Dubai II On The Way?

A second Dubai deal on the verge of approval may create a new firestorm. Financial Times reports:

Arab and US officials are growing nervous at the prospect of a second congressional uprising against the acquisition of American assets by a Middle Eastern-controlled company in the wake of the Dubai Ports World debacle.

A person familiar with the thinking of both the US and United Arab Emirates said officials were concerned that the pending investigation of Dubai International Capital’s £700m ($1.2m) purchase of Doncasters, a privately-held British aerospace manufacturer that works on sensitive US weapons programmes, including the Joint Strike Fighter (pictured), could provoke a similar backlash and further damage the relationship between the two countries

Raising the first stink is a Dem (natch!), John Barrow, who wants to tour Doncasters' engine production plant in Georgia. He's apparently not exactly on top of the deal:

“It is reported that your facility produces turbine engine parts critical to tanks and military aircraft...one must assume [it] plays a necessary and substantial role in the nation’s ongoing military efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan,” Mr Barrow wrote.

This one is a crock on its face. Barrow can dress himself us as a hawk as much as he wants, but there's no "there" there. Dubai couldn't export Doncaster engine parts without stringent review, and the engines' production will still be monitored by the military. If there are shenanigans, Doncaster would lose the contract.

I hope the GOP and the right-blogosphere shut this story down right away. While there are still troubling issues with the ports deal, this transaction should go through. It's a no-brainer -- which is apparently more brain than Barrow has.

hat-tip: memeorandum
Talkin' Technrati: Dubai, Doncaster, Barrow