Hightower Lowdown

It was big news when the Bushites authorized the United Arab Emirates to take over the operation of some U.S. ports. Behind the headlines, however, were several little revelations that I found to be somewhere between curious…and alarming.

Let's start with a fun one. Guess who is lobbying for the Arab company that was to take over the ports? Bob Dole! Yes, the former GOP presidential nominee, who was last seen doing TV ads for Viagra, belongs to the firm lobbying on behalf of UAE's oil-rich monarchs. And guess who also has a curious connection to the emirs? Daddy Bush! One of the seven ruling families of the al Qaeda-linked UAE monarchy is a major contributor to the George H.W.

Bush Presidential Library, listed in the top donor category of "$1 million or more." More alarming is the news that very few of our country's ports are American-operated these days. Unbeknownst to the public, 80% of our crucial seaport terminals are now run by entities flying the flags of Singapore, China, and other nations.

But the most stunning revelation is thatonce againno one at the top was on watch! George W himself was totally unaware that the sale was even being considered until the news hit the media fan. Likewise, Donnie Rumsfeld and Condi Rice were cluelesseven though both sit on the committee that oversees such deals.

Worst of all, though, Michael Chertoff, the head of Homeland Security, was also blissfully ignorant! His sole job is to be on the alert for any and all security risksbut no one at this $41.1 billion agency shook the secretary awake or said, "Sir, you might want to sneak a peak at this one." The port deal reveals less about the emirs than it does about the Bushites. How can they be so scandalously blasé about our security?