White House Defends Port Sale to Arab Co.

Associated Press/Breitbart ^ | 2-16-2006 | By TED BRIDIS and DEVLIN BARRETT

[Dog Gone]

The fact is that they are there, contrary to the assertion I was responding to. A couple got trashed in the cartoon riots in Pakistan. They've probably already re-opened.

[all4one]

Please note that DP World is NOT a company from Dubai....it is OWNED and COTROLLED BY THE GOVERNMENT OF DUBAI!!

Link to Info.

[Don'tMessWithTexas]

I never suggested that he was a RINO. I have alot of respect for Coburn. I only said that anytime Schument and Lautenberg are behind ANYTHING, I am suspicious.

[Don'tMessWithTexas]

What operations are this company taking over at these ports?

[ovrtaxt]

All I'm saying is- does anyone want to risk a major port looking like that picture? Some Muslims get offended, they start throwing things and starting fires, and the cops have all taken sensitivity training. Just perfect.

[Dog Gone]

Are you under the impression that muslim workers from Dubai are going to taking over the labor at those ports?

[singfreedom]

I have NEVER even implied that President Bush was a traitor!! Pray tell, how did you come to that conclusion? I have spent countless hours and dollars to elect and protect him.

Firstly, and most important, I have not determined from ANYTHING I've researched, that the President made this decision PERSONALLY. I imagine it was some bureaucrat, or group thereof, that made this foolish decision. It wouldn't be the first time the Prez was betrayed by a Plame-esque nobody.

By the way, one of the criteria for the sale was that if the U.S. decided to "investigate" the buyout, the sale would be null and void (paraphrased from hearing minutes). That does not sound like a "normal" business deal to me. If you've nothing to hide, why would you fear an investigation?

[ovrtaxt]

Are they contractually prohibited from doing so?

[Aliska]

This is the kind of thing I was worried that Kerry would do, only some communist country. I cannot believe such a thing is happening. Why not tax breaks for American companies to do this? It smacks of a sweetheart deal to me.

Guess I'll have to write and call some congress people, not that it will do any good.

Just got a letter from my Republican senator when I called or wrote *specifically* about the pharmacists and the conscience issue concerning the morning after pill; I don't want to embarass the office, but the meat of the reply was:

"I appreciate hearing your support for conscience clauses, preventing government agencies from requiring private health care agencies or insurance copanies to offer referrals to abortion providers . . ."

That's the second time I've gotten a response that was not relevant to my concern (this particular one is indirectly related), but the other was a Democrat senator.

[Mo1]

No not yet .. the sale is still in process .. but close to closing

DomG just mentioned Rick Santorum concerns about this .. and he's not happy about it

You can listen to DomG's show online now

http://www.thebigtalker1210.com/

[isthisnickcool]

We are not this stupid are we? This is as dumb as a president giving away the Panama Canal and we never be that stupid. Would we? /Jimmah sucks sarcasm off

[Dog Gone]

I haven't seen the union contracts, but I imagine so. Not only that, but Dubai doesn't have workers to export, nor would they be allowed in the US to displace American jobs.

It's a change of management in port operations. It's not a change of workforce.

Nor is Dubai anything like the crazy street scenes in Pakistan.

Some here are imagining their worst stereotypes of what muslims are, and envisioning the street thugs in charge of our ports. That's ridiculous.

[sasha123]

Why we should not trust UAE, let me count the ways...

"the port operator is responsible for securing cargo coming in and out of the port, the port facility itself and the hiring of security personnel."

"Currently, only 1 in 20 containers are checked, and 95% of all goods imported arrive through our ports."

"Dubai has been named as a key tranport point of nuclear components to N Korea, Iran, and Libya, sold by Pakistan."

"2 of 9/11 hijackers were UAE nationals and the FBI claimed money used for the attacks were transferred to the 9/11 hijackers through UAE banks. Furthermore, after 9/11, the Dept of Treasury complained of a lck of cooperation by UAE and other Arab countries as the US was trying to track down UBL's bank accounts."

"UAE is increasing trade opportunities with Iran."

[outofhere2]

WH defends this deal. INCREDIBLE. It's a good thing Bush didn't pull this in an election year.

[singfreedom]

I am certain, knowing Dr. Coburn, that he was as stunned as anyone by his "strange bedfellows".

[P-Marlowe]

I agree. There are no US firms that were interested in the gig?

I suspect that Halliburton would have been a good choice.

[sasha123]

What also concerns me is that last month, DPW's former director of operations for Europe and Latin America, David C. Sanborn, was appointed by President Bush last month to be the new administrator of the Maritime Administration in the Transportation Department.

I how and/or if this lines up with the whole thing?

[singfreedom]

I have not been able to determine precisely. One article said they would have control of security, another said not. I haven't found anything that definitively spells it out. Perhaps someone else will have better luck. I would like to know, in list form, exactly what would be their responsibilities.

[binkdeville]

Although I HATE Schumer and dont trust him , this whole deal still makes me real anxious. Just don't sound right to me .