Reward Terrorists AND Halliburton

[Bad enough Bush wants to push through the Dubai deal that gives port operation contracts to a nation that sent us two of the 9/11 hijackers and has funneled money to terror groups over the years...now he's considering getting Halliburton in on the deal.]

Dubai & Dubya in dash for lifeboat
Bush team urges firm to get a U.S. partner

BY THOMAS T. DeFRANK and KENNETH R. BAZINET, DAILY NEWS WASHINGTON BUREAU

The White House is quietly pushing a Dubai company to "significantly restructure" and partner up with a U.S. outfit to keep the port deal from sinking, sources told the Daily News yesterday.

"It's in the hands of the company now. ... They're going to have to significantly restructure," said a Republican source familiar with White House expectations.

A revamped deal to allow Dubai Ports World to take over six major U.S. ports - including Manhattan's cruise ship terminal and Newark's container depot - would have to be something along the lines of the Marine One contract.

British- and Italian-owned AgustaWestland had to take on Maryland-based Lockheed Martin to win the contract to build the President's helicopter last year.

"A lot of people are talking about this, a subsidiary or a deal like that," a congressional source confirmed.

One snag to such a deal may be that sources say the U.S. company best equipped to partner with DP World is Halliburton, once headed by Vice President Cheney.

After undergoing so much scrutiny for its no-bid Iraq contract and the handling of some of its duties there, Halliburton may not be able to help DP World land the deal, a source admitted.