[Flifuss]

A CBP   (U.S. Customs and Border Protection) deployment team will work closely with the UAE government personnel to target high-risk cargo containers destined for the United States.

If we have our Customs Agents at Dubai ports flagging containers for inspection, I think we will still have Customs Agents inspecting containers here.As the article states: U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control, and protection of our Nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country

[inquest]

I didn't say we wouldn't be having agents here as well. I was just saying that the program itself wasn't about improving security at the destination end (here).

Basically what I'm saying is that it's all well and good to be having this program in other countries. But that would not make up for letting a foreign government - especially a Middle Eastern foreign government that seems to be only nominally on our side - have access to situations where our port security here might be compromised.

And as for whether it actually would be compromised, we have Congressman Markey's observations on the subject, which I'm still awaiting rebuttal on. Also, the fact that the administration says that it subjected this purchase to multiple levels of review seems to be an acknowledgment on its part that there really is a security dimension to all this, contrary to claims that have been echoed on this thread that this company's operations will have nothing to do with port security.

[Flifuss]

As to Markey argued that DP World would be responsible for performing "significant security functions," including placing security officers at the facility, providing for security training for facility personnel and determining access to the facility.

When the ports were operated by the British Company, were Americans employed at the company or were all the port workers British? And don't we have background checks for foriegn workers to gain working visas

In my younger days, I was employed in security by a company building Army ordinance. I went through a background check by the company and the U.S. government even though the U.S. government didn't own the plant.

Since the government owns the ports, I would be in favor of having government background checks of the port employees, American and foriegn.