The BushCo/ Carlyle Cabal Will Make Billions On This Dubai Port Deal!

There are several possible explanations for the Bush administration even considering turning our American ports over to a company now owned by The United Arab Emirates, and none of which is very pretty:

1. It's an election year, Stupid! This kind of "Republican v Republican Stand Off" usually happens on the state level just before November elections. An out-going Republican governor presents some truly lame idea, and members of his own party "stand up to him," get enough votes to override a veto, and get re-elected (or elected for the first time) because of their "bravery."

This happened in Michigan's Republican controlled state government just before Jennifer Granholm was elected governor in 2002. In fact, it worked so well that I've forgotten which lame idea the state Republicans used to "stand up to their own party's governor." (I think it was a bogus tax increase threat, which everyone knew wouldn't fly in an election year.)

2. An even scarier reason: BushCo is really serious about this deal, which would allow a foreign government with ties to Osama Bin Laden (and I'm talking about ties to the guy in the form of support. They even supplied 2 of the 9/11 hijackers).

The cast of characters involved in this deal reads like a demon's list of résumé references:

Dubai, 24 January 2006: - Global ports operator DP World today welcomed news that one of its senior executives, Dave Sanborn, has been nominated by US President George W. Bush to serve as Maritime Administrator a key transportation appointment reporting directly to Norman Mineta the Secretary of Transportation and Cabinet Member. --snip--

Mr Sanborn currently holds the position of Director of Operations for Europe and Latin America for the Dubai-based company. --snip--

Mr Sanborn, a graduate of The United States Merchant Maritime Academy, joined DP World in 2005. He previously held senior roles with shipping lines CMA-CGM (Americas), APL Ltd and Sea-Land and has been based, besides the US, in Brazil, Europe, Hong Kong and Dubai during his career. He has also served in the US Naval Reserve.

Mr Sanborn is due to take up his new role based in Washington DC later in 2006.

Wait! There's more!

CSX Lines’ sale to Carlyle Group now final for $300 million

CSX Lines LLC’s sale to the Carlyle Group has been finalized with a $300 million payment to former parent company CSX Corp.: $240 million in cash and $60 million in securities. --snip--

The Carlyle Group is a Washington-based global private equity firm with more than $14 billion under management. It has invested $7.2 billion since 1987, achieving a 36% realized internal rate of return in buyouts, real estate, high yield, and venture in the U.S., Europe, and Asia.

Still not sure this is isn't a cozy little Carlyle Group/ Bush Family Evil Empire plot to make another fortune at the expense of The United States Of America? How would The Carlyle Group and the Dubai-based company track all of those shipments?

Horizon Lines was formed in 2003 when the ocean-going sector of international transportation company CSX Lines was purchased by global private equity firm The Carlyle Group. Raymond, who was serving as an executive officer with CSX, led the initiative to sell the ocean-going sector of CSX. --snip--

Horizon Lines will also look to increase efficiencies in 2006 with an investment in RFID tracking and a major vessel replacement initiative. According to Raymond, the new vessels will help increase capacity, lower costs, and pave a path for growth in 2008 and beyond. In December, the company added new personnel and underwent a management realignment to tackle the growth plan.

Growth plan?

Sounds like they've been planning this deal for quite a while, doesn't it?

Most notably, Horizon Lines appointed John Handy as executive vice president. Handy brings a breadth of experience to the growing company as a retired four-star Air Force general who most recently served as Commander of USTRANSCOM, the single manager for air, land, and sea transportation for the US Department of Defense.

There's also a much creepier rationale for BushCo to force this Dubai port deal:

3. The Bush/ Carlyle Cabal makes billions of dollars off this deal, and George W. rides (Oops! Sorry. he's afraid of horses!) drives his pickup into the sunset.

A Democrat gets elected president in 2008.

Just in time for a terrorist attack on one of our UAE-controlled ports.

Republicans scream, "See! We told you so!"

Whatever the reason, it sure looks like The BushCo/ Carlyle Cabal is trying to get out of the oil business and into a future Waterworld-based industry: controlling the entire world's shipments of goods.

Now that's power.


So you think you know Delilah?

Judges 16:19-- And she made him sleep upon her knees; and she called for a man, and she caused him to shave off the seven locks of his head.