The port brouhaha is now in President Bush's court, as Dubai Ports World has requested that the U.S. government investigate the deal - the very same kind of investigation that the Bush administration said the deal did not need. Hmm, we wonder if Karl Rove asked the company to request it, to get them out of this pickle, or if DPW realized they'd have to do this or else there'd be protests at the ports when they are handed over to them. Senator Schumer said he was glad about the investigation but he'll still be proposing a law that requires the President to stop the American part of the deal (DPW is in the process of buying P&O Ports, a British company who manages six American ports). However, the AP points out that potential Arab influence is limited at the ports, given the labor will still be union and that DPW won't be the sole owner of all the ports - at Port Newark, the co-leaseholder is a Danish company (Danish and Arab company side by side?).
The 9/11 Commission stressed that the DPW owning the ports wouldn't be a security threat - it's more about how cargo is not screened very well at any ports. And here's a transcript of Meet the Press where Representative Peter King discussed the port issue.
