Port Sale to UAE to close Thursday; 45-day review is window dressing

[npincus]

http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/02/27/ports.dubai/index.html

The B*sh Admin is allowing the port sale to DP world to proceed this Thursday, with the 45-day investigation to follow! Bill Frist has flipped like a pancake; now he is on board with this cosmetic "investigation". Isn't it obvious- once the sale closes it is a done deal. DP may "voluntarily" halt operations in the US but they will own the contract to operate our ports. Lou Dobbs said it would be very difficult to get out of the deal after the sale; it would require that the B*sh Admin take DP world (UAE government) to court. Fat chance of that EVER happening!

How in the world can we stop the sale from going forward? It looks like the Republicans have rolled over completely- it looks like DP's highly paid lobbyists have earned their keep. I am sure it will pay for buckets of Viagra for the Dole household; won't Senator Dole be thrilled!

How, how, how can this sale be stopped?

The deal initially was scheduled to close Thursday. DP World said it will proceed with the $6.85 billion acquisition as planned but will "voluntarily separate out the U.S. assets that would otherwise be part of the deal" to allow time for the review.

In addition to commitments previously made to the review committee, DP World has pledged its North American port operations will be "a completely separate business unit;" that it will not exercise control over the management of U.S. operations; and that the chief security officer for P&O's North American operations will remain a U.S. citizen unless the U.S. Coast Guard -- which oversees security at American ports -- agrees otherwise.