My LTTE re: Port Security being turned over to Dubai.

[Obamarama]

I've found DUer suggestions and clarification most helpful when drafting my LTTEs in the past. Would appreciate a good ole' critique on this one, too. Thanks!

If you like it, feel free to customize it for your own city and send it into your local paper.

Here it is:

Imagine, if you will, that the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety discovered an extremely high number of arson suspects and convicted arsonists living within a specific city neighborhood.

Next, imagine that a company wishes to build a station to supply free gasoline and books of matches smack dab in the middle of this very neighborhood. Before they can do so, they must get city government approval.

Finally, imagine that the city manager, mayor, and full city commission understood the potential dangers of such an idiotic plan. Then, without so much as batting an eyelash, they approve the company’s plans to offer free gas and matches in a neighborhood populated by known arsonists.

Pretty scary stuff, huh? As a matter of fact, it sounds so outlandish that such a situation could never actually transpire, right?

Unfortunately, it’s not such an outlandish idea in George Bush’s America. The same administration that lied to justify attacking Iraq, appointed Mike “heck-of-a-job-Brownie” Brown to run FEMA, and thinks it can illegally spy on American citizens has allowed a deal for the security detail at six major US ports -- New York , New Jersey, Baltimore, Philadelphia, New Orleans and Miami – to be coordinated by a company based in Dubai, part of the United Arab Emirates.

In case you didn’t know, Dubai is recognized as a logistics center for al-Qaeda operatives. Money for the 9/11 attacks were wired through Dubai’s banking system. Two of the 9/11 hijackers were citizens of Dubai, and more than half of the hijackers flew to the U.S. directly from Dubai to prepare the final plans for the attacks. Yet, in light of these facts, George Bush hasn’t lifted a finger to prevent U.S. port security from being controlled from Dubai.

Thankfully, Democratic senators are drafting a bill that would block this neglectful recipe for disaster.

Boy, the people who voted to keep Bush in the White House because they though he was “tough on terror” must feel pretty duped right about now.

Oh well, at least you still have tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans, gays can’t marry, and your children may soon learn in public schools that dinosaurs are only thousands of years old. Mercifully, the Democrats still have their eye on the legitimate priorities facing our country.

Meanwhile, let’s pray that the so-called leader of the free world doesn't allow our neighborhoods to be torched by arsonists before the Democrats can wrestle control of our country's affairs back into the hands of those with whom that control can be trusted.

[NanceGreggs]

1. You asked for an HONEST critique, so brace yourself ...

:woohoo: :applause: :toast:

An excellent piece of writing! DON'T change a word!

[slor]

2. LOL...I just tried to critique it, but had a post error...

so I guess it was not meant to be. I like it, but the analogy does not feel right, though I may be quite wrong.

[Greyhound]

3. My though too. Great letter and the sentiment is right on, just the

analogy doesn't feel right. Instead of arsonists maybe election fraud (letting the GOP chairman counting the votes with no verification nor accountability)?

[slor]

5. Hey grey, is that your year of birth? n/t

[mitchtv]

6. I think you are right, the analogy is a bit stretched

It's more like turning over border control to an illegal alien ex drug smuggler. as for "mercifully" i would prefer "thankfully".

[Greyhound]

7. Ooo, that's much better than my suggestion. n/t

[Obamarama]

9. I'm trying to get to people to think about it in localized terms....

I understand your point, and I wondered about the analogy myself. But Bush actually is, in essence, giving gas and matches (potential way to inflict harm) to a neighborhood (Dubai) populated by arsonists (al-Quaeda operatives).

[WePurrsevere]

4. Very well written and done in a way that will increase awareness

& get a few folks thinking. B-) I really like how you worked in a few other little "wake up calls" that some may not know about as well as Bush basically selling our ports to what is basically the enemy (yet one more treasonous incident that he and his admin should be tried for).

[ellenfl]

8. i agree about the analogy.

maybe putting the mexican army in charge of our southwestern borders would be more apt. also, i have only had one letter printed (my first!) but i concentrated on brevity. newspapers don't allow a lot of room for lttes and usually print several, so i think you have a better chance if it is fairly short.

my 2 pennies.

otherwise it's a great letter!

ellen fl

[AntiFascist]

10. The criticism I've been seeing on DU is that...

you can't typecast all Arabs as being terrorists. It's politically incorrect and it doesn't help matters when Bill Maher spouts off about the Arabs taking control of our ports....ahem!

The crucial point to get across is that the UAE government is behind this company, and no less than the Minister of Finance of the UAE has been implicated in running a bank that was involved in money-laundering for Osama bin Ladin. This together with the fact that the UAE is known as a relatively deregulated trade zone, and according to this AP report folks like AQ Khan have been using UAE ports as important transfer points for smuggling nuclear components to Iran and North Korea:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060216/ap_on_go_pr_wh/port_security