UAE Ownership of American Ports

It's been pretty widely covered that the President is firmly committed to permitting a company in the United Arab Emirates to take over operations of 6 American ports, including certain security operations. The President has gone so far as to threaten to veto any legislation preventing the sale -- if he does, it would be the first veto of his presidency.

I can't find a decent argument against the sale that doesn't include at least some blatant xenophobia. This is especially true when you consider that the ports were already owned by foreign companies - just not Arab ones. US Customs would still be in charge of the major security of the ports and American citizens would be working as security as well. The UAE's terrorist connections are nearly non-existent, at least relatively speaking for the region. It just kind of sounds bad for an Arab company to own American ports.

Frankly, I could care less whether the sale goes through or not. It's the political backlash that interests me. This is simply a lose/lose issue for Bush. His base is comprised of the very xenophobes who are screaming against this sale taking place. Both House and Senate Republican leadership has already said they will seek legislation to prevent the sale. Democrats will take a stand against it because it's an election year, its good for them politically and costs them nothing.

If Bush doesn't have the support of his base, Republicans, or Democrats....well, that's pretty much everybody. He'll be left alone standing on a stage carrying a big Publisher's Clearinghouse-style check and have nothing to show for it. I really don't understand why he's taken such an adamant stance on this issue. He gets nothing out of it and it will cost him, and through him Republicans, alot.

This year hasn't been great for him (just like last year). He got no State of the Union bump and his poll numbers remain flaccid. Now that the Cheney Shoots Old People story has died down, the talk has shifted back to domestic wiretapping, which, despite Republican thinking, is not a good issue for them in November.

Bush has lived and died with the War on Terror for four years and this will be a major story about how Bush is willing to outsource security, which turns attention to the economy, which also isn't a great issue for Bush. So, I'm just baffled by this. I'd love to hear any thoughts as to potential political benefits to Bush because I just don't see any.