From Daily Kos
by mcjoan
Tue Jul 18, 2006 at 09:13:01 PM PDT
Via Sirota, news tonight that House Democrats have found troubling provisions in the Oman Free Trade Agreement scheduled for a vote Thursday.
In an explosive report tonight, top House Democrats discovered provisions in the controversial Oman Free Trade Agreement that would permit foreign ownership of U.S. ports and other key national security assets. . . . As Reuters reports, "Rep. John Murtha, a Pennsylvania Democrat who serves on the House Defense Appropriations subcommittee, said the pact would allow companies such as Dubai Ports World to acquire U.S. port operations by establishing a shell company in Oman." Those provisions might also allow foreign ownership of other key national security assets, considering just after the recent Dubai Ports controversy, that country went ahead with plans to purchase a major U.S. defense contractor.
How does Lieberman fit into this picture?
Last month, lawmakers from both parties in the U.S. Senate joined hands to pass the Oman Free Trade Agreement - which is being pushed aggressively by the Bush administration and its largest corporate donors. Lawmakers ignored major labor, human rights and environmental objections to the pact put forward by more than 400 union, religious and consumer groups. Among those voting for the pact in the Senate were Mike DeWine (R-OH) and Joe Lieberman (D-CT), two Senators facing tough re-election bids who could face renewed criticism in their home states that they have sold out their constituents.
So criticizing the administration's conduct of the Iraq War imperils national security, but allowing foreign ownership of national security assets, including ports, is fine. As long as that's what the Bush administration wants, Lieberman is happy to oblige. Or maybe he's hedging his bets with Republicans back home.
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