President Carter on Dubai Ports World

A few days ago, I asked the following question of former President Jimmy Carter:

Dubai Ports deal and allies in the middle east (3+ / 0-)

I was dismayed by the way in which the Democratic establishment seized upon the Dubai Ports World deal as a means to burnish their foreign policy credentials at the expense of the Bush Administration. If we are to reform the Arab world, it will require building long-lasting economic links between our societies, and making common cause with political moderates against the Islamists. As has been noted, the Islamophobia evident in the reaction to the DPW deal (which was largely fueled by the Democrats, it must be noted) has had serious consequences. What is President Carter's position on the DPW deal and what strategies does he support for reaching out to the moderates in the middle east?

by azizhp on Mon Jun 26, 2006 at 10:50:35 AM CDT

Today, President Carter did me the immense honor of replying, as follows:

Answer to azizhp: In an interview on CNN, I publicly supported the DPW as
soon as the issue arose. My agreement with President Bush on the issue was
highlighted that evening by Jon Stewart on the Daily Show. There was no
threat to U.S. security, and it was a false and demagogic issue.

I asked a follow-up question, but really I am quite satisfied to have had a reply - especially the right reply.

Cross-posted to a diary at DKos. I don't think it will garner much positive response, however.

UPDATE: From the New York Times, details about how these Democratic Senators are guilty of fear-mongering against Islam and Arabs:

Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York and Robert Menendez of New Jersey, both Democrats, said yesterday that they planned to introduce legislation to prevent companies controlled by foreign governments from buying American port operations.

The purpose of the bill would be to block the $6.8 billion sale of a British shipping company to Dubai Ports World, a port operator controlled by the government of Dubai, part of the United Arab Emirates. The British company, Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation, operates the cruise ship terminal on the West Side of Manhattan and has a half-interest in the Port Newark Container Terminal, the third-largest cargo terminal in New York harbor.

"I just don't believe that our ports should be handed over to foreign governments," Mr. Menendez said in an interview. Especially not to Dubai, he added, because it has a "serious and dubious history" as a transit point for terrorism.