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"And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." - John 8:32
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Author:  Jim Kouri
Bio: Jim Kouri
Date:  February 26, 2006
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Topic category:  Other/General

Hillary's Demagoguing Her Way into the Oval Office

by Jim Kouri, CPP

Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY) blasted the Bush Administration's proposed port management deal with the United Arab Emirates as a move that would "turn over our sovereignty to another country."

The New York Democrat says she's still opposed to the deal and plans to introduce legislation that would block Dubai Ports World or any other company owned by a foreign government from operating US ports. As of today, we have almost 50 members of congress introducing bills to stop the UAE port deal. If only they would propose as much legislation to protect US borders.

Clinton said critical infrastructures like seaports must be operated by the United States, not foreign-owned companies. However, Hillary Clinton critics have pointed out that during her husband Bill Clinton's administration, several ports -- including a US naval base -- were turned over to companies based in communist China, as well as other nations.

According to columnist Charles Krauthammer, in spite of objections voiced by the intelligence community, Clinton pushed for deals with communist China after he allegedly received campaign contributions from Chinese lobbyist Johnny Chung. Krauthammer says that today the intelligence community sees no problem with having the UAE deal go forward.

"While Hillary and other politicians are demagoguing the issue and calling for port management to be performed by US companies, they all know there are no companies in the US that perform such work except for perhaps Haliburton. Imagine the firestorm if Haliburton got the contract, " said one intelligence officer.

Observers point out that while Democrats and some Republicans frown on profiling at airports and other locations, they are perfectly willing to profile an entire Arab country if it's politically expedient. Not one politician -- including Hillary Clinton -- has laid out how the Dubai port takeover compromises homeland security. Neither do they mention how the management of ports differs from foreign governments and companies managing airlines and terminals at US airports.

Intelligence officials have said that the UAE is a valuable asset in the war on terrorism and the current situation is a "slap in the face." In a culture that views "losing face" and being insulted as serious transgressions, the politics regarding the UAE deal may cause irreparable damage with a country that provides invaluable military and intelligence assistance to the US.

Senator Clinton also failed to acknowledge that while she's proposing legislation to block the Dubai deal, her husband is in the UAE putting together a scholarship program in that country as part of his Bill Clinton Foundation. The former president hopes his program will help in developing global unity. It's not known how much cash the government in Dubai is donating to Clinton's foundation.

While conventional wisdom says that Clinton will run for president in 2008, the latest Rasmussen poll (Februrary 21) shows that only 28% of Americans would definitely vote for her, while 41% would definitely vote against her. Another 25% say it depends on whom she runs against. The same poll shows that Senator John McCain (R-AZ) would handily defeat Clinton, Gore, Kerry and other Democrat candidates.

Political analysts believe Sen. Clinton is attempting a difficult balancing act. She must shore up her support from the radical left while appealing to moderates and conservatives. Recently, Clinton stood between the former heads of the US Military Academy at West Point and the Army War College and unveiled legislation that would add 100,000 soldiers to the Army, declaring that it should be a ''national priority" to field a significantly larger military. The legislation went nowhere, and cynics believe that's what she wanted all along: sound tough on military issues while doing nothing to build it up.

Some analysts say she learned from the campaign of the last Democratic presidential nominee, Senator John F. Kerry, that what counts in national politics is not one's personal service, but support for defense spending. She must distance herself from her past when she and her husband were decidedly anti-military.

While publicly laughing off her low poll numbers, Sen. Clinton is worried and believes two things will help her increase the number of supporters for her presidential run: pushing for tougher port security measures and hiring Democrat strategists and loudmouths James Carville and Paul Begala, who are credited with getting her husband elected. Of course, she will have to do battle with her own senior Senator from New York, Chuck Schumer, who wrote the book on demagoguing. Schumer has, with the assistance of the news media, taken the UAE port issue as his own. He can be a dangerous opponent. Just ask anyone who's stood between him and a TV camera.

Jim Kouri
Chief of Police Magazine (Contributing Editor)

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Biography - Jim Kouri

Jim Kouri, CPP is currently fifth vice-president of the National Association of Chiefs of Police. He's former chief at a New York City housing project in Washington Heights nicknamed "Crack City" by reporters covering the drug war in the 1980s. In addition, he served as director of public safety at a New Jersey university and director of security for a number of organizations. He's also served on the National Drug Task Force and trained police and security officers throughout the country. He writes for many police and crime magazines including Chief of Police, Police Times, The Narc Officer, Campus Law Enforcement Journal, and others. He's appeared as on-air commentator for over 100 TV and radio news and talk shows including Oprah, McLaughlin Report, CNN Headline News, MTV, Fox News, etc. His book Assume The Position is available at Amazon.Com, Booksamillion.com, and can be ordered at local bookstores. Kouri holds a bachelor of science in criminal justice and master of arts in public administration and he's a board certified protection professional.


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