The firestorm of opposition that derailed the plans of a Dubai company to take over management of six American port terminals earlier this year was fueled by a mix of misinformation, fear-mongering and prejudice. But in the end, this act of political theater proved to be a useful exercise. As the chorus of lawmakers and pundits shouting down the deal grew louder, the public and the media got interested in port security and discovered that it was dangerously inadequate. That prompted Congress to pay attention and finally to begin taking the issue seriously. Full Story