Dubai's bid to buy ports includes Vancouver hub

Globe and Mail ^ | Febuary 24, 2006 | Colin Freeze

[johnmecainrino]

Dubai's bid to buy ports includes Vancouver hub COLIN FREEZE

From Friday's Globe and Mail

On the Vancouver waterfront, it's a debate conspicuous only by its absence. U.S. politicians may be denouncing the sale of U.S. port facilities to a Middle Eastern firm, but Canadian officials are blasé about the B.C. end of the deal.

“Get a grip, fellas,” is Canadian Senator Colin Kenny's message to his U.S. counterparts. The senator, who has spent recent years complaining that Canada's port security is overly lax, insists he's not at all worried about the news now making big waves south of the border.

In a multibillion-dollar deal that is reconfiguring the container-shipping industry, British-based P&O Ports is selling off terminals in several major U.S. cities and one in Vancouver. Dubai Ports World, which is controlled by the United Arab Emirates government, is buying the assets.

U.S. legislators, who argue that the UAE has a spotty record on fighting terrorism, suggest the deal makes them jittery about the prospect of dirty bombs and terrorists landing in New York and New Jersey. Congressmen are asking a reluctant President George W. Bush to scuttle or review the deal, charging that his administration failed to consider all the security issues.

In Canada, there have been few reports that a Canadian asset is part of the deal. But what's at stake, specifically, is the Centerm hub in Burrard Inlet, which handles about a quarter of the shipping containers passing through Canada's third-largest city. Centerm is where P&O — and soon, Dubai Ports World — makes money by loading and unloading shipping containers.

Canadian authorities say it's unlikely any company that happens to be based in the Middle East, least of all the United Arab Emirates, would allow terrorists to threaten their operations. “The folks in Dubai certainly are good allies,” said Mr. Kenny, who visited Dubai a couple of times last year.

But since 2001, he's spent a lot more time visiting Canada's ports as part of a Senate investigation. While vulnerability to international terrorism remains a major concern for the senator, he says the real scourge of Canada's ports is to be found at home. “Our problem is Vancouver is rife with organized crime,” Mr. Kenny says.

Executives with the Vancouver Port Authority say Mr. Kenny overstates the criminal activity, but agree that the new acquisition is no different than any of the wheeling-dealing in the shipping industry.

“Dubai Ports World has a good reputation and we're looking forward to working with them,” said Duncan Wilson, a spokesman.

[johnmecainrino]

This is a huge global deal that spans 18 countries. It involves ports in canada, uk, australia. Almost all our allies with great leaders are involved.

But somehow Barbara Boxer is allowed to say on Scarborough that it was Bush family ties.

When you have a complacent media it is amazing what you can get away with.

Dems are going to kill free trade. Republicans care about security in this deal while the dems hidden agenda is to kill free trade. They answer to the unions.

[CWOJackson]

If General Tommy Franks and Colonel Ollie North as dismissed over this issue this Canadian hasn't got a chance. Now it he parroted the hysteria line he would be parading around on some shoulders here in no time.

[leadhead]

It honks me big time that the media keep saying "buying ports". The sale is the P&O company to the DWP company. Most of the TERMINAL facilities at the various ports are leased from the local Port Authority.

A Baltimore public radio station's headline was that the "Bush arranged Arab takeover of American ports" was in trouble.

How much more misinformation can be fitted into one sentence?

[Echo Talon]

See we look like a bunch of idiots!

[BigSkyFreeper]

If he was running around flapping his arms and shouting to the mountaintops among the cacophony of hysterical shrillness around here, he'd be lauded as a hero.

[Racer1]

You must realize by now there is no such thing as free trade.

[ARCADIA]

Dems are going to kill free trade. Republicans care about security in this deal while the dems hidden agenda is to kill free trade. They answer to the unions.

Both, the Republican and the Democratic party have split on this deal. What this reveals is that there are bigger political fault lines in this country then that which spans between the two main parties. On the extreme left are a pile of radical narrow issue interests groups that range from all out communist, to the Green Movement, Now, the Gay community; to various racist elements of a wide range of minorities: basically everyone who feels excluded by mainstream American values.

In the center we have a vast group of Democrats, Independents, Republicans, and third parties, who are closely tied to the American experience and who are interested in preserving our traditional culture. To the right of them are those (call them Globalist or neo-conservatives) who see America primarily as a resource, among many others, that should be exploited to maximize a return on investment. They still identify themselves as American, but it is the sort of lose affiliation that feels more like what we would expect from a US based corporation; where their personal success (through diverse opportunities) is less then 100% linked to the success of the United States.

These kinds of issues; the conflict over the ports, not just the security of the ports, but the greater issues of sovereignty raised by the choices that we are making, are uniting and giving voice to the middle. This is at the expense of the right and Left wing groups which current define not only the leadership of the main parties, but the core policy dialog of the nation.

If this continues we may see a vast political realignment, where the Democratic party disappears and its present oddball leadership fractured and returned to the status of numerous radical third parties. The Republican party then would split into nationalist and globalist factions and between them absorb most of that broad middle group.

Issues like abortion, affirmative action, and gun control, no longer seem as relevant as they once did. Most of the country is satisfied with the status quo. We probably will see a curtailment of abortions during the third trimester, perhaps some progress in restoring private gun ownership to areas where they have been widely proscribed, and we hope to see new opportunities for Americans of all shades and flavors, and I bold that to mean those who are legally here. But, in a post 9/11 world, the main issues will be framed in terms of national security and the fight to preserve our country's political and economic heritage.

[rhombus]

To the right of them are those (call them Globalist or neo-conservatives) who see America primarily as a resource, among many others, that should be exploited to maximize a return on investment.

Hey don't forget to generalize about the paleo-Conservatives too!

[beaver fever]

Here's the deal.

P&O Ports, a British company runs these six American ports. They do a very good job of it and it is a profitable operation.

Dubai Ports World sees a valuable asset and has the capital to make a bid and wins.

The P&O shareholders like the bid and agree to the acquisition.

DPW is only interested in the asset. P&O management and DPW's AMERICAN EXECUTIVES, will continue to run the operation.

Nothing has changed but a stock transfer.

It's a standard corporate merger.

The Chicken Littles do not understand simple business fundamentals.

[johnmecainrino]

Democrats are vastly different then repubicans.

They want ruth bader ginsberg supreme court justices.

The dems leader in the house to be speaker is a liberal from san francisco in pelosi.

Radicals like rangel and conyers will be leading the committess.

Dems take bush on saying there is no terrorism in iraq like murtha, close guantonomo, patriot act, no extroadinary renditions, no secret prisons,dems vote against border fence, dems scream about abu grahib.


Dems want assault weapon back, are against any domestic drilling in anwr or speeding up the refinery process.

Dems are against any cuts in entitlements. They all voted agaisnt the 39 billion in entitlement cuts last year.


My fear is that because of the media not showing how radical the dems are you will never get to see it.

Take al gore in saudi arabia. Take jimmy carter on hamas. Take John Kerry saying u.s troops abuse terrorists. Take schumer blocking estrada. Take kennedy lying about alito.

Take the dems lead by kerry screaming that diebold cost them the election in ohio. Remember the dems unprecedently protested the vote in congress last year.

Take the dems calling bush jim crow at rosa parks funeral.


My fear is that the media isn't showing the radical party of dean who calls tom tancredo a racist. The media isn't showing the real dem party and even a conservative like yourself is falling for it.


I don't know about you but there is a huge difference to the dem leaders pelosi, hillary, kerry, and dean to the republican leaders.

[johnmecainrino]

Democrats are vastly different then repubicans.

They want ruth bader ginsberg supreme court justices.

The dems leader in the house to be speaker is a liberal from san francisco in pelosi.

Radicals like rangel and conyers will be leading the committess.

Dems take bush on saying there is no terrorism in iraq like murtha, close guantonomo, patriot act, no extroadinary renditions, no secret prisons,dems vote against border fence, dems scream about abu grahib.


Dems want assault weapon back, are against any domestic drilling in anwr or speeding up the refinery process.

Dems are against any cuts in entitlements. They all voted agaisnt the 39 billion in entitlement cuts last year.


My fear is that because of the media not showing how radical the dems are you will never get to see it.

Take al gore in saudi arabia. Take jimmy carter on hamas. Take John Kerry saying u.s troops abuse terrorists. Take schumer blocking estrada. Take kennedy lying about alito.

Take the dems lead by kerry screaming that diebold cost them the election in ohio. Remember the dems unprecedently protested the vote in congress last year.

Take the dems calling bush jim crow at rosa parks funeral.


My fear is that the media isn't showing the radical party of dean who calls tom tancredo a racist. The media isn't showing the real dem party and even a conservative like yourself is falling for it.


I don't know about you but there is a huge difference to the dem leaders pelosi, hillary, kerry, and dean to the republican leaders.

[Echo Talon]

i guess the deal involved some like 18 different countries, and we are the only ones complaining.

[OpusatFR]

Bravo!

That is the most cogent explanation of the situation in this country.

[ARCADIA]

I don't know about you but there is a huge difference to the dem leaders pelosi, hillary, kerry, and dean to the republican leaders.

I agree with you; which is why I suggested the Dems might go the way of the dodo. Pelosi, Hillary, Kerry, and Dean are the stuff of third parties, rather then main parties.

[TSchmereL]

What if the UAE wanted to buy a chain of BBQ Restaurants in the South East?

[CWOJackson]

The headline would be, "UAE to control food for South East U.S."

[ARCADIA]

Hey don't forget to generalize about the paleo-Conservatives too!

I admit that I am biased; but, I will concede that the globalist point of view is a valid perspective. While I favor the a National point of view, I am aware that there is a delicate balancing that needs to be considered less we find ourselves so isolated as to resemble the time capsule that was once mid 19th century Japan.

[beaver fever]

This whole thing is being driven by the mid term elections and has nothing to do with reality.

Both Republicans and Democrats are exploiting it for election fodder.

If they win the President will look like a butt head and a valuable and committed Arab ally will get the 'I told you so the Americans can't be trusted.' treatment from the likes of Iran.

This is a national security policy decision and I think Congress should be told to butt out.

I think the deal should go through by executive order.

[gotribe]

You nailed it. This isn't about a commercial transaction, but about having muslims in charge. The vast majority of Americans don't want muslims in charge of anything, and while some may cringe about that being "racist," it's a fact. Our discomfort with muslims, especially middle eastern muslims, will lead to a gradual reduction in our economic relationships with those countries, and conversely a rapid development of energy alternatives, because we now have the emotional motivation otherwise known as "buy-in."

[rhombus]

I tend to agree with you about the balance. Freedom does very much mean economic freedom and we have seen time and time again that economic freedom is one of the best ways to lift the masses from poverty. At the same time selling out your granny for a quick buck is shortsighted. Perhaps I am naive but I do not think every Arab wants to kill me. Nor do I think American unions always have the best interests of Americans in their sights. In the end though, I'd greatly prefer it if Halliburton could handle the American infrastructure. The irony would be delicious.