Posted on 02/22/2006 6:20:19 AM PST by Rennes Templar
President Bush yesterday vowed to use his first-ever veto to strike any law that Congress passes to block a deal allowing an Arab state-owned company to operate six major U.S. seaports, amid growing bipartisan efforts to thwart the plan for security reasons.
"If there was any chance that this transaction would jeopardize the security of the United States, it would not go forward," the president said in a brief but firm statement on the White House South Lawn.
Mr. Bush said questioning the deal because it involves United Arab Emirates company makes no sense, given that a British company now does the job.
"I want those who are questioning it to step up and explain why all of a sudden a Middle Eastern company is held to a different standard than a Great British company. I am trying to conduct foreign policy now by saying to the people of the world, 'We'll treat you fairly,'?" Mr. Bush earlier told reporters who had traveled with him on Air Force One to Washington from a Colorado event.
Republican congressional leaders, including Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist and Speaker of the House J. Dennis Hastert, among Mr. Bush's most reliable supporters, yesterday said giving operational control to a Middle Eastern country raises serious questions regarding the safety and security of our homeland.
(Excerpt) Read more at washtimes.com ...
the truth in 5 words
And the last one will be killed by the bomb components he sells to radical Islam
The thing that puzzles me about this deal is why on earth the UAE would put itself in this situation. I suspect that they bought it cheap, and plan to resell at the first opportunity.
Non of us are sure about this deal but there appears to be a lot of demagoguery on both sides of the issue. I would suggest that a public hearing be held to air out all of the pros and cons. Lets look at the security safeguards that will be put in place. Lets not lose sight of the fact that UAE is not against us they are for us and have cooperated with us. This is not a good way to treat a friend.
That is the stupidest saying I ever heard.
Crush your enemies, destroy them, don't snuggle up to them, or you become them.
Otherwise known as religiously-sanctioned lying (taqiyya and kitman).
Given that thousands of prosperous young Muslim men are willing to give up any hope of a productive life (the majority of jihadis are from middle class families) to wage war against the infidel, all the "business as usual" assumptions fall by the wayside.
Osama Bin Laden could have led a life of peace and prosperity. He chose otherwise, in order to advance the cause of Islam and the Caliphate.
Capitalists believe that humans are only about money motivation, that everyone will be willing to "do business" on the same level, with the same set of expectations. They forget that there are other motives in the human heart and mind that are more powerful, and more dangerous.
Islam is one of these.
See post above, 86% of the UAE people actively dislike the US.
With friends like that.....
"If we refuse to do business with the UAE, then we are just giving Osama what he wants."
You're sounding like a liberal. Anytime we take a hard line instead of dedicating ourselves to political correctness, we're somehow handing victory to the terrorists.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1583009/posts
Flashback - December 13, 2004: Dubai, U.A.E., Joins U.S. Container Security Initiative (State Dept.) US Department of State ^ | December 13. 2004 Posted on 02/21/2006 2:43:48 PM PST by new yorker 77 Becomes first Mideast port to participate in U.S. program The United Arab Emirates has joined the U.S. Container Security Initiative (CSI) to help secure maritime cargo shipments against the threat of terrorism. In a December 12 news release, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency (CBP) said the agreement will enable all cargo destined for the United States through the port of Dubai to be prescreened. CBP will station a small team of officers at Dubai ports to identify sea containers destined for the United States; Dubai customs officials will be responsible for screening containers identified as potential terrorist risks, the U.S. agency said. Dubai Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation is the sixth-largest port operator in the world and the first in the Middle East to join the CSI, according to the news release. To date, governments representing 21 countries around the world have signed up to the CSI program, launched by the United States following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Following is the text of the news release: (begin text) U.S. Customs and Border Protection Department of Homeland Security First Middle Eastern Port Formally Commits to Target, Pre-Screen and Secure Cargo Destined for the U.S. 12/12/2004 Dubai, UAE -- Today Dubai Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation joined the U.S. Customs and Border Protection's (CBP) Container Security Initiative [CSI] making it the first Middle Eastern port to participate. CBP Commissioner Robert C. Bonner and Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, Executive Chairman of the Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation, signed a declaration of principles to acknowledge the agreement that will enable all cargo destined for the U.S. through the port of Dubai to be targeted and pre-screened. "The threat of terrorism is real and, it's a global threat. Dubai Customs recognizes the absolute importance of protecting cargo against the terrorist threat. I applaud their bold action of assuming a leadership role in the Middle East," said Commissioner Bonner. CBP will deploy a small team of officers to the port of Dubai, the 6th largest port operator in the world whose mission will be to target sea containers destined for the United States. Dubai Customs officials, working with CBP officers, will be responsible for screening any containers identified as a potential terrorist threat. The primary purpose of CSI is to help protect the global trading system and the trade routes between CSI ports and the United States. By collaborating with foreign customs administrations, CBP is working towards a safer, more secure world trading system. Under CSI, CBP has entered into bi-lateral partnerships with other governments to identify high-risk cargo containers and to pre-screen them before they are loaded on vessels destined for the United States. Today, governments representing 21 countries have signed up to implement CSI. "I congratulate the Dubai Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation on this historic event. They are now partnering with the United States and are a leader in protecting the global trading system," said Ambassador to the UAE [United Arab Emirates] Michele Sison. CSI did not exist before 9/ll. It was proposed by Commissioner Bonner and launched in January 2002. CSI has been accepted globally as a bold and revolutionary initiative to secure maritime cargo shipments against the terrorist threat. This initiative will continue to expand to strategic locations around the world. The World Customs Organization (WCO), the European Union (EU), and the G8 [Group of Eight major industrialized economies] support CSI expansion and have adopted resolutions implementing CSI security measures introduced at ports throughout the world. The 32 operational ports in Europe, Asia, Africa, and North America include: Halifax, Montreal, and Vancouver, Canada; Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Le Havre, France; Bremerhaven and Hamburg, Germany; Antwerp and Zeebrugge, Belgium; Singapore; Yokohama, Tokyo, Nagoya, and Kobe, Japan; Hong Kong; Goteborg, Sweden; Felixstowe, Liverpool, Southampton, Thamesport, and Tilbury, United Kingdom; Genoa, La Spezia, Naples, and Gioia Tauro, Italy; Busan, Korea; Durban, South Africa; Port Klang and Tanjung Pelepas, Malaysia; Piraeus, Greece; Algeciras, Spain; and Laem Chabang, Thailand. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is the agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the protection of our nation's borders. CBP unified Customs, Immigration, and Agriculture Inspectors and the Border Patrol into one border agency for the United States. (end text) (Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
"Do you have some evidence that shows that companies (countries did not compete) with a history of court convictions/fines for aiding terror were not already excluded in the process executed? Isn't that likely to already be US law?"
You're obviously thinking rigorously here, and that's a good thing. However -- and please interpret this no further than what I'm actually saying -- you're sounding a tad like a liberal. We can't just wait until a particular company gets convicted in a court of law for a terror-related offense. We have to be more careful than that.
A UAE-based company will have citizens of the UAE comprising the bulk of its network of contacts. Many of the people they do business with will be from UAE. And whether or not it's politically correct, it's just too dangerous for us to be giving control of our ports to a company with such deep ties in a Middle Eastern country with ties to terror.
Let's that abomination of CFR go without a veto but takes a stand on this
It's not about being a hardcore capitalist, although I probably am, it's about applying logic and evidence to situation, and not overreacting to that fact that the business owners are Arabs.
"It's not about being a hardcore capitalist, although I probably am, it's about applying logic and evidence to situation, and not overreacting to that fact that the business owners are Arabs."
I think that operating the port will give them access to security policies and procedures they may not otherwise have.
It's interesting to me that generally, Arabs are referred to as muslims here at FR. And generally, the reaction is knee jerk, (rightfully), that muslims must be up to something that isn't good for us.
Suddenly, put some money on the table, they become Arabs, and our friends. If you tell me UAE has embraced another religion, Hindu, Buddist, Christian, doesn't matter, I'd see them differently. But, the UAE is muslim. The most vicious form of islam is the wahabbi sect, which centers itself in Saudi, another of our "friends".
With friends like that, we'll all be bowing to mecca 5 times a day.
Ditto brownsfan.
Ownership implies access.
Port security policies and procedures are public record: http://www.counterterrorismtraining.gov/pubs/port.html
I do, in fact, understand your fears, although I don't share them. They are not unfounded. But ownership (what do they actually own?) does not imply access (our government grants and restrict access). If we were talking about putting Dubai World Ports in charge of port security, you'd have a really good case. But they are not going to control the ports, they are a subcontractor (effectively) providing the labor and logistics support to load and unload container ships.
Actuallu a person becomes like the ones that that hate.
"But they are not going to control the ports, they are a subcontractor (effectively) providing the labor and logistics support to load and unload container ships".
Do you know how many illegal immigrants have made it into "secure" facilities such as nuke power plants and military installations through the subcontracting process? If illegals can do it, what about jihadis, now that their cousin Achmed may be a company manager?
These are the people who will be loading and unloading containers, and who will now be provided the perfect opportunity to slip a little something extra into one of those containers.
Bad, bad idea.
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