Bush is right about the ports:

Looks like we have a good old fight on our hands by a surprisingly united Dem and Rep House and Senate versus President Bush. Looking at the two sides it’s interesting how the one side, President Bush who is not up for reelection, has nothing to loose and who can do the right thing is calling for the deal to pass. The other side that conveniently now has an issue is against the deal despite the ports being owned by the British and every other port in this country being owned by a foreign entity from Hong Kong to the Singapore government. These politicians have conveniently found an issue that they can get America to sweat over giving them a chance to appear strong on terrorism when the ownership of the ports is irrelevant to the issue.

I think it is summed up best by comments from a Homeland Security official who stated in today’s FT, “do you know how much influence the owner has over what happens at US ports? Zero. Since September 11, security at US ports has been legislated, its been regulated and the question of who owns the company is irrelevant.”

The reason it’s “irrelevant” is because as I commented yesterday, the U.S. Coast Guard and Customs control what comes in and out of the ports.

Does anyone know how many foreign government owned airlines fly into the U.S. everyday? Nobody complains about that considering those countries from Saudi Arabia and the like can plant anything in its cargo hold. They don’t complain because like the ports, those planes and what’s on them is checked by Customs.