Posted on 02/19/2006 10:30:27 AM PST by LibWhacker
The Bush administration will reverse its decision to allow a Dubai company based in the United Arab Emirates to gain control over several key U.S. ports, the Fox News Channel's Brit Hume predicted on Sunday.
"I don't think the administration will be able to sustain this," Hume told "Fox News Sunday." "I think it will have to reverse itself in some way or create some entity that stands between the company and the management of the ports."
"I just don't think [the decision] can stand," he added. "It doesn't sound good to let some Arab shieks to be in charge of our ports - that's what it comes down to."
Appearing on the same program, Sen. Lindsey Graham slammed the ports decision, saying, "It's unbelievably tone deaf politically at this point in our history, four years after 9/11, to entertain the idea of turning port security over to a company based in the U.A.E., who avows to destroy Israel."
In a decision announced last week, the Bush administration's Committee on Foreign Investment approved the purchase of six major U.S. ports by the U.A.E.-based Dubai Ports World.
The move set off a firestorm of criticism, with skeptics complaining that banks in the U.A.E. have helped launder money for terrorists and that the country itself was home to Marwan al Shehhi, the Sept. 11 hijacker who piloted United Airlines Flight 175 into Tower 2 of the World Trade Center.
On Friday, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice defended the Dubai deal, telling a Mideast news outlet: "There was a thorough review. It was decided that this could be done and done safely."
It stinks on a number of levels to be sure.
And I'll bet you think we should never let foreign companies run flight schools here in the United States . . . because we all know that some Arab Muslim who shows up at a U.S.-owned flight school and says he's only interested in learning to fly a plane in the air (and not interested in landing or taking off) is going to raise so much suspicion that he'll never be able to fly a 757 into the World Trade Center or the Pentagon.
/FLAMING SARCASM OFF/
People seem to forget that the company ownership and management isn't the weakest link in our security processes. The weakest link is the longshoreman, truck driver, law enforcement officer, etc. with a double-digit IQ who accepts a cash bribe from some Sicilian-looking guy to "look the other way" when a container gets processed at the port or an off-site warehouse.
I'm sure you're right.
For some, yes. For some, no.
Why not? /s
the companies are going to back out of it themselves this week - that is my prediction.
but if not, prepare for some inquiries into who the UAE lobbyists are, and who they lobbied.
Good post. Welcome to Free Republic!
This isn't about truth or facts. It's about perception and appearance. Brit is probably correct in his analysis.
You and I may agree on a lot of topics, but this will never be one of them unless you come to your senses. Almost daily there is another fruit-cake idea lately that is not just problematic in it's own right, but when coupled with a myriad of other hair-brained disasterous notions, places this nation in the 'house of cards' category, when it comes to national security.
This plan is absurd. I'm sorry you can't see it.
He had better if he expects ant Republicans to be elected any time soon.
One man's opinion....sometimes I wonder what the administration is thinking, ie. immigration, spending, Harriet Miers, security of US ports,Katrina, etc.
In my miniscule brain....I've wondered if Chuckie's voice is raised because some Union boss is pulling his jaw string.......
Just down the road is a CITGO refinery, our little buddy Chavez of Venezuela has done everything but declare war on the US, what should WE do?
(He doesn't have to build a bomb or ship it, it is already here)
TT
Well done..!!
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