Keystone Cops

Rumsfeld claimed in a press briefing today that he hadn’t even heard about the decision to sell oversight of 6 American ports to Dubai Ports World until this past weekend.

If that’s true, then I knew about a fairly significant national security issue almost a week before the Secretary of Defense, on the day the deal was approved, February 13.

Maybe Rummy should try reading the paper. Or some blogs.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Peter Pace says the same thing—didn’t know until this weekend. And check this out:

White House spokesman Scott McClellan claimed the Defense Department was part of “a rigorous review…for national security concerns.” If so, why were two of the Department’s top officials not even informed, much less consulted?

…Donald Rumsfeld, as Secretary of Defense, is a member of Committee on Foreign Investments in the United States. As such, he was one of the people who, according to the Treasury Department, unanimously approved the sale on February 13. How could do that when he didn’t even find out about the sale until last weekend?

Ridiculous. Incompetent liars, every last one of them.

Meanwhile, Bush says the deal will go through come hell or high water, though even regular Bush ball handlers like Frist and Hastert are balking, and has threatened to veto any Congressional attempts to stop it.

"After careful review by our government, I believe the transaction ought to go forward," Bush told reporters who had traveled with him on Air Force One to Washington. "I want those who are questioning it to step up and explain why all of a sudden a Middle Eastern company is held to a different standard than a Great British company. I am trying to conduct foreign policy now by saying to the people of the world, 'We'll treat you fairly.'"

Wake up, dummy. Dubai Ports World isn’t just “a Middle Eastern company.” It’s a state-owned company. That state, the United Arab Emirates, was used by some of the perpetrators of 9/11 as “an operational and financial base.” No matter how many times you say it, they aren’t “an ally on the war on terror”—at least not our ally. Jesus.