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Uproar over U.S. ports (excellent editorial)
The Washington Times ^ | 2/17/2006 | Staff

Posted on 02/17/2006 6:15:19 AM PST by Dark Skies

The White House is obviously not listening to the congressional uproar over Dubai Ports World. Lawmakers want to know why a federal panel allowed a state-owned United Arab Emirates shipping firm to pay $6.8 billion to acquire six major American ports -- including critical ones in New York, Baltimore and Philadelphia -- despite its home country's glaring ties to international terrorism. But the White House is yawning.

(Excerpt) Read more at washtimes.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; Foreign Affairs; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: bds; dubaiportsworld; horrificdecision; iran; israel; noway; ports; uae; wot
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Comment #41 Removed by Moderator

To: MNJohnnie

It places OPERATIONAL CONTROL over strategic ports to a foreign country in time of war. This rises above politics IMO.


42 posted on 02/17/2006 7:30:38 AM PST by afnamvet
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To: MNJohnnie

Having trouble with your CapsLock key? lol


43 posted on 02/17/2006 7:30:43 AM PST by be-baw
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To: be-baw

Having trouble with your CapsLock key?
***
Yes he is. It is stuck on CFR


44 posted on 02/17/2006 7:32:48 AM PST by Esther Ruth (I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee - Genesis 12:3)
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To: Dark Skies
Three words of advice: Follow The Money!!!

Guaranteed that there's a lobbyist and or US firm tied to this.

45 posted on 02/17/2006 7:37:00 AM PST by O6ret
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To: Alberta's Child
You might want to present some facts to support your claim of "erroneous facts"...I didn't see any. You said...

The notion that the UAE firm is paying $6.8 billion to acquire six major U.S. ports probably comes as a huge surprise to those agencies that currently own and operate these ports and have no intention of selling them.

There's an erroneous fact on your part right there.

Dubai Ports World is acquiring a single company (who knows it is being purchased BTW), Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Co., that operates out of the six ports in question. At issue is actually Dubai's commitment to fighting terrorism. Dubai Ports World will not be controlling security at any of these ports but the question is "can Dubai be trusted to prevent any infiltration of its own operations...i.e. could a terrorist get deadly cargo on board and get it delivered into a port."

I suggest that is a legitimate question.

From the article in Forbes...

The Homeland Security Department said it was legally impossible under the committee's rules to reconsider its approval without evidence that DP World gave false information or withheld vital details from U.S. officials. The 30-day window for the committee to voice objections has ended, the department said.

Separately, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said it will conduct its own review of the deal and urged the government to defend its decision.

In a letter to the Treasury Department, Port Authority chairman Anthony Coscia said the independent review by his agency was necessary "to protect its interests."

Also, you will note that some of the legislative complaints are coming from republicans.

46 posted on 02/17/2006 7:39:44 AM PST by Dark Skies ("A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants." -- Churchill)
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To: MNJohnnie; Prokopton
MNJohnnie - Unlike your response repeated over and over, Prokopton's response DOES bear repeating:

Any company that has control of port operations would have to be intimate with all security measures, even if performed by someone else. To let a foreign company, from a country that supports the very terrorists we are at war with, to have knowledge of security operations at major U.S. ports, is lunacy! Muslim countries, and the companies these countries control, are not our allies. There loyalty is to their religion that is at odds with U.S. security. Are the leaders of our country really that dense?

47 posted on 02/17/2006 7:40:36 AM PST by OB1kNOb (Imagine if there were no hypothetical situations......)
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To: MNJohnnie

Blind faith?


48 posted on 02/17/2006 7:41:35 AM PST by ßuddaßudd (7 days - 7 ways Guero)
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To: Dark Skies

I'm curious to see if the donks are going to do any of the heavy lifting on this one particularly when it comes to the "jobs" issue. More likely, they'll just be happy to demagogue it.


49 posted on 02/17/2006 7:43:40 AM PST by Chi-townChief
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To: Dark Skies
I let the WH and Cheney know that I am opposed to this whole thing last night. Hoepfully they are getting allot of emails against this garbage.

Schumer is already on board, so he and I agree on 1 thing, but even if he wasn't, I wouldn't waste the email. Clinton, I won't waste it, and my congresscritter is such a socialist, he's also a waste of time.....

50 posted on 02/17/2006 7:47:00 AM PST by b4its2late (Terrorists will either succeed in changing our way of life, or we will change theirs. - Rummy)
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To: Dark Skies
There's an erroneous fact on your part right there. Dubai Ports World is acquiring a single company (who knows it is being purchased BTW), Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Co., that operates out of the six ports in question.

There's nothing erroneous about the FACT I presented. The editorial specifically stated that DPW -- through its acquisition of Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Co. (also known as P&O Nedlloyd to those who have seen their containers in intermodal yards or on the nation's highways) -- would be acquiring six U.S. ports. This is utterly and completely FALSE, as P&O doesn't OWN a single one of these facilities.

Separately, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said it will conduct its own review of the deal and urged the government to defend its decision. In a letter to the Treasury Department, Port Authority chairman Anthony Coscia said the independent review by his agency was necessary "to protect its interests."

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey -- not P&O -- owns the port facilities in the New York harbor. P&O jointly operates (with a company called Port Newark Container Terminal) of one of the Port Authority's seven container terminals under a lease arrangement with the agency. If there are any details of the proposed acquisition that the Port Authority finds unacceptable, the agency can simply terminate the operator's lease on the property and prohibit any vessels from the UAE-owned company from making port calls in New York and New Jersey.

51 posted on 02/17/2006 7:51:20 AM PST by Alberta's Child (Leave a message with the rain . . . you can find me where the wind blows.)
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To: MNJohnnie
MNJohnnie writes (almost word-for-word what he wrote in another thread):
All the various National security agencies have given this company a clean bill of health. This company MERELY does port operations, it has ZERO security functions. Security is a Federal Govt responsibility. The ONLY people freaking are the Democrat Senators. This works for them on two levels.

Let's think about this a bit.

Any company that "does port operations" is going to be working closely with those who provide the "security functions" _in_ those ports, whether they be federal agents or otherwise.

That means that the operating company is going to have much more of a "working knowledge" - perhaps quite intimate knowledge - of exactly what kind of security measures are in force, and how they are applied.

And if they have such knowledge, they will know where the "weak points" may be, and perhaps even know how security measures might be circumvented.

Over time, we could actually see Islamist "moles" work their way into the port operations, with the intent of aquiring such knowledge and a vector through which weapons might be smuggled into the United States.

I do not put this past them. Witness as to how the World Trade Center attackers operated "in plain sight" until it was time to strike.

I thought the Republicans (in general) and Bush (in particular) were supposed to be PROTECTING America from the possibilities of terrorism and attack. And they're turning over operations of the gateways of American commerce to Arabs? This is "security"?

Oh, sorry, of course it isn't. Taking your shoes off to get on an airplane *IS*.

- John

52 posted on 02/17/2006 7:54:25 AM PST by Fishrrman
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To: MNJohnnie

Read about the maffia during WW2 when they were needed at the docks. Do you think the mooslimes will do the same thing????


53 posted on 02/17/2006 7:57:50 AM PST by chris1
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To: ßuddaßudd

Anytime a politico says trust me, I put my hand on my wallet and slowly back away. I consider all politicos lying, cheating, worthles scum.


54 posted on 02/17/2006 7:58:09 AM PST by TXBSAFH (Proud Dad of Twins, What Does Not Kill You Makes You Stronger!!!!!!)
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To: Dark Skies
What is the difference from security point of view between the Dubai Port Company handling 6 US ports and many air flights coming from Dubai (Emirates Airlines) to the US?

The terrorist can also infiltrate Emirates airlines and using the logic of the article, Emirates airlines must be as banned from the US or even to go further any airlines from any muslim country must banned from entering the US because of potential infiltration by terrorists. Why is that we suddenly are making a big deal about Dubai Port handling 6 US ports and we have never made any issue about Muslim countries airlines conducting many flights a week to and from the US?

55 posted on 02/17/2006 8:00:06 AM PST by jveritas (Hate can never win elections.)
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To: Dark Skies

Are we that much in need of foreign investment funds that we would sell out our security?

Need some strong 'pubs' on that legislation that the Hitlery just attached her name to to block this deal from occurring.

No way should this be allowed to happen.


56 posted on 02/17/2006 8:05:25 AM PST by SueRae
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To: Alberta's Child
This is utterly and completely FALSE, as P&O doesn't OWN a single one of these facilities

Man, there's been some really TERRIBLE reporting if what you say is true.

It's going to be really interesting to follow the development of this story. Thanks for the info.

57 posted on 02/17/2006 8:06:12 AM PST by Siena Dreaming
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To: TXBSAFH

I hear ya' !


58 posted on 02/17/2006 8:07:42 AM PST by ßuddaßudd (7 days - 7 ways Guero)
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To: b4its2late

I am trying to phrase my letter to the WH, congress, my senators but I can't come up with anything strong enough to get my sentiment across without being downright rude and profane. Sometimes profanity just says "it" best.

This is an absolute outrage to me. What the freak is GB thinking? He's not thinking...how can he get in bed with Dubai??? What was the secret deal made under the table? What did Bush trade for this? Protection from Iran when we do finally go to war with President Turbanjahmid in Iran? Too many people are involved and gave the ok. There has to be some hand holding, back washing here.

But what?


59 posted on 02/17/2006 8:28:37 AM PST by immigration lady (Freedom is the last, best hope of earth.)
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To: Siena Dreaming
Man, there's been some really TERRIBLE reporting if what you say is true.

It's terrible reporting, followed by idiotic political posturing based on hysteria that is completely untrue.

60 posted on 02/17/2006 8:29:12 AM PST by Alberta's Child (Leave a message with the rain . . . you can find me where the wind blows.)
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