DP World Drops Ports Deal: A Closer Look

March 10, 2006 --

Political pressure from the U.S. Congress pushes Dubai Ports World to sell their North American terminal operations but Washington Post and LA Times columnists echo President Bush's argument that the U.S. does not gain from harming relations with this key Arab ally.

Arab-Owned Firm Bows to Pressure To Sell Off US Port Operations The Arab-owned company Dubai Ports World agreed yesterday to sell off its United States operations after its proposed takeover of the running of six American ports led to a Republican revolt against the White House. (The Guardian)

Bush Says Political Storm Over Port Deal Sends Wrong Message
President Bush said today that he was concerned that United States alliances would be weakened in the Middle East by fallout from the aborted takeover of American port terminal operations by a Dubai company. (NY Times)

Overseas Firms Entrenched in Ports
Despite Dubai company's decision to abandon bid for six U.S. ports, other foreign firms remain deeply embedded in nearly every port in the nation. (Washington Post)

Comment: Burning Allies -- and Ourselves
Expect America to pay a steep price for Congress's rejection of the Dubai ports deal in an election-year frenzy of Muslim-bashing disguised as concern about terrorism. (Washington Post)

Editorial: Goodbye, Dubai
Protectionists, rejoice! The dastardly United Arab Emirates company that would have presumed to unload containers of underwear and toothpaste on U.S. soil has backed down, and it will now divest its U.S. port interests to an American entity. Rest assured, the nation is now safe from dangerous Middle Eastern accountants and port logistics specialists. (LA Times)

Madrid Bombings Show No al Qaeda Ties
Probe of Madrid Train Bombings Uncovers No Link to al-Qaida, Intelligence Officials Say. (AP)

UN Ambassadors Set For Iran Talks
The five permanent UN Security Council members are set for preliminary talks on Iran's nuclear programme. (BBC)

Analysis: What Are The U.S. Military Options Against Iran?
Military Analysts Believe Air Strikes May Force Iran's Hand. (ABC News)

Cheap Watches Trouble for Gitmo Prisoners
Watches Trouble for Gitmo Prisoners As Army Sees Them As Possible Evidence of Terrorist Ties. (AP)

Doctors Demand End to Guantánamo Force-Feeding
More than 260 doctors from around the world call on the US to stop force-feeding hunger strikers at the base. (The Guardian)

Four Years in an Egyptian Jail
I never believed that the freedom I grew accustomed to in my country, Britain, will one day become a curse and will cause me to lose four years of my life, spent behind bars in an Egyptian jail." With these words, Majid Naawaz, a member of the Islamist party Hizbut Tahrir, began to describe his ordeal, a week after he was set free. (Asharq al Awsat)