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Democrats plan bill to block Dubai-US port deal (HRC is the sponsor)
Reuters ^ | 2/16/06

Posted on 02/17/2006 7:51:42 AM PST by presidio9

Two U.S. Democratic senators said on Friday they would introduce legislation aimed at blocking Dubai Ports World from buying a company that operates several U.S. shipping ports because of security concerns.

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Robert Menendez of New Jersey and Hillary Clinton of New York said they would offer a measure to ban companies owned or controlled by foreign governments from acquiring U.S. port operations.

"We wouldn't turn the border patrol or the customs service over to a foreign government, and we can't afford to turn our ports over to one either," Menendez said in a statement.

P&O, the company Dubai Ports World plans to buy for $6.8 billion, is already foreign-owned but the concern is that the purchaser is backed by the United Arab Emirates government.

The UAE company would gain control over the management of major U.S. ports in New York and New Jersey, Baltimore, Philadelphia, New Orleans and Miami, sparking national security concerns.

"I will be working with Senator Menendez to introduce legislation that will prohibit the sale of ports to foreign governments," Clinton said in a statement.

Officials with the United Arab Emirates Embassy in Washington could not be immediately reached for comment.

The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, a U.S. inter-agency panel that reviews security implications of foreign takeovers of strategic assets, has already reviewed the transaction and did not object.

Despite that review, some Republicans and Democrats in the U.S. Congress urged the Bush administration to conduct a more rigorous review. They expressed fears that the UAE was used as a conduit for parts used for nuclear proliferation and that the local banking system had been abused by financiers with possible links to terrorist organizations.

U.S. officials have said the UAE has been a solid and cooperative partner in the fight against terrorism, and have praised the UAE for steps to protect its booming financial sector against abuse by terrorism financiers.

Money for the September 11 attacks was wired through the UAE's banking system, according to U.S. officials. Two of the September 11 hijackers were UAE citizens.

U.S. seaports handle 2 billion tons of freight each year but only about 5 percent of containers entering the United States are examined on arrival.

Similar concerns were raised when a China state-controlled oil company tried to acquire the U.S. oil company Unocal. After pressure from American lawmakers, the foreign company eventually dropped out of the bidding.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Front Page News; Government; Politics/Elections; US: New York
KEYWORDS: 109th; bds; dubai; dubaiportsworld; hillaryclinton; homelandsecurity; iran; israel; maritime; nyc; portauthority; readthreadbeforepost; uae
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To: TXBSAFH

But don't blame the "let's privatize everything" crowd, correct?


21 posted on 02/17/2006 8:06:02 AM PST by presidio9 ("Bird Flu" is the new Y2K Virus -Only without the inconvenient deadline.)
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To: presidio9

Sad that the republicans are so blind on this issue.


22 posted on 02/17/2006 8:06:23 AM PST by zek157
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To: presidio9

There is enough blame for them as well.


23 posted on 02/17/2006 8:07:02 AM PST by TXBSAFH (Proud Dad of Twins, What Does Not Kill You Makes You Stronger!!!!!!)
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To: the_Watchman

I think you mean COSTIND :)


24 posted on 02/17/2006 8:07:06 AM PST by mewzilla (Property must be secured or liberty cannot exist. John Adams)
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To: NRA1995
Even a broken clock is right twice a day

Uh the clock is still broken, so why would a person trust it when it's wrong the next minute.

25 posted on 02/17/2006 8:08:01 AM PST by Dane ( anyone who believes hillary would do something to stop illegal immigration is believing gibberish)
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To: mewzilla

I saw that on a bumper sticker last week, a front bumper.


26 posted on 02/17/2006 8:08:05 AM PST by TXBSAFH (Proud Dad of Twins, What Does Not Kill You Makes You Stronger!!!!!!)
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To: presidio9

Oh great. HRC's contributions til now have been inconsequential...meaningless resolution type things that honor people who survived cancer or rescue puppies. Total lack of serious track record for a presidential run. She knows she needs something more substantive to point to. This is made to order for a marxist needing to wrap herself in a national security flag.



27 posted on 02/17/2006 8:09:39 AM PST by Eroteme
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To: presidio9
I hate it when Hillary Clinton is the most politically astute person around.

She isn't, IMHO. She's an opportunist with a staff that knows what they are doing.

I have to agree with her staff on this one. Even if the UAE deal was on the up and up, in this post 9/11 era, you can't outsource anything related to national security, especially to a country in the middle east.

28 posted on 02/17/2006 8:09:42 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: TXBSAFH

Heh heh heh...


29 posted on 02/17/2006 8:09:48 AM PST by mewzilla (Property must be secured or liberty cannot exist. John Adams)
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To: zek157
Sad that the republicans are so blind on this issue.

Several Republican are critical this plan.

30 posted on 02/17/2006 8:10:14 AM PST by presidio9 ("Bird Flu" is the new Y2K Virus -Only without the inconvenient deadline.)
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To: TXBSAFH

Bush should come out against this deal today, not let it sit around collecting media/liberal dust for the next 3 weeks so it can become yet another big controversy. Is it that difficult for American companies to run our ports?


31 posted on 02/17/2006 8:10:51 AM PST by abercrombie_guy_38
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To: TXBSAFH
Image hosting by Photobucket
32 posted on 02/17/2006 8:11:46 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: presidio9
So if the company from the UAE doesn't get this, who are the other contenders? And have those companies been flashing any money around? Say to Hilliary, maybe?
33 posted on 02/17/2006 8:11:55 AM PST by mewzilla (Property must be secured or liberty cannot exist. John Adams)
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To: b4its2late
She isn't, IMHO. She's an opportunist with a staff that knows what they are doing.

What qualifies for political astuteness in your book? Being a nose-to-the-grindstone legislator?

34 posted on 02/17/2006 8:12:50 AM PST by presidio9 ("Bird Flu" is the new Y2K Virus -Only without the inconvenient deadline.)
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To: presidio9
Several Republican are critical this plan.

Yes, there are as they should be.

35 posted on 02/17/2006 8:13:02 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: Dane

True, but this port sale is a VERY BAD idea


36 posted on 02/17/2006 8:13:23 AM PST by NRA1995 (If feminists are so smart, why do they need masturbation workshops?)
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To: mewzilla

Also, while I disagree with privatizing port security to ANY extent, let's keep in mind that Dubai is not Syria.


37 posted on 02/17/2006 8:13:59 AM PST by presidio9 ("Bird Flu" is the new Y2K Virus -Only without the inconvenient deadline.)
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To: b4its2late
I have to agree with her staff on this one. Even if the UAE deal was on the up and up, in this post 9/11 era, you can't outsource anything related to national security, especially to a country in the middle east

Then how come hiallry and chuckie schumer were not "outraged" when other foreign firms are operating port facilities such as this Danish one.

P & O Ports operates the New York City Passenger Ship Terminal and owns a 50 percent interest in the Port Newark Container Terminal, which is the third-largest cargo terminal on the Port Authority's property. The other half-interest is owned by a subsidiary of Maersk Line, which is based in Denmark.

Link

You maybe correct that her staff is astute, astute to PT Barnum(there is a sucker born every minute)

38 posted on 02/17/2006 8:14:11 AM PST by Dane ( anyone who believes hillary would do something to stop illegal immigration is believing gibberish)
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To: presidio9

What has it come to when we have to root for Hillary and Chucky to get things done?


39 posted on 02/17/2006 8:14:18 AM PST by Sender (As water has no constant form, there are in war no constant conditions. Be without form. -Sun Tzu)
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To: presidio9
FWIW, I think it's a rotten idea. But I'd also like to know who the other contenders for the job are. I've heard bupkis about that.
40 posted on 02/17/2006 8:15:34 AM PST by mewzilla (Property must be secured or liberty cannot exist. John Adams)
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