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.
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.