Conflict of interest entangles U.S. port security

NY Times/IHT ^ | June 19, 2006 | Eric Lipton

[ncountylee]

WASHINGTON When the storm erupted several months ago over plans by a United Arab Emirates-based company to take over management of half a dozen American port terminals, one voice resonated in Washington.

Stephen Flynn, a retired Coast Guard commander and senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, repeatedly told lawmakers and reporters that domestic ports were so vulnerable that terrorists could easily sneak a radioactive device into something as innocuous as a shipment of sneakers. And he offered a solution: a cargo inspection system in Hong Kong that scans every container, instead of the fraction now checked in the United States.

snip

But as Democrats and Republicans rushed to act on his advice, one fact usually remained in the background: From 2003 until 2005, he was a paid consultant to Science Applications International Corp., known as SAIC, the San Diego company that manufactured the system and could make hundreds of millions of dollars if its port security solution was adopted worldwide.

In one congressional appearance this year, Flynn acknowledged some involvement in the Hong Kong project, saying, "I've been a leader of the side putting it together." Four publications this year also mentioned his ties to SAIC.

snip

By April, with Democrats and Republicans citing Flynn, a Senate panel passed a bill that would mandate "as soon as practicable and possible" that any container headed to the United States undergo an inspection with an SAIC-like system.

[ncountylee]

Flynn's advice may be solid but is tarnished by lack of full disclosure. The government/industry revolving door is an entirely different problem, what happened to the five year, I believe, lobbying prohibition?

[Khepera]

I thinik this is stupid.... so what if he worked for them... if the system works and we need it the freaking get it in place.

[Publius6961]

Whatever happened to common sense?
Is SAIC the only company selling the equipment to implement the the new inspection scheme?
Are the prices "government" prices (think $50 hammers and $500 toilet seats)?
I would feel very comfortable with disqualifying SAIC, unless there is no other source available.

[ncountylee]

I would feel very comfortable with disqualifying SAIC, unless there is no other source available.

I believe SAIC is well ahead of all competition.

[mtbopfuyn]

I don't care who builds the better mouse trap as long as I get the mouse.

[Lobbyist]

I believe SAIC is part of Koch Industries out of Wichita, KS. But I'll have to check that out again.

[Freeport]

Nope, they're a private company owned by the principles and employees.

[B4Ranch]

.......on the first try!