Ports, atoms and visas

The purchase by Gazprom of a strategic energy-related company in the CR (Škoda JS) doesn't even warrant a headline, but the purchase of leases on six ports in the U.S. by a friendly nation (Dubai) has created an uproar across the Atlantic. George W. Bush doesn't enjoy the stronghold on the media that ČEZ and its droogs do, and even some of Bush's own Republican supporters are criticizing him for a double standard in the war on terrorism. The uproar won't transfer to the CR in terms of causing Czechs to be more careful about who buys strategic companies, but it will have an effect on Czech vacationers. Congress is now even less likely to approve a relaxation of travel requirements. The mere mention in the U.S. of anything with security implications, such as visa waivers, is enough to bring out the heavy artillery. At least until the U.S. mid-term elections are over. [Czech Republic United Arab Emirates Dubai Ports World visa- free travel Škoda Jaderné strojírenství]