle more (not new) UAE business in the US Port market had to panic and toss away UAE funded security equipment and stepped up scanning of containers. Wasn’t one of the lame excuses we heard from the mob we needed to increase our inspection of cargo?

This is what happens when people run around on emotion, especially fear. They don’t think. More:

I suspect America will pay a steep price for Congress’s rejection of this deal. It sent a message that for all the U.S. rhetoric about free trade and partnerships with allies, America is basically hostile to Arab investment. And it shouldn’t be surprising if Arab investors respond in kind. One could blame it all on craven members of Congress, if the opinion polls didn’t show that Americans are overwhelmingly against the deal — and suspicious of Muslims in general. Those poll numbers tell us that America hasn’t gotten over Sept. 11, 2001. If anything, Iraq has deepened the country’s anxiety, introspection and foreboding.

Yep, we are running scared. And Al Qaeda sees it too. And they must be rejoicing that spooked Americans rejected what Al Qaeda deems a major enemy to them, and now they will use this to rally support and make the case America can be beat. They will say America is in retreat now – we only need to kill a few more.

Never show weakness to animals. Even Chicken Hawks should know that. But of course what do you expect from people who just finished sending friendly fire into our ally and weakening them and us our efforts fighting terrorists.

To appreciate how cockeyed America’s Dubai-phobia is, you have to spend a little time here, as I did this week. The truth is, this is one of the few places in the Arab world where things have been going in the right direction — away from terrorism and Islamic fundamentalism and toward an open, modern economy. That’s why congressional opposition came as such a surprise here. People in the UAE think they’re America’s friends.

Read the whole sad story.

Update: An excellent round up on the DPW disaster at RCP. A sad must read.

Update: Oh, in case you missed it, we now are at war with those ‘fereigners’, not Al Qaeda:

The decision by Dubai Ports World to abandon its effort to take over terminal operations at six U.S. seaports was a victory for the numerous politicians who have thundered in recent days that foreign companies have no business handling U.S. port operations.

Now all we have to do is round them up and drop them off over the boarder. Here’s are first target – more Ayrabs!

For an example of the industry’s international nature, consider Inchcape Shipping Services, a London-based company that provides ship agency services — arranging the smooth arrival and departure of vessels — at 200 ports around the world, including more than two dozen in the United States. Inchcape was purchased in January by a Dubai company whose chief executive, Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, also heads Dubai Ports World.

How did Schumer and King, those Arab-Slaying Chicken Hawks, allow this to happen? Where are all those brave Congress people? They should march on these heathen port operations right now! Some one alert Michelle Malkin. We need Ann Coulter down their telling these ‘ragheads’ where their place is.

Update: Well, well. It seems Michelle is already out hunting for more feriegners:

And yes, I agree, it’s time for a wholesale reassessment of all other foreign government-owned or -operated critical assets in the U.S. We should have done it a lot sooner. That’s not called xenophobia. That’s called dealing with post-Sept. 11 reality.

The reality being, of course, Michelle is afraid of Ayrab businessmen. And I am not the only one seeing this:

PROTECTIONISTS, REJOICE! The dastardly United Arab Emirates company that would have presumed to unload containers of underwear and toothpaste on U.S. soil has backed down, and it will now divest its U.S. port interests to an American entity. Rest assured, the nation is now safe from dangerous Middle Eastern accountants and port logistics specialists.

Thank GOD we have all been saved!

Update: Congress wins the Dodo award! For killing our economy by making it harder to negotiate trade deals, by lsoing out on serious security enhancements DPW was bringing to the deal, and for generally making is all look frightened.