HONG KONG -- U.S. congressmen heartily congratulated themselves when -- after their outcry -- Dubai Ports World backed off and decided to relinquish control of the U.S. ports that were included in its takeover of P&O.
Congress has reason to be worried about the hostile environment enveloping the United States, but its leaders are looking in the wrong direction. Security against devilish foreign predators is an issue. But the bigger danger to the U.S. and to the world comes from the U.S. itself. Senators and congressmen and President George W. Bush himself should be looking in the mirror.
What has happened in the last few weeks shows an empire with a potentially terminal disease. The U.S. behaves as if it has the right to rule the Earth, but reality shows a world unraveling rapidly out of American control. Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran are the obvious signs. But underneath there are cancers eating at U.S. democracy itself.