The bigger issue on the "Ports Deal" is not just the outsourcing of our port security to a 
foreign entity during a time of war, even if that entity has DIRECT ties to our sworn enemy, 
it is about unbridled CRONYISM, and how our National Security interests have become 
secondary to the financial interests of well connected corporations.

This latest "Ports Deal" with UAE is just the latest and most brazen example of Crony Capitalism. 
This has NOTHING to do with "Free-Trade" and everything to do with cronyism.

It might not seem apparent at first that cronyism is involved here—How can UAE be a crony?

As Senator Schumer said, "The devil is in the details." And he is absolutely right.
Everyone is talking about UAE's company taking over the US ports, but nobody 
is talked about HOW they would have to take control. 

Dubai Ports World was to take control of the 21 US ports by BUYING the ports operations 
from a British company, P&O Ports. That is how they were to get control. It just so happens that 
British P&O Ports is a wholly owned subsidiary of an American company, The CARLYLE Group. 
And it just so happens that the Carlyle Group stands to make HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS of 
dollars on the sale of British P&O to Dubai Ports World.

If anyone is not familiar with the Carlyle Group you might be surprised to know that it is composed 
of some of the most well connected right wingers, former and current politicians from here and abroad 
whose more notable affiliates are President Bush and James Baker. Former British PM John Howard
is also part of the group, and is has been published that current PM Tony Blair is slated to join its ranks 
once he leaves office.

The Carlyle connection should not be taken lightly. Some attention has been made to the link that 
Treasury Secretary John Snow has to government-owned Dubai Ports World. Snow was chairman 
of rail firm CSX that sold its own international port operations to DP World for $1.15 billion in 2004, 
one year after becoming Bush's Secretary of Treasury. But just before becoming Treasury Secretary, 
Mr. Snow sold CXS's Horizen Lines division to the Carlyle Group.

It is now being said that Dubai Ports World will hand the ports over to an "American entity" to avoid 
further controversy. But the key question is "Which?" No name has been put forth. It is as secretive 
as the "American entity."  I imagine it will be the Carlyle Group itself.

Across the sea in the UK, Tony Blair approved the sale of Qinetiq, Britain's only defense contractor 
to The Carlyle Group, making Carlyle the world's sixth largest defense contractor about two years ago. 
By the way, the defense industry has never been bigger than it is during this new "Global War on Terror." 
More recently, Qinetiq (now owned by Carlyle) bought into British spy school SLIP. 

Do I need to remind anyone that Carlyle is one the biggest recipients of guaranteed, no-bid, no-cap 
(crony) contracts in the "rebuilding" of Iraq? Most people only know of Hailburton and Bectel as 
prominent crony companies, but the most insidious one is the "private equity firm" The Carlyle Group.

WE ARE BEING SOLD OUT, LITERALLY, TO CRONIES. Our National Security
and well being are secondary to funneling money to cronies.

Other crony ties in this deal involved to one extent or another is David Sanborn, 
who runs DP World's European and Latin American operations and was picked 
by Bush last month to head the U.S. Maritime Administration, and Bush's 
brother Neil, who once again has a smelly "business interest," this time to UAE.

Another interesting crony scandal that was successfully kept out of public 
debate was the Riggs Investment Management bank's money laundering scandal for 
Saudi Arabia. It just so happens that GW Bush's uncle, Johnathan Bush—who 
quietly resigned — was President and CEO of the bank that was slapped with a 
$25Million fine and cited by Regulators for failure to comply with the Bank Secrecy 
Act, a law governing anti-money-laundering requirements.

Another interesting but little known fact about pre-9/11 security was another 
Bush crony connection. As it turns out, brother Marvin Bush was on the Board 
of Directors of Boston's Logan Airport and the World Trade Towers in NY, both 
the origin and destination points of the two hijacked jets. His name was also 
successfully kept out of the major news outlets and quietly resigned.

Katria is the most high profile example of how Bush cronies (Brownie) have 
failed us during critical National Security issues. AMERICA'S BEST INTEREST 
HAVE BECOME SECONDAY TO CRONY CAPITALISM. 

National Security has become big, big business. Unfortunately for everyone else, 
the cronys have a vested interest in perpetuating international tension and 
compromising US Homeland Security. 

A THOROUGH EXAMINATION of the Carlyle connection to the Bush Administration 
needs to be done. This administration has its hand in the till and the American public needs 
to know how they are being sold out. It is just one more thing that he might be impeachable for.

Andrew Ploski
New York