Posted on 02/12/2006 7:52:30 AM PST by cope85
UAE firm to run 6 U.S. ports Nation tied to 9/11 hijackers could influence terminals, including Baltimore's Originally published February 12, 2006 WASHINGTON //
A company in the United Arab Emirates is poised to take over significant operations at six American ports, including Baltimore, as part of a corporate sale, leaving a country with ties to the Sept. 11 hijackers with influence over a maritime industry considered vulnerable to terrorism.
The Bush administration considers the UAE an important ally in the fight against terrorism since the suicide hijackings and is not objecting to Dubai Ports World's purchase of London-based Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Co., which runs Baltimore's public terminals.
The $6.8 billion sale is expected to be approved tomorrow. The British company is the fourth-largest ports company in the world, and its sale would affect commercial U.S. port operations in New York, New Jersey, New Orleans, Miami and Philadelphia as well as in Baltimore. The company's P&O Ports unit employs about 65 in Baltimore and is responsible for many of the unionized longshoreman hours.
It predominantly handles containerized cargo for the state-owned port at Seagirt and Dundalk Marine terminals. DP World said it won approval from a secretive U.S. government panel that considers security risks of foreign companies buying or investing in American industry.
The U.S. Committee on Foreign Investment
(Excerpt) Read more at baltimoresun.com ...
"The State Department describes the UAE as a vital partner in the fight against terrorism. But the UAE, a loose federation of seven emirates on the Arabian Peninsula, was an important operational and financial base for the hijackers who carried out the attacks against New York and Washington, the FBI concluded."
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The insanity of Washington opening up this country to the world, is out of control. The ONE WORLD elitists, including the Bush dynasty and friends, are setting us up for a major fall, IMHO. What ever happened to the soverignty and independence of America??? (dumb question, right?)
Payment for classified services rendered during GWOT.
What ever happened to the soverignty and independence of America??? (dumb question, right?) WHAT THAT

Riddle me this, if you dare:
How many nukes can you fit in a standard shipping container?
I've been looking for this story.
Thank you for posting.
I understand Monday is the definite date for this.
Gonna send it to Michelle Malkin.
This has the feel of a big mistake.
IMHO (about the UAE buyers)
Let 'em visit the USA (after background checks)
Let 'em party here all they want
Let 'em invest in the firm
BUT DON'T let them within a mile of actual operations
Does this remind anyone of Jimmie Carter giving the Panama Canal to the commie Chinese?? Just wondering---
Well, if the State Department said it, then it must be true. Right? We all know the State Department has America's interests in mind.
Um... BINGO!
We all know the State Department has America's interests in mind.
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Yeah -- the best friends the Saudis ever had...EVER!!!
Yes and worse.
This is a MISTAKE!!!
New York, New Jersey, Miami, Baltimore...
The Saudi's have the money to undercut the British firm. How stupid is this move?
The longshoreman I've seen can't even be trusted to wear steel-toe boots or wear a seatbelt. Trusting them with keeping us safe is a poor choice.
"Freedom...." (incongruous smile) "It's on the march..." (squint...squint again) "We're winning!" (voice crack, followed by incongruous smile)
This company isn't going to "run" anything at these ports. P&O Nedlloyd is a shipping company and terminal operator, not a port authority. They are basically one of many tenants at the six ports in question -- and in the case of New York and New Jersey, they aren't even considered among the "Big Boys" at the port.
This is beyond stupid! If this is what the Republicans call Homeland security, we are realy in trouble.
Ops4 God Bless America!
"If this is what the Republicans call Homeland security, we are realy in trouble. "
This, and completely ignoring the TexMex border is apparently what some Admin. Repubs mean by "Homeland Security".
This company, Dubai International or Dubai World, is OWNED by the United Arab Emirates. Last month in January one of their executives left this company and was hired by the Bush Administration. This UAE government owned company also purchased part of CSX last year.
They are not running any ports, they will be running corporate operations of the businesses they own located in the ports. Port operations remain under the control of the local Port Authority and U.S. Coast Guard.
These threads are like weeds...and so many people buying into the BS.
So are you saying that it is no big deal that the United Arab Emirates have leverage into what is being brought into our docks? There is no neede to manipulate this news to create 'hype'. This is not 'hype' or 'BS', this is real and it is a real problem.
Leverage? No, they will simply own the company that has operations in those ports. What comes in and out will remain the same and will remain subject to the same laws that they do today.
I am sorry, I do not agree, nor will I ever agree that it is ok to give an Arab company any rights on US ports. It only takes 1 time. Allow globilization in another field, but not where national security is at stake.
They will have access. "they" being a possible terrorist, will have access to secure areas as an employee.
They will have no more or no less access to the ports then they already do.
The UAE is not authorized by the Feds to operate any US ports, the UAE is trying to purchase the UK firm Peninsular and Orient a Shipping and Ferry operations corporation. All US ports are run by Maritime agencies, which are part overseen by Homeland Security.....don't believe everything you read from the AP
I'll help you "blow the doors open" a bit if you like.
Today, Dubai International purchased 6 ports from P & O Nedlloyd and gained the ports from the purchase which P&O handled - NY, NJ, Balt, Phili, New ORl, Miami. They bought out all the P&O stockholders. If you go to the P&O Nedlloyd site, you will get todays news which tells you the whole deal.
You heard this from MIKE SAVAGE!
They didn't purchase any ports! They purchased businesses located within ports. There is a world of difference.
Is this from Scappleface?
Ummmm....no.
That means the Bush Administration is in need of psychiatric care.
They are on this '06 election drivel how the "Demorepublcanrats" (thank you Mike Savage) are going to take it in the shorts and the House and Senate are going back to the Democrats to send a "Message", BLAH< BLAH< BLAH< Bark, Snort, Spew......
You know, like they promised us in '04 but didn't happen.
Yes, the keep sending the same message over and over, election after election. The funny thing is, THEY aren't getting the real message.
(Yawn!)
I gather someone at The Sun is a bit P.O.'d about this????
Do I sense a union staking out a position? This just feels way too much like a negative spin.
From Perot, to Buchannan, to (can't remember the last nobody they chose) But the percentages went from 19% to 7% to 2% to less than 1%. (Looks like the facts speak for themselves as to how big an impact they are having.
Treasonous.
Regardless, these folks are not a loss. They will never support a GOP candidate so the threat of a protest vote is meaningless.
you are absolutely right, I did not type that correctly, please accept my apology. There was nothing deceptive inteded by how it was written, just got a little excited. However, once I read or hear a story, I get my info from the source (the company news, researching owners and prior business decisions).
I have been with a Fortune 500/International cargo company for 14 years, and I can tell you that we have access to the areas in where we land. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that out. Employees have access to the areas in which they work. We have bought out other airlines just for landing rights. Employees have more access than any Joe walking down the street. Employees are trusted. But, why trust an Arab Owned company? It is too risky and It's not necessary.
I am a republican and a Bush supporter. But, I am not a blind follower of anybody or anything. This has nothing to do with Bush, Republicans, or Democrats. I am signing off. I would love someone to convince me there is no need for worry. But, living within 15 minutes of one of these Ports makes me a bit nervous especially when I turn on the news and hear "Death to America". Good Night.
Ping to you, cricket, after your thread yesterday. It's getting some more attention, at least.
My thoughts exactly! Someday we're going to look back on this idiocy and say, what the heck were they thinking?
Selling AMERICA to the enemy.
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