TAKE A BREATH! LOOK AT THE FACTS!

There’s a lot of bantering today over the deal for Dubai Ports World (DPW) to take over port operations in many American ports. It’s hard to find a Washington politician, Democrat or Republican, who isn’t vehemently against this deal.

Folks, this is strictly a political issue, there is no security concern here – the Democrats invented this issue because they’re looking for a method to portray Bush – the man who has pursued global terrorism with an unprecedented focus and zeal – as being actually “soft” on terror. Dems also think this might be a way to turn their political misfortunes around – as most of them now know they’re going to be consigned indefinitely to the back bench unless they can beat the Republicans on the number one issue in America today – security from Islamofascism.

Republicans like Bill Frist are phoning in to support the Democrats on this issue, only because they read the polls too and are afraid the Dems might actually get a foot in the door.

Okay, so let’s stipulate here that handing over major port-operations to an Arab country at a time when we seem to be at war with, and hated by, the entire Arab world – well, let’s just stipulate that that doesn’t sound like a very good idea. However, let’s calm down a moment and look at the facts here.

First – you guys know that I am a RABID ANTI-ISLAMO-FASCIST. I believe in utter ruthlessness in dealing with these guys and all options are on the table in my book when it comes to dealing with them. I personally believe that every terrorist we catch should be tortured just for general principle – but that’s me. I have no sympathies for these guys so when I tell you I think this DPW port deal is not a bad thing – I ain’t sayin’ it because I love terrorists.

Let’s look at the facts folks – and I’m going to put forth a series of arguments that have to be taken in their entirety. Some of these arguments, taken individually, can be debated to one degree or another – but taken in total – they illustrate to me that this DPW deal is not a bad thing.

POINT ONE: President Bush came out firmly today in support of this deal. I believe his quote was … “The UAE has played by the rules, they have cooperated and are an important ally in the war on terror … it would send a terrible message if we did not allow this transaction to go forward.” Lest we not forget … the number one enemy of terrorists is not the U.S.A. – it’s George W. Bush (personally). The man is hated globally by Islamo-fascists – which is precisely the reason I love him so much. So this is not a guy who would throw terrorists an opportunity. Additionally, President Bush has been taking a lot of credit for the fact that, since the sucker-punch of 9-11, the Islamo-fascists haven’t been able to lay a scratch on the United States. What this means is that – IF THE TERRORISTS EVER DO GET ANOTHER HIT ON US – President Bush will take the entire blame. So I don’t think Bush would support this deal if he thought there might be a chance that American security would be compromised. But don’t take this argument on it’s own – move on to …

POINT TWO: If DPW takes over port ops in American ports – they aren’t going to start importing Arabs in to run them. In fact, the same faces you see running our ports today, will be running our ports after DPW takes charge of them. Don’t take this argument on it’s own – move on to …

POINT THREE: DPW has been providing port ops for our Naval vessels in Middle-Eastern ports for years – without incident. “What about the USS COLE?” You say? Well, DPW wasn’t even peripherally involved in that incident, and besides – the COLE wasn’t tied to a pier when she was attacked – she was anchored in the open harbor when she got hit. The fact is, DPW has been providing port operations for our Naval vessels overseas for years. I’ve worked with these guys personally and they are a professional outfit. Don't cling to a racist stereotype which depicts these guys as dusty camel jockeys - these are professional people who operate on a global scale. They are international capitalists. If they had any inclination to aid terrorists I think that inclination would have already manifest itself as an attack on a large Naval combatant like say, an Aircraft Carrier moored overseas in some place like Jebel Ali. But we saw none of that – not even during the most tense parts of the Afghan and Iraqi wars. But don’t take this argument on it’s own …

POINT FOUR: DPW has benefited in spades from Capitalism. If they give any aid to a terrorist attack – it’s going to seriously attack their bottom line. Capitalism is a beautiful thing – the love for money will make a company turn away even from its parent government’s principles in favor of making money. Witness Microsoft and Google in China. But don’t take this argument on it’s own …

POINT FIVE: The United Arab Emirates is the “red light region” of the Arab world. Ever been there? Nothing can’t be had for a price – it’s a capitalist’s playhouse. It’s also the adult Disneyland of the Islamic world. The UAE is on old Osama’s list for elimination. In Islamo-fascist circles, the leadership of the UAE is detested as sub-human, worthy only of one’s utter contempt. To them, the leadership of the UAE is WORSE than the U.S.A. because the UAE has turned away from Islamic principles and has aided the enemy – America. The UAE has no reason to help Islamic terror – doing so would mean their own downfall – their own very painful and … **permanent** downfall. Don’t take this argument on it’s own …

POINT SIX: Stopping this DPW transaction would drive a wedge between the US and an important ally in the war on terror. That’s exactly what Osama Bin Laden wants – I don’t think it would be a good idea for us to oblige him. Don’t take this argument on it’s own though.

POINT SEVEN: DPW has extensive experience operating ports overseas where the terrorist threat is much greater than here in the U.S. These guys are experienced and do business professionally. Think about it - after seeing what happened after hurricane Katrina do you really want a New Orleans outfit running the Port of New Orleans? No? Well, that's essentially what you're saying if you're against this DPW deal.

FINAL POINT: DPW won’t be taking over port security – that remains in the hands of the Department of Homeland Defense (DHD). The Dems acknowledge this, but also say that DPW will learn our security modus operandi if they take over our port ops. My response to that is that DPW already knows our security modus operandi – because they operate massive numbers of foreign ports and they have seen our security operations with respect to our Naval ships visiting those ports. They already know how we do business – they don’t need to be physically present in the U.S. to learn them.

As I’m writing this – Bill O’Reilly is on the television and has just come out in support of the DPW transaction – he’s bucking popular American sentiment and he’s just re-earned my respect for him. He even included a couple of arguments in his editorial that I left out above – arguments on how it would simply be an empty gesture of racism to block this deal. He’s right.

It’s important to analyze the facts of this case – and not get caught up in the political hysteria that currently surrounds this issue.

Take a breath folks – this is not a bad thing.

GET A GUN DUDE!

Sorry I’ve been away so long … new job and of course, I’m still devoting a lot of my off time to rebuilding my house after Katrina.

I had to comment on a little item of news I became aware of a few days ago. Seems the National Rifle Association (NRA) is taking flak from the liberal MSM for using truthful facts in trying to make a point.

What I’m referring to is this latest effort by the NRA to point out that gun ownership isn’t necessarily a bad thing. As the latest example to make their argument, they’re pointing to the events and conditions that prevailed on the Gulf Coast right after Katrina.

The leftist MSM is upset about this. They point out that the NRA is exaggerating the problem and using the hurricane for political reasons.

Here’s my opinion – a guy who lived through the aftermath of Katrina.

In a nutshell … the NRA is RIGHT.

I had a gun, actually several guns, and I’m awfully glad I had them.

Here’s the story, and pay close attention, because this can happen to YOU even if you don’t live in a hurricane region. The fabric of civilization is fragile, and you’re fooling yourself if you believe otherwise …

I evacuated my home on Sunday the day before the hurricane. I took all of my guns (approximately ten) with me because I didn’t know when I’d be able to return to my home and I didn’t want looters to steal the guns and use them for evil means. That’s responsible gun ownership – you take the guns with you and maintain positive control over them at all times.

When Katrina hit, she knocked out power from Baton Rouge, La all the way to Mobile, Al. She killed power as far north as Jackson, MS in some places. The Gulf Coast was completely dark. This is “lesson in civilization #1” – our civilization requires POWER. POWER to run police stations, fire stations, hospitals. POWER to run police radio base stations. When power is knocked out, police have a problem communicating with one another, ergo – a potential situation of lawlessness occurs because the police cannot effectively bring their (few) assets to bear on maintaining lawfulness. This occurred BIG TIME in New Orleans – not only because of the problems communicating – but because many of the police deserted New Orleans and others even became part of the criminal element. This also occurred, to a much lesser extent in some areas of Mississippi.

When there is no effective enforcement of the law – a situation of lawlessness occurs. This is evidenced by the looting, rapes, and general evil that occurred in New Orleans after the hurricane.

For two weeks after the storm, I didn’t travel anywhere without a gun – two guns actually. The first was a .45 Cal Colt 1991A1 semi-automatic pistol. The other was a sporterized 7.62mm Russian issue SKS rifle (the kind the Soviets and other communist bloc nations used before adopting the AK-47. Many Viet Cong carried the SKS during the Vietnam War – because it’s a workhorse and you can throw it in the mud, run over it with a truck, pick it up, and it’ll still fire.)

I carried those guns because I didn’t want to be a statistic of the Katrina crime wave that swept the whole Gulf Coast after the storm.

And …

I had to USE those guns.

Not against criminals though – against a DOG.

This brings me to the other point about the usefulness of a gun after the partial collapse of civilization. They aren’t just useful against criminals that would do you and your family harm – they’re also protection against packs of hungry dogs (or other animals) – animals that in this case were abandoned by their owners and took over my neighborhood searching for food.

When I showed up at my house to check the damage the storm caused, one of these dogs quickly spotted my wife and decided she might make a tasty snack.

I didn’t shoot the dog – one warning shot from my pistol was enough for him to get the message. However, I didn’t fire that warning shot until all other means to repel it had failed. This included throwing a stick at it, a rock, and jumping up and down and screaming at it. The dog kept advancing on my wife because it was hungry and hadn’t been fed in a week.

That warning shot quite possibly saved my wife’s life. Even if she had survived a mauling – there were no hospitals up and running to treat her. There were no doctors around. Civilization and what you and I take for granted had almost completely collapsed. No ambulances – no doctors, no hospitals.

My father-in-law went into Chalmette, LA a few weeks after the storm to visit a friend living in a FEMA trailer. His friend told him that, after the storm, the looters came for his stuff. He had a rifle and some ammo – and completely ran out of ammo in fending them off.

The bottom line in this is that – if you had a gun – you could MOVE. You could venture out and find food, ice, water, gas. You could assist others in need. With no gun – sure, you could move about – but you were completely at the mercy of the criminal element – and many Gulf Coast residents discovered this the hard way.

After the storm – you needed a gun. If you didn’t have one, you wished you did. If you had one – you were glad you did.

If you’re one of those who believe that civilization will never crumble around you – then go ahead and criticize gun ownership. If you don’t think a meteor will suddenly fall into your hometown and send everything into lawless chaos – then go ahead and criticize. If you don’t believe your hometown power-grid will ever become lifeless for an extended period of time – then criticize the NRA. If you don’t believe Al Quaida will detonate a dirty bomb on your block – then live in complete bliss my friend.

In my humble opinion, you’re an idiot if you believe that civilization, in your lifetime, is indestructible. And, also in my humble opinion, you’re setting yourself up to be a crime statistic if you don’t have a means to defend yourself and your family after a major catastrophe.

I have ten guns – you’re not getting any of my guns after a civilization collapse – I need them. You can get your own guns.

If you want to be prepared – you need a gun. And, my father-in-law’s friend in Chalmette will tell you – you need a lot of ammo to go along with that gun.

The NRA is right on this folks.