Shark Black
At Fates Hands  ![]() http://www.fat
AKA Raiderblack
Posts: 1,352
|
Post by Shark Black on Mar 10, 2006 17:38:29 GMT -5
|
|
SethFWF
At Fates Hands ![]() http://www.fat
"Rattle your God damn head!"
Posts: 1,405
|
Post by SethFWF on Mar 10, 2006 18:48:01 GMT -5
Lemmings, hell...your own party is finally wising up, guess they're a bunch of idiots too. Oh wait, they really aren't any better than the Democrats...  And IMO the approval rating isn't a great gauge, but it's not a surprise. He's still got a little over 3 years to turn it around, but anymore videos about Katrina, poor nominations, and trying to sell the country to potential terrorists isn't going to help him at all. Seth |
|
Shark Black
At Fates Hands ![]() http://www.fat
AKA Raiderblack
Posts: 1,352
|
Post by Shark Black on Mar 10, 2006 21:14:58 GMT -5
Dude this isn't a partisan statement by any means. Dude I don't have a party. I may be a registered Republican but I'm no conservative. I am an independent thinker. The whole congress is a bunch a dumbfucks for reacting in such a panick-strickened manner... And I fear that they have done harm to our good relationship with one the the few moderate Arab countries. Congress is not acting in the best intrest of the country they are acting in their own self interest when they do things like this. Just stupid.  |
|
SethFWF
At Fates Hands ![]() http://www.fat
"Rattle your God damn head!"
Posts: 1,405
|
Post by SethFWF on Mar 10, 2006 21:33:24 GMT -5
Well, I can't figure out what their own
best interests would be...although I
wouldn't be surprised if some of them
had financial interest from another deal.
Actually, for once I think they did good
by making a stand. Why in the hell even
take the chance that something bad could
come of it? The federal gov't is already
fighting every step of the way to not do
anything about the borders, and then we're
supposed to be comfortable with allowing an
Arab country this kind of access? Call it profiling
or rasism all you want, it's just common sense...
and if they can't understand that and think
we're horrible for it, oh well...what else is new?
It would be like saying, there's just a very small
chance my kid could get hurt if I allowed him to
join a gang...the chance is there and not so much
if he doesn't. Enough with money dictating decisions
in our gov't. It's obvious that Bush's absolute
dedication to this sale was motivated by anything
but the countries safety.
Seth
|
|
Shark Black
At Fates Hands ![]() http://www.fat
AKA Raiderblack
Posts: 1,352
|
Post by Shark Black on Mar 11, 2006 1:28:57 GMT -5
Their interests are purely political. They all want to distance themselves from the president, so that they aren't hurt politically. This issue was manufactured by the presidents detractors, carried to the masses by the press, and picked up by political opportunists to exploit.
And what you're saying may makes some sense, but the facts remain that this company has no connection with terrorism. They are an established ports firm. If I use your analogy, Dubai Ports World are more like the local Ballet Folklorico group than the Mexican Mafia. You wouldn't stop your kid from learning how to dance because other Mexicans are gang members. The companies that run the ports do not provide security, the US government does. The UAE has been one our strongest allies in the middle east in fighting terrorrism, and now we've screwed one of their top companies, over unjustified fear. The company was fully vetted and approved. In fact Dubai Ports World even agreed to an unusual, broader security examination.
It sends a terrible signal to friends around the world that it's OK for a company from one country to manage the port, but not a country that plays by the rules and has a good track record from another part of the world, because of petty politics.
|
|
SethFWF
At Fates Hands ![]() http://www.fat
"Rattle your God damn head!"
Posts: 1,405
|
Post by SethFWF on Mar 11, 2006 11:55:59 GMT -5
I understand that line of reasoning, for
the most part...but Saudi Arabia is
supposed to be a 'good guy' over there
and an allie...but I wouldn't be comfortable
with them in that situation either.
These terrorists groups are just like the
special interest groups here, they exist
everywhere in those countries and can
make things happen in gov't whether the
gov't wants it or not. Infiltrating a port
company would not be a problem for them
if they wanted to strike at us over here. And
we know that our port security is not up to
snuff by any means, so it's a chance that
shouldn't be taken IMO.
If we look bad, oh well...I'd rather look bad
then be attacked and then look stupid...and dead.
Seth
|
|
BenMech
At Fates Hands ![]() http://www.fat
The One You Warned Me Of
Posts: 1,470
|
Post by BenMech on Mar 11, 2006 12:07:26 GMT -5
Seth - what's with the margin formatting in your posts?
|
|
SethFWF
At Fates Hands ![]() http://www.fat
"Rattle your God damn head!"
Posts: 1,405
|
Post by SethFWF on Mar 11, 2006 12:55:26 GMT -5
Whenever a long link is posted in a thread,
I have to scroll way over to read all the
posts on that page. I'm assuming that maybe
everyone has to do the same thing, of
course you all may use a different resolution
and it's not a problem.
But I'll just shorten up the lines on mine
just in case so it's not a pain for anyone.
Seth
|
|
|
|
Post by Gonzalo el Silenciado on Mar 12, 2006 11:55:15 GMT -5
I'm going to ignore a lot of facts and ask a couple of basic questions...
1. I can understand the arguments for outsourcing this job to private companies, but why a foreign one? Is Halliburton's entire staff already in the Middle-East?
2. If the job absolutely HAD to be given to a foreign company, why an Arab-based one? Considering 9-11, Iraq, and Afghanistan - and how they instensified an Islamophobia that was already there - did the administration seriously expect people to react in a way other than the way they did? Why didn't they EXPECT the 'broader message' to fall on deaf ears? Finally, didn't anybody think that this could have been a huge, ugly opportunity for terrists (as the president calls them) to get into the US?
Moot point. The Dubai company has withdrawn, people are pissed about the war, Tom DeLay's still an asshole, and Claude Allen just got arrested for what amounts to ex-post facto shoplifting. Them poll numbaz be plummeting. Might the political pendulum at long fucking last be swinging back leftward?
NP: Evergrey - Monday Morning Apocalypse... much better than Inner Circle and the awfulfuckingbad Recreation Day, but I fear this band's better days are behind them.
|
|
Fox
Monument  ![]() http://www.fateswa
Posts: 368
|
Post by Fox on Mar 13, 2006 8:07:45 GMT -5
Might the political pendulum at long fucking last be swinging back leftward? I sincerely doubt it. Its already to the left. The Republicans are drunk with power, smaller government my ass. Sadly, I think it be even worse if the democrats were in power. I think the American public agrees with me too. When you vote your choice is typically between bad and worse. I choose bad. |
|
BenMech
At Fates Hands ![]() http://www.fat
The One You Warned Me Of
Posts: 1,470
|
Post by BenMech on Mar 13, 2006 9:43:01 GMT -5
Gonzo - The Chinese own/operate a good margin of US Ports already. The Chinese Are as much a threat to US Security than Dubai. The Chinese are just smarter.
Plus, the new Evergrey grates on me. It's all just quick headbang music for meatheads with no substance afterwards.
|
|
SethFWF
At Fates Hands ![]() http://www.fat
"Rattle your God damn head!"
Posts: 1,405
|
Post by SethFWF on Mar 13, 2006 10:14:05 GMT -5
Might the political pendulum at long fucking last be swinging back leftward? I sincerely doubt it. Its already to the left. The Republicans are drunk with power, smaller government my ass. Sadly, I think it be even worse if the democrats were in power. I think the American public agrees with me too. When you vote your choice is typically between bad and worse. I choose bad. I agree about the bad and worse part, just not convinced which is which. As the special interest far lefties and righties get more powerful, both parties slip further into idiocy. Seth |
|
Virtual Scott
Monument ![]() http://www.fateswa
At Derek Zoolander School for Kids Who Can't Read Good and Want to Learn to do Other Stuff Good Too
Posts: 291
|
Post by Virtual Scott on Mar 14, 2006 8:27:03 GMT -5
Hmmm... I'd be hard pressed, unless you are a Fox-viewer fanatic, to postulate that the American public are all-out Republican supporters, or even support 50% of the actions, agenda and course of action of the Republican-controlled government. The arguable most corrupt, secretive, inept government in recent decades and the public should support them? I would think one could only find a Fox-created focus poll to show me that the vast or even slight, majority of the citizens of this country support and trust the government at this stage in the game.
I doubt things would be this bad if the Democrats were in power, but I guess we'll wait and see. Worse, to me, is approximately where we are now. Maybe even worse than ever imagined?
Where's the Jack Bauers of the world to clean house starting here?
And yeah, Seth, the lobbyist-reform sham is just that. Wishful thinking, and a good step, but it won't curb anything, if it even passes into law, it doesn't go far enough, and our "trustworthy" politicians are always a step ahead of the law when it comes to their own greed.
|
|
