The ports deal and Bush's cluelessness described by calmer people

Thanks to Kevin Drum, I read a wonderful column by William Greider. I was about to do nothing more but give the link to Greider's column, but given that it is on the web site of The Nation, clicking on the link might cause some to experience a severe allergic reaction. ;-) The entire column is worth reading, but in order to protect those who might break out in a rash by going to the web site of one of the most lefty liberal publications, I will present some excerpts here.

David Brooks, the high-minded conservative pundit...consulted "the experts," and they assured him there's no national security risk in a foreign company owned by Middle East Muslims--actually, by an Arab government--managing six major American ports. Cool down, people. This is how the world works in the age of globalization.

Of course, he is correct. But what a killjoy. This is a fun flap, the kind that brings us together. Republicans and Democrats are frothing in unison, instead of polarizing incivilities...The issue is indeed trivial. But Bush cannot escape the basic contradiction, because this dilemma is fundamental to his presidency.

A conservative blaming hysteria is hysterical, when you think about it, and a bit late. Hysteria launched Bush's invasion of Iraq. It created that monstrosity called Homeland Security and pumped up defense spending by more than 40 percent. Hysteria has been used to realign US foreign policy for permanent imperial war-making, whenever and wherever we find something frightening afoot in the world. Hysteria will justify the "long war" now fondly embraced by Field Marshal Rumsfeld. It has also slaughtered a number of Democrats who were not sufficiently hysterical. It saved George Bush's butt in 2004.

Bush was the principal author, along with his straight-shooting Vice President, and now he is hoisted by his own fear-mongering propaganda.

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So why is the fearmonger-in-chief being so casual about this Dubai business?

Because at some level of consciousness even George Bush knows the inflated fears are bogus. So do a lot of the politicians merrily throwing spears at him. He taught them how to play this game, invented the tactics and reorganized political competition as a demagogic dance of hysterical absurdities, endless opportunities to waste public money. Very few dare to challenge the mindset. Thousands have died for it.

With one exception, Greider is spot on. The exception is that "conservative" does not necessarily mean "Bush supporter" or "war supporter." Stated differently--and as discussed some even on this blog--George W. Bush ain't exactly what could be called "conservative," but that is a different topic. And now ol' George wonders why people are so upset with our ports being run by a company owned by an Arab government. Again, what a dumbass.

In response to Greider, Drum said the following:

On a related note, it makes me feel almost nostalgic to watch the toxic stew of cherry picking, half truths, and outright misrepresentations currently being used to demonize the UAE as a virtual arm of al-Qaeda. You know what it reminds me of? The way Bush & Co. tried to sell Saddam Hussein as Osama's best buddy in the Middle East. It's poetic watching the Bushies squirm when they're on the receiving end of this stuff.

Poetic, yes. Now if we can just add some justice to the poetry...