The assistant to President Bush for homeland security and counterterrorism today said the United Arab Emirates "has changed" and is no longer the same nation that once gave aide to the Taliban.

Instead of presidential press secretary Scott McClellan, Frances Fragos Townsend took questions from reporters today, addressing the controversy surrounding an administration-approved deal that would put the operations of six major U.S. ports in the hands of a state-sponsored company from the United Arab Emirates.

WND asked Townsend about the UAE:

"On page 11 of the 9-11 commission's report that you're undoubtedly familiar with, it says, 'From 1999 through early 2001, the United States pressed the United Arab Emirates, one of the Taliban's only travel and financial outlets to the outside world, to break off ties and enforce sanctions. These efforts achieved little before 9-11.' And my question: Why should we now give this nation any control of our ports, which so refused to help in stopping a worse killing of Americans than at Pearl Harbor?"

Responded Townsend: "There is no question that their performance has changed since 2001 in the war on terror. They have been critical allies in Afghanistan. They have been critical allies in fighting the financial war against terror. They've been critical allies in terms of our military-to-military relationship, as General Pace has talked about.

"I don't take issue with the 9-11 commission's characterization prior to September 11, but I will tell you, prior to September 11, Pakistan also recognized the Taliban. They, too, are now a critical ally in the war on terror, without whose support we would not have enjoyed some of the successes we've enjoyed, in terms of capturing or killing some of al-Qaida's leaders. So I would caution you against judging forever one's performance prior to 9-11."

WND also asked if heads will roll in the administration due to the lack of knowledge about the deal among higher-ups, saying, "What will be done, if anything, to those responsible for this being done without the knowledge of the president or the secretaries of defense and treasury?"

Townsend talked about the transaction-approval process for such deals:

"I can't speak to what will be done to them. I will tell you that there are tens of these every year. They are handled and they only come up to the president and to the senior – to the members of the Cabinet if there's an objection, if the concerns can't be addressed in some way and can't be resolved. This is how the process has worked, and so I can't speak to, having – I wasn't personally involved in it, so I can't speak to what the process – how it performed."

Previous stories:

Dubai terror ties 'not what we're talking about'

Bush threatens veto over U.S. ports deal

Bush admin defends Arab control of ports

Arab takeover of U.S. ports seen as security 'insanity'