Posted on 02/28/2006 1:44:45 AM PST by Brian Allen
I relentlessly criticize the left-wing media for lies, deceptions and omissions (LDOs). I take a back seat to no one smacking the left up side the head. So I wake up this morning with this tragic right-wing propaganda:
Because of the heightened concern over keeping America safe, it's amazing to think the federal government would put management of major U.S. ports in the hands of foreign companies.
Who do you think operates our ports now, you dimwit? And who would turn security of our ports over to a mere owner? Please.
Like the "emotional" "unpatriotic" left, our blindingly patriotic conservatives were first in line to savage our President, Secretaries of State and Treasury as political idiots for "turning our port security over to a terrorist organization" like the UAE (a totalitarian state of Muslims). As most knowledgeable patriots have come to realize, Muslims march to another tune. Theirs is a patient march toward the evangelical conversion of humanity by ANY MEANS to the cult of Islam and their "prophet" Mohammed.
It is easy to see why conservatives are upset. It took 4 entire years for the Republican administration to identify the "terrorist" enemy as Islamofascists preferring to "believe" like our liberal media still does that there is a mass of Muslims who have no interest in turning the world into a Caliphate. Such naive thinking doesn't warrant credibility at any level. Conservatives are well served to keep the pressure on an Administration that stumbles with a Harriet Miers when a Samuel Alito was in the wings.
There are two things wrong with our instant rejection of the UAE takeover of the present British management. First is the belief that intelligent and patriotic ministers of democracy like Donald Rumsfeld, Dick Cheney, Condoleeza Rice, John Snow as well as George W. Bush would turn our very vulnerable target-rich ports over to our enemy. When you think about it, don't you question your knee-jerk rejection of their decision? Is there something you don't understand?
Second is the fact that the shipping business in the world is run by foreigners. Our brain-dead Congress has made so many restrictions on the business; everyone avoids flying the American Flag like the plague. With a "leftist-like" inflexibility is it any wonder that no American company ever bids for the management of the subject ports? And with customers like Wal-Mart cutting your profit margins to survival levels, why even bother.
I have been a subscriber to the Journal of Commerce, the bible of the shipping business for several years. It has informed me that the worldwide shipping business is world unto itself. When John Kerry was pounding on the electorate that he would protect Americans jobs, the JOC featured Kerry's picture on their cover and the accompanying article that blatantly stated that Kerry was "one of us" and to ignore his political pandering because “he is in our pocket”. Free trade from a "bought and sold man".
Shipping is the grease that makes the world's economic engine purr. Expenditures are measured in trillions not in millions or billions. To be competitive, governments the world over approve any expenditures to facilitate trade. As a result, you can ship products around the world cheaper than loading them on a truck and shipping them to the next town.
The rejection of Dubai Ports as the owner of the previously British management company sends a shot across the bow of Islam. It is too convenient to believe that some subtle management of this issue isn't involved. It is a remarkably convenient response to the militancy of an Islamic population gone berserk over cartoons. Hey fellas, you can't buy America even if you have the cash; because you are MUSLIMS. It is quite a message.
The propaganda, however, is an overblown response. Our ports operate under American laws. Our longshoremen are a patriotic mafia with millions of eyes searching for those who would jeopardize their $120,000-a-year jobs. Port security is overseen by the American Coast Guard and Homeland Security.
Plans, diagrams, electronic surveilance, security protection is available to all. Just visit any port and they will willingly show you how well-protected you are. Believe me there are no secrets. They are ready to blow a dingy out of the water that threatens a tanker. Dubai Ports would be out of that loop. Manipulating debits and credits is a far cry from manning the guns and radar.
Our ports are insulated from a passive management in Dubai. They operate under our laws with our people. What security secrets there are, are well known to world-wide port operators like Dubai already; security is a non-issue. However, conservative hysteria aside, what is the best course of action.
On one hand, if we approved the deal, we have an opportunity to demonstrate inclusion which could be used as a hammer over the Arab street. There is no doubt that such approval would be a priceless bit of Western propaganda. You have to believe W wants that tool.
Yet on the other hand, in the present clime, let's send a shot across Islam's bow. It would be a great counterpoint to the mushiness of our media and to our government's lingering inertia over publicly discussing the reformation of that political cult into a real religion. Let's reject the Dubai takeover.
But conservative’s best not jump out the window like their liberal opponents every time we are faced with a thorny issue. They always present opportunities. It is best to weigh the facts carefully and let the cauldron steep for a while. We don't want this conflict to last too long: we have an early tee time. And don’t be deceived, the operation of the ports would not change a whit under Dubai Ports, we would merely be sticking them with the bill.
Many thanks for posting this! :-)
This guy says it all. So I hope this issue is closed, or soon will be, because this article lays it all out.
Yep, hypocrisy, amazing our spineless senators "step up" to the plate when Dems are behind them, yet would do nothing about theft of US tech by the Chinese & Panama canal sale under Clinton, cowering in fear.
It's them & their false wealths, not Bush, who should be mediaticaly impeached or genocided.
I'm getting a little bit tired of being called a 'dimwit' a 'dupe', a 'hysteric' and other insults because I'm a little bit concerned with something that might be used to harm America and Americans; that I have concerns that a bunch of politicians might just be making a mistake or having personal, rather than patriotic agenda for decisions and wanting further information on their ' just trust me' statements.
While I'm still a little bit concerned about this situation, I'm willing to give the Bush Administration benefit of the doubt and 'toss the dice' that the Dubai ports deal may be a good idea... But I'm not blind enough to refuse to see that it has the potential for disaster.
And the next person to insult me as an ignorant knee-jerk fool might get a 'virtual punch in the nose'.
I find it amusing that Ann Coulter slams the Bush admin for the deal because Jimmy Carter, and Bill Clinton approve of it, but that puts her in bed with the likes of Mo Dowd who reflexively churned out one of her tri-weekly I Hate Bush columns and savaged the deal. I don't think Coulter likes the idea of snuggling (metaphorically speaking) under the sheets with the preeminent leftist loony scribe in the country. So what is it Ann?
We are not dimwits for insisting American ports be controlled by Americans. Our lives are at stake.
If we Americans have to suffer the constant humiliation of being treated suspiciously as we pass through the airports of our own country, we have an absolute right to demand American control of our own damn ports.
I don't hear a cry for allowing the United Arab Emirates to screen passengers at U.S. airports.
This "big happy world" crap of all people of the world just sitting around the campfire singing Kum-Bay-Yah is responsible for getting a lot of Americans killed.
This is OUR country. Many of our ancestors died to create it and keep it. American citizens have got to demand the protection of our sovereignty and throw politicians out of office who would so cavalierly and irresponsibly toss border control away for a dollar.
Our politicians and corporate executives are throwing away our country, our culture and our security.
Jeez. The guy can't make up his mind. This article is a mass of contradictions.
<< We are not dimwits for insisting American ports be controlled by Americans. >>
You may not be a dimwit but you may be a halfwit and are most certainly, whether wittingly or halwittingly a liar.
"American ports" are "controlled by Americans" and that a terminal or two here and there will be leased and operated by yet another foreign company will make not the slightest difference to our security.
Meanwhile Saudi Arabian Airlines and Aeroflot and Air China and every other Arab and Chinese and Russian and a score of other potential enemies has a cargo terminal and/or agent at every American Airport and fly their aircraft all over our country all day and all night.
And because Putzy Schumer and Dingy Harry Reid and Babs Boxer and "China" Feinswine haven't demagogued airport terminals for you this week your ignorance provides you bliss.
JPOST.com - JERUSALEM POST.com: "EXCLUSIVE: DUBAI PORTS FIRM ENFORCES BOYCOTT OF ISRAEL" by Michael Freund (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "The parent company of a Dubai-based firm at the center of a political storm in the US over the purchase of American ports participates in the Arab boycott against Israel, The Jerusalem Post has learned.") (Updated February 28, 2006)
I heard the Coast Guard was also concerned. Maybe they know something you don't.
No that is a security issue every country has the right to protect their borders, but to treat an Allie or business partner differently than others just because they are "Arab" could make you Xenophobic.
STATEMENT BY COAST GUARD SPOKESMAN CMDR. JEFF CARTER ON COAST GUARD PORT TRANSACTION ANALYSIS
Not sure if you read this or not.
<< They are not perfect. Look at the southern border. They can be wrong.
Oops, I guess it makes me a racist xenophobic nativist to have noticed that we have a southern border. >>
Nope.
You're absolutely spot on with our southern borders.
But insofar as those crossing from up there are of an entirely different calibre of evil than the poor old Central American Indians pouring in from the south, don't neglect our northern border - or our airports. Like our ports, past, now and in the future controlled exclusively by Americans, they're as bad.
<< So what is it Ann? >>
Maybe her muslime boy friend spurned her? Hell hath no greater fury, Im told .....
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060228/ap_on_go_ot/ports_security
I don't think it's a good idea and can't help but think there are some missing pieces to the way this came about. And Bush saying he didn't know about it before makes me think there are many more questions than answers at this point. And I don't trust Arabs - any of them.
<< I heard the Coast Guard was also concerned. Maybe it knows something you don't. >>
Or maybe I know incredibly more than you can feel?'
Me and the Coast Guard, that is.
QUOTE:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Office of Public Affairs
U.S. Coast Guard
Press Release Date: Feb. 27, 2006
Contact: Cmdr. Jeff Carter
(202) 267-1933
STATEMENT BY COAST GUARD SPOKESMAN CMDR. JEFF CARTER ON COAST GUARD PORT TRANSACTION ANALYSIS
WASHINGTON - "What is being quoted is an excerpt of a broader Coast Guard intelligence analysis that was performed early on as part of its due diligence process. The excerpts made public earlier today, when taken out of context, do not reflect the full, classified analysis performed by the Coast Guard. That analysis concludes ‘that DP World's acquisition of P&O, in and of itself, does not pose a significant threat to U.S. assets in [continental United States] ports.’
Upon subsequent and further review, the Coast Guard and the entire CFIUS panel believed that this transaction, when taking into account strong security assurances by DP World, does not compromise U.S. security."
END QUOTE.
thanks! It was ridiculous that the media jumped all over this last night. Especially CNN. Hate to watch, but always best to know the other side's game plan. Two things I learned from watching them.
1) DUBAI will have absolutely NOTHING to do with CNN. Nothing. No interviews, nothing. They can't stand Lou Dobbs. He, of course, is playing this for all it's worth. Reminds me of an O'Reilly wanna be. He only wishes.
2) I also heard CNN claim that the 45 day 'redo' is not the 'redo' it appears to be. Apparently the deal goes through on March 2 regardless. Anyone else hear this?
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