Don't Worry, Be Happy Now

CNN: Bush: No need to worry about port security

Ok, so everybody else has already posted this on their blog, and I am positive that it has been taken insanely out of context. Nonetheless, these very words tumbled from OFFAL‘s lips today:

“People don’t need to worry about security.”

What a relief! And such a nice change of pace from what he was saying just the other week when he said:

“We cannot let the fact that America hasn’t been attacked in 4 1/2 years since September the 11th lull us into the illusion that the threats to our nation have disappeared. They have not.”

[I’ll watch the White House site for a transcript to put that first quote in context. ‘Cause that’s the type of guy I am.]

UPDATED

I promised the context, so here it is, though a bit late. [Emphasis added.]

Q Sir, do you wish you had known earlier about the Dubai Ports deal and were you surprised by the controversy over it?

THE PRESIDENT: The more people learn about the transaction that has been scrutinized and approved by my government, the more they’ll be comforted that our ports will be secure. Port security in the United States will be run by Customs — U.S. Customs — and the United States Coast Guard. The management of some ports, which, heretofore, has been managed by a foreign company will be managed by another company from a foreign land. And so people don’t need to worry about security. This deal wouldn’t go forward if we were concerned about the security for the United States of America.

What I find interesting is that it’s okay for a British company to manage some ports, but not okay for a company from a country that is also a valuable ally in the war on terror. The UAE has been a valuable partner in fighting the war on terror. A lot of goods are shipped from ports to the United States managed by this company.

And again, I repeat to the American people, this wouldn’t be going forward if we weren’t certain that our ports would be secure. But I also want to remind folks that it’s really important we not send mixed messages to friends and allies around the world as we combine — put together a coalition to fight this war on terror.

And so we’ll continue to talk to people in Congress and explain clearly why the decision was made. Many of those doing the explanations are around this table, and I want to thank them for bringing a sense of calm to this issue, as people understand the logic of the decision.

He is, of course, laboring under the delusion that he is a trustworthy mediary between us and our security.