America is far from an exception to that rule.
However, at the end of the day, I do understand the concern. The fact is that, even if the company running the ports are doing so with the very best of intentions, that doesn't mean that every single one of their employees feel the same way.
There is a danger, however, and I've seen it rising here, of the problem being only because they are from Middle Eastern countries. I don't actually hold that those countries are 'full of people that want to kill you'. But theres no doubt whatsoever that there are people in those countries who would take advantage of the situation to do exactly that, probably a higher percentage than would be in, say, the UK or US.
But will doing it this way make the situation and politics between the West and the Middle East better or worse, and should that even be a factor in the decision? I honestly could not say, someone has to trust first, but trust opens up the possibility of it being betrayed, it's a hard bridge to walk across. I suspect possibly, at least at first, demanding the right to screen all employees working in the ports and do random checks of imported goods etc, which already take place, even in US run ports, would have been a better compromise, but there is so much belligerence on both sides, that I really couldn't say.
