[Sasquatch]

While I would definitely disagree with Chez on our country leaders being "****tards", I do disagree with the ports deal. However, it came to me the other day that this might be a "ploy" -- everybody knows Bush is on his way out anyway, so if the Republicans have him do something stupid, and everybody backs away from it, it sets the stage for Congressmen (or Presidential hopefuls) that "aren't afraid" to go against Bush. But now, Congress is f***ing it up -- included with the Dubai Ports World ban is a section for more funding of the war in Iraq and a section for more money to be poured into the "victims" of Katrina. So if Bush vetoes it to let the ports deal go through, he vetoes it all -- and he should veto the Katrina stuff, but that's another story. (That's a common tactic in Congress -- bills usually include things that aren't related. If I make a good bill and put my own little piece of funding in it, you still have to vote for it because it's a good bill. If I make a bill I know you won't vote for and put something good in it, you can either vote for it and have the vote for something bad on your record, or vote against it and also be voting against the good thing in it. For example, if there's an Education bill going through, and I add to it something about public funding for all sports stadiums (as I'm a sports fan), you still have to vote for it because people will say you voted against the bill that would fund our schools and educate our children. Many Congressmen put in their own little pieces of funding.)

And while Chez has a good point that we should get out of Iraq, I highly doubt she fully understands the complexity of the situation (no offense meant there). If we pull out of Iraq, it'll collapse. We must wait until they're stable enough to take over and run the country without our presense before we just up and leave.

And while Griffith has a good point as well, that terrorists could still get into the country, or get funding and materials for their "operations", it might be much, much easier with the ports controlled by an Islamic Extremist country. I mean, how much would it really take for a couple inspectors to look over the one conex box (railroad container) with the nuclear weapon in it? Hell, you could fit quite a few into one conex box. (EDIT: You could also, quite easily, hide some enriched Uranium used to make a "dirty bomb". Enriched Uranium, like the kind Iran -- another Islamic Extremist country -- is pursuing?)