[TBP]

What can be done to stop this? If we let 6 major ports be controlled by a terrorist-sponsoring nation, we're not serious about the War on Terror.

http://webnewsroom.blogspot.com/2006/02/re-portgate.html

For once, Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY) is right about something. I guess it just goes to show that even a blind bird catches a worm once in a while.

What Schumer is right about is his opposition to the deal that would allow Dubai Ports World, a company based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), to gain control of six major American ports through its purchase of London-based Peninsular and Oriental Staem Navigation Company, which currently runs the ports: New York, Newark, Philadelphia, Baltimore, New Orleans, and Miami.

The obvious question is, aren't there any American companies capable of running these ports? And the more important question is, Are we serious about the War on Terror? We have left our borders wide open for anyone (including terrorists) to come through and now we are turning control of six major ports over to a country that sponsors terrorism.

The deal has been approved by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, but Schumer, along with Senators Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) and Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) and Representaties Vito Fossella (R-NY), Christopher Shays (R-Ct.), and Mark Foley (R-Fla.), is trying to stop the transaction. REpresentaigve Peter King (R-NY), chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, has urged the Bush Administration to reconsider.

New York City Council members of both parties have spoken out against the deal. "On its face, this looks like insanity to me," the Republican minority leader of the City Council, James Oddo, said. The chairman of the Council's Public Safety Committee, Democrat Peter Vallone, said that the deal "raises some legitimate concerns."

The Bush administration considers the UAE a key ally in the War on Terror, but the UAE has been a sponsor of terrorism. It was the home of Marwan al-Shehi, one of the 19 hijackers who killed 3,000 people on September 11, 2001. Other hijackers travelled through the UAE. The UAE was an important financial base for the September 11 hijackers. The country is a transit point for Al Qaeda. It has been a financier of Al Qaeda. It continues to regard the Taliban as the legitimate government of Afghanistan and is militantly anti-Israel. The CIA has identified the UAE as a major center for drug running and money laundering. It also has close ties to Iran.

The UAE is a federation of seven Arab emirates on the Arabian peninsula.

As Rep. Foley has said, "If our ports are the most vulnerable targets for terrorism and if we are at war, as the president says, we should be overly critical of handing over the management of our ports to any foreign countries, post 9/11."

What happens if nuclear materials pass through one of these ports? How will the UAE direct its employees to deal with that? The threat to our national security is clear.

That is why these Senators and Representatives are right to speak out against the transfer of control of our ports to UAE control, just as Red Chinese control of the Panama Canal poses a threat to our national security.

Can we afford to turn control of key ports over to a company controlled by a terrorist-sponsoring government?

[AntiGuv]

Maybe we should let them bid on JFK, LAX, O'Hare, and Reagan National too?

[Steely Tom]

Hey, it's diverse and multicultural...

[billybudd]

"It's not impossible to imagine one could develop an internal conspiracy, but I'd have to assign it a very low probability."

This guy's probably right. Think about it - if an attack were to happen, the UAE would know we'd blame them first. They'd be on the top of our hitlist, like the Taliban was. Heck, they'd have a vested interest in providing extra-strong security so there are no "misunderstandings".

[Cedar]

Stuff like this is what causes revolutions.

[japaneseghost]

Can we get some information as to who, exactly controls Dubai Ports World? Is it a particular person or family? More info is needed before we can categorically say this is evil.

Is it owned by some sleazy Saudi prince, or by some innocent Dubai family in the shipping business?

[Texas_Jarhead]

Call me a nativist or a nationalist or hell even ignorant but allowing the transaction just doesn't sit right.

[Ostlandr]

Q. How many nukes can you conceal in a standard shipping container?

A. One. (Why would you need more than one?)

Also worthy of note that a mechanized division can deploy rather quickly from a "Ro-Ro" (Roll-on, roll-off cargo ship.) It wouldn't take much imagination to seize several key ports, hold nearby residents hostage, and strangle the country. Actually, it would take zero imagination. The Russians used that trick in Clancy's "Red Storm Rising."
We know the terrorists steal his ideas, since in "Debt of Honor" (published pre-9/11) a Japanese pilot kamikazes a 747 into the Capitol, killing the President and most of Congress.

[tkathy]

Guiliani would never ever let this stupidity happen. He would boot them out and convince the entire country that this stupid move was stupid.

[Liberty Valance]

disturbing...wake up W!

[ntnychik]

Has this been on MSM yet? Haven't seen it or read it anywhere but here. Some of the conservative radio programs have picked it up. I guess Dick Cheney's weekend woes are more important to the ever-vigilant MSM.

[AngelesCrestHighway]

SWEET JESUS!...SAVE US NOW!!!!...What putifried NUMB NUT TRAITOR thought this up????!!!!!

[sangrila]

"Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., also spoke out against the merger, which is scheduled to be finalized March 2."

"Should we be outsourcing our own security?" Schumer said on the Fox News Channel. "We have to have hands-on control of things. And to have United Arab Emirates – I mean, they are a country that's allied with the U.S., but at the same time a whole bunch of the (September 11) hijackers came from the United Arab Emirates."





Chuck Schumer is right. We are in trouble if Schumer is making this much since. Maybe Schumer should have Chertoff's job since it is difficult to imagine anyone being a less competent Homeland Security Chief.

[King Prout]

good GOD

[The Duke]

A foolish nation and sanity are soon parted.

[Tolik]

Lunacy !

This ping list is not author-specific for articles I'd like to share. Some for the perfect moral clarity, some for provocative thoughts; or simply interesting articles I'd hate to miss myself. (I don't have to agree with the author all 100% to feel the need to share an article.) I will try not to abuse the ping list and not to annoy you too much, but on some days there is more of the good stuff that is worthy of attention. You can see the list of articles I pinged to lately  on  my page.
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[SJackson]

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[silverleaf]

The UAE is actively pushing to increase its ties with Iran....... Still recognizes the taliban as the legitimate government of Afghanistan.....and refuses to recognize Israel.

We really got to be nuts to have a foreign "ally" like this controlling the business operations of the ports serving the US northeastern seaboard. What do we think would happen if Iran really put the screws to Israel? Which side would the UAE be on?

Not to mention the Chinese Whampo company (with its ties to Chinese military intelligence) now controlling the business operations (including hiring the pilots who take ships through the Canal) on both sides of the Panama Canal.

[sarasota]

I've been hearing a lot about Dubai lately, especially in the promotion of it as a tourist area.

[GOPJ]

ping