Schumer's Dubai deal

The Washington Times ^ | May 11, 2006 | Masthead Editorial

[neverdem]

Nearly three months ago, Sen. Chuck Schumer led the charge against Dubai Ports World. We shared his worries that a Dubai firm running U.S. ports might be more easily infiltrated by al Qaeda or other terrorists. But now Mr. Schumer wants to outsource cargo screening to the very same company.

    Mr. Schumer might not even fully know what he has proposed. In a failed amendment to the emergency-spending bill, Mr. Schumer tried to force all ports participating in the Container Security Initiative -- that's more than 40 of the world's busiest ports including Singapore, Rotterdam and Tokyo, among others -- to model their cargo-screening systems after Hong Kong's if they want to keep sending cargo to the United States. Beyond its bullying unilateralism, this would have ended up handing much of the country's foreign-cargo screening records to Dubai Ports World.

    Hong Kong's new system -- though innovative and worthy of study -- is criticized by industry insiders as "vendor-driven." That means that private firms handle the screening records. And it happens that the emerging private "vendor" on the world scene is Dubai Ports World. Since its recent acquisition of CSX Corp.'s terminals businesses in China, Australia, Germany and elsewhere, Dubai Ports World has literally expanded all over the world.

    So if Mr. Schumer had his way, the same company that he helped bounce from American ports would be handling our cargo-screening records just about everywhere else. How ironic.

    It's not just Dubai Ports World, either. Mr. Schumer's proposal would also have made Hutchison Whampoa -- a Chinese firm with close ties to Beijing -- eligible for the same function. Hutchison, the CIA once worried, "could provide a conduit for illegal shipments of technology or prohibited items from the West to the [People's Republic of China], or..."

[neverdem]

Schuma-goguery should come back to haunt the putzhead.

[KJC1]

CW, you did a great piece on the Schumer connection a while back, but I don't have the link handy.

[M1Tanker]

"Mr. Schumer might not even fully know what he has proposed."

No, he knows EXACTLY what he has proposed. He knows the MSM and the left will dutifully ignore the fact that he has proposed this. Just as the MSM and the left dutifully ignored that Bill (ICBM tech for Campaign Cash) Clinton was a paid agent of the Dubai government. Just as the MSM and left dutifully ignored the fact Clinton was using this position to get work for his former Sec of State and Sec of Defense. Just as the MSM and Left never raised an eyebrow that Sen Clinton didn't report these earnings as mandated by law.

Follow the money.. Schumer, and/or the DNC, are probably going to get a lot of "campaign donations" if this deal goes through. Best of all (for the left, not America) they will try to pin this on President Bush if/when the story busts wide open.

Dr. Sues is a more difficult read than the M.O. of a leftist..

[Cannoneer No. 4]

Monday, March 20, 2006

Schumer's Office Misled Reporters on Ports Security Experts

Not only did Sen. Chuck Schumer stir up the political firestorm against DP World at the behest of Eller & Co, but Schumer’s staff sent reporters on a wild goose chase for experts to back up his claims.

According to “Dubai or Not Dubai: Chuck on Killed Deal”, by Ben Smith and published by the New York Observer, Joe Muldoon III, a lobbyist for Eller & Co, “put together a white paper arguing that the deal could compromise US security”. In LATE JANUARY, a copy of the white paper was given to Schumer aide, Josh Vlasto. When Ted Bridis from the Associated Press contacted his office on Feb. 10, Schumer conveyed a “cautious, critical note.”

Adam Davidson of National Public Radio was unable to find any port-security experts that agreed with Schumer’s assertion about the negative impact of DP World on port security. Schumer’s office provided Davidson with names of two experts who they said agreed with the security threat theory. Davidson contacted both experts and both stated that there was NO security threat. Risa Heller, Schumer’s press secretary, stated they thought the two experts agreed with Schumer’s security concerns.

Meanwhile, Schumer “pressed the Senate to vote on the issue immediately before the White House could tamp down the furor.” The next day, DP World agreed to turn the US ports over to a US entity.

How does Schumer feel about the results of the ports deal? He stated “This gives Democrats a window that opens on other security issues.”

So let's review - no experts could be produced by Schumer that agreed with the security threat posed by DP World. Schumer knew about the ports deal in late January. Plus he viewed the uproar as a political antidote to the Democrats' lack of national security history. Despite this, the Republicans in Congress claim 'victory'.

[Rokke]

And in the process, he suckered in a bunch of gullible Americans (including Sean Hannity) who still believe what they read in the media. Democrat sponsored emotion killed the Dubai deal. They played "conservatives" like fiddles. And they will keep doing it as long as people don't assume that everything they read in the media is not the whole truth.

[AmeriBrit]

And just like last time, Slick Willy is conveniently out of the country again, just as he always is when something breaks that he's had his dirty fingers involved in.

[Doogle]

[JohnLongIsland]

all it takes to get schmuckie on board anything is a camera and a promise for more air time. it really sucks when the better senator from your home state is the beast.

[Recovering_Democrat]

Schumer is a socialist.

[patj]

all it takes to get schmuckie on board anything is a camera ...

And the MSM is all too happy to always put his puss on camera. Even Fox does this. I swear I see him everyday on the news. Aren't there any other senators that they can get reaction from?

[mewzilla]

It's not just Dubai Ports World, either. Mr. Schumer's proposal would also have made Hutchison Whampoa -- a Chinese firm with close ties to Beijing -- eligible for the same function.

Quelle suprise.

[mewzilla]

Re: Hutchison Wampoa, from 2000...

Clinton knew China's Panama play in 1996. U.S. Embassy cabled warning: Hutchison run by communists.

[Zon]

Two months ago Schumer was in China for a week to ten days.

[satchmodog9]

Too bad your post is so long, it would make a great tagline. Great assessment.

[Chickenhawk Warmonger]

For your reading pleasure...

http://chickenhawkexpress.blogspot.com/2006/04/why-schumer-is-okay-with-doncasters.html

http://chickenhawkexpress.blogspot.com/2006/03/schumers-office-misled-reporters-on.html

http://chickenhawkexpress.blogspot.com/2006/03/guess-who-leaked-dp-world-email.html

http://chickenhawkexpress.blogspot.com/2006/03/schumer-fiddles-congress-dances.html

http://chickenhawkexpress.blogspot.com/2006/03/schumers-link-to-eller-co-was-this.html

[KJC1]

Great! Thank you for the links.

[onyx]

I deleted the ports ping ping.
Did I send it either of you?
If so, please ping the list.

[Cannoneer No. 4]

I don't have it. Sorry.

[M1Tanker]

Thanks,
I could just shorten it to "Follow the Money" or "Follow the Power".

[Chickenhawk Warmonger]

Schmucky Schumer Flip Flop Dubai Ping