Posted on 02/21/2006 11:21:25 PM PST by presidio9
-snip-
the notion that the Bush Administration is farming out port "security" to hostile Arab nations is alarmist nonsense. Dubai Ports World would be managing the commercial activities of these U.S. ports, not securing them. There's a difference. Port security falls to Coast Guard and U.S. Customs officials. "Nothing changes with respect to security under the contract," Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said yesterday. "The Coast Guard is in charge of security, not the corporation."
In a telephone interview yesterday, Kristie Clemens of U.S. Customs and Border Protection elaborated that "Customs and Border Protection has the sole responsibility for the cargo processing and cargo security, incoming and outgoing. The port authority sets the guidelines for the entire port, and port operators have to follow those guidelines."
The timing of this sudden uproar is also a tad suspicious. A bidding war for the British-owned P&O has been going on since last autumn, and the P&O board accepted Dubai's latest offer last month. The story only blew up last week, as a Florida firm that is a partner with P&O in Miami, Continental Stevedoring and Terminals Inc., filed a suit to block the purchase. Miami's mayor also sent a letter of protest to Mr. Bush. It wouldn't be the first time if certain politicians were acting here on behalf of private American commercial interests.
-snip-
As for the Democrats, we suppose this is a two-fer: They have a rare opportunity to get to the right of the GOP on national security, and they can play to their union, anti-foreign investment base as well. At a news conference in front of New York harbor, Senator Chuck Schumer said allowing the Arab company to manage ports "is a homeland security accident waiting to happen." Hillary Clinton is also along for this political ride.
-snip-
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
And there you have it.
It's over.
(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie. Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")
If you think that OBL and al Qaeda tell the longshoremen what to do, you need help.:-)
No, no, nooooooooooooooo, there was ONE trader, who shorted OPTIONS, on 9/10; the SEC and the FBI was all over it it on 9/12!
If you, for one N.Y. minute, don't think/know that all of N.Y.C.'s bridges and tunnels and such, have been watch, since 9/12, the you haven't been reading N.Y.C. papers.
ROTFLOL......you EVER hear what happens when a company wants to break a UNION contract? :-)
I know little about ports and the way they are operated which is why I have thus far avoided commenting, but even if, arabs "managing" our top six major ports poses almost NO threat, it's not a good idea to hire them while we are at war with arab terrorists if only for reasons of appearance.
I know little about ports and the way they are operated which is why I have
Why not? Haven't you read enough moronic/silly/uneducated posts here, in the past?
Please ignore the last line. I forgot to erase it.
Planes from Muslim countries land in the U.S. every day. Personally I find that more worrisome than an ally's state-owned company managing the berthing of ships. Cargo and passengers will still be subject to U.S. security. Do I prefer each country managing its own ports? Yes, but for some reason, U.S. companies run other countries' ports and non-U.S. companies run some of ours.
Ignorant is right. The ports in question haven't been run by American companies for years. In fact, no American companies even bid on this.
The present situation has arisen because P&O, a British company, is being sold to Dubai Ports World. P&O already has the contracts for these ports, and the question is; what happens now?
The government position seems to be, nothing happens. The new owner takes over from the old, and thigs go on as before.
If we wanted only US companies to own port operations, we need legislation on ths issue, which, incidentally, would probably violate our trade treaty obligations.
I think the Bush administration is doing politics with the involved arab countries to back the ongoing reorganisation of the middle east. Maybe he needs something from them they don't like to cough up.
But I don't guess it's not about security of the Port - at least not immediately.
Totally agree. I am just plain tired of the outsourcing of jobs period. And to have the temerity to outsource to UAE is absurd.
Suddenly there are articles by Dick Meyers et. al.....it's called "marketing"..get it?
British citizens? Well, technically yes. But, these were suicidal bombings by paramilitary organizations BASED in the UK. This is a deceptive description.
These are the first suicide bombings in Western Europe, and are thought to have been planned by Islamist paramilitary organisations based in the United Kingdom; the terrorist organization al-Qaeda claimed responsibility.
Wikipedia
HA!
My philosophy, in my busy life, is to figure out what the Democrats want, and simply take the opposing point of view.
How easy and efficient is that? I find that I am right 99% of the time, and I don't even have to do any research on any subject at all!
I thought to myself when this first came up..."Gee, my system must have failed me...gulp...I feel like I'm on the same side as Chuckie Schumer and Her Crusty Pantsuitness..."
I am only PARTIALLY kidding here...I develop points of view, then look to see what the Dems think. If they are in opposition, it is just further proof and validation for me...:)
I agree that people need to take a deep breath here. If you believed all these people, ALL the employees at ALL the ports are going to be Muslim Male Extremists between the ages of 18 and 45.
Interesting bit of information from Fox & Friends this morning.
Brian Kilmeade reports that there was no opposition to the Port plan until Chuckie Schumer came on their show (and knowing Chuckie, every other show that would have him)last week and commented on the sale of the ports.
This all happen in November.
Chuckie really hit pay dirt on this one. It would be interesting to track the time line on this one.
Oh and this phrase may sound familiar but, "HE PLAYED ON OUR FEAR."
However, it does not follow to say that owners and operators in ports have no role in port security --- in fact, they have critical roles.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1583295/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1583134/posts
In fact, owners and operators have such critical roles that we taxpayers are actually giving them grant money to implement these roles.
Yes, you are right ("Played by Hillary & Company"). Thus far, I admit I've been shaking my head over this whole dust-devil. I think the "risk" was worth it to see Dems going into "profiling" mode AND revealing to the public, at large, their ignorance (pretended) over foreign direct investments. They sure didn't mind it when the Chinese and Japanese did foreign direct investments...
Oooh... I hadn't thought of that. But you are right.. this all has the smell of the Katrina Tsunami media rampage... "Face Time" for the Democrats... Has Chuckie run anyone over yet, to get at a microphone?
I wasn;t talking about shorting options and watching NY bridges and tunnels.
The kind of stock manipulation I was talking about would be buying or selling certain stocks days or weeks before they would be impacted by a terror event. For example if I had known that 9/11 was going to happen I could have dumped my GE stock before it was affected by its big insurance exposure in the World Trade Center buildings.
The Pulaski Skyway that I was talking about is in New Jersey, it is a very long elevated highway and bridge. It passes right over a major container storage site. We are currently inspecting only 6% of shipping containers. Do you not see where this could be a problem?
About longshoremen.
Yes, I know about corruption on the docks. My father was a union representative on the New York Port Council. When I was 14 he showed me Albert Anastasia's house (a big Mafioso of the 50's). I know the Mafia hated the Communists. I also think it would not be that hard to percipitate a port strike if an Islamic enemy wanted to. There are lots of ways to violate a collective agreement, and anger the workers.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.