Foreign Control of Ports

I really do not understand President Bush sometimes.  How can he be so strong on the war on terror abroad, yet so weak on controlling our own borders?

I believe in free markets and free trade.  I believe in opening up markets at home and abroad for products and services.  But I don't believe our national security is a product that should be subject to trade.

Ideally, only American companies would control our ports.  I can deal with companies from close allies (like Great Britain) doing it, but it does not make me comfortable.  It's not that I believe only Americans can do the job of controlling a port.  It's certainly possible that a foreign company may do a better overall job than an American one.  When it comes to securing a country's borders, though, who better to do so than the ones with the most at stake if something goes wrong?

I can envision the situation of a UAE manager with radical Islamic leanings not caring much if he leaks some information to Al Qaeda or lets someone slip in.  It's not his family that gets blown up.   I would hope that an American manager (Muslim or not) for an American company would be a little more concerned about his/her friends and family.

I sincerely hope the President will come to his senses and not become weakened further by risking a veto override.

--Red