National security?

When George W. Bush was re-elected, polls indicated that one of the big reasons people voted for him was for his strength on national security and his stance against terrorism. But now, national security seems to have slipped his mind.

First there was the Dubai ports ordeal. I'm ambivalent about this one. On the one hand, the US does have ports run from foreign countries, and the UAE is friendly to us. Just because terrorists came from UAE doesn't mean the UAE had anything to do with it, that they endorse it, or that they're all terrorists. It's as if the UK caught an American rapist and then had a diplomatic row about the US government, as if they somehow supported it or even planned it. On the other hand, even though the UAE gov't doesn't support terrorism, it is possible that someone employed under Dubai Ports does. The Arab world in general is hostile to the West and the US (rioting and killing over a stupid cartoon is enough to prove that). But Dubai Ports does have a solid security record, and they wouldn't have complete control over our port's security. The Coast Guard etc is still responsible for that.

Mainly, I think the Dubai Ports affair looks really bad, and is a PR nightmare for Bush (the more the merrier).

But if this president has taught us one thing, is that he does not learn from his mistakes, or just doesn't care what anyone else thinks (both?). Ok, this president has taught us many, many things about how not to be a president.

Now Mr. Bush is agreeing to give India nuclear technology so they can boost their energy-production (nuclear-weapon production) abilities. Ok, how dumb do you have to be on this one? India and Pakistan are notorious enemies that have been quarreling for a long time. I don't think Pakistan will be all that happy to learn that the US is helping their enemy arm-up. And after we bombed a Pakistan village, killing a bunch of civilians. Won't Pakistan try to arm-up too? Why give either side the upper-hand? Why give nuclear assistance to any country that plans to make more nuclear weapons? Here we are in a face off with Iran on one side of the border, and on the other side giving nuclear technology freely to another country with an itchy trigger finger. Yep. Makes sense.

There's another aspect to this questionable agreement with India. Bush wants to give them nuke assistance so they can decrease their dependence on oil. Hmm. Didn't he mention something like that in his State of the Union? I thought he was talking about the US when he said that, so why did he run off to India with that idea? Not only has Bush forgotten about national security, but apparently he's forgotten about his nation as well. But this is a common theme, too busy bumbling an "unpredicted" insurgency in Iraq to do anything about a hurricane we saw coming for days, with effects scientists have been predicting for years. You'd think that'd be an easy one for Mr. Bush.

So just after criticism for giving our ports to the Middle East, Mr. Bush runs off to give our nuclear technology to India. Batting 100 really. I'm almost giddy to see what mess he'll get himself into next.