Fear Escalates on Foreign Control of Ports

Houston Chronicle ^ | 2-19-2006 | TED BRIDIS

[Cagey]

WASHINGTON — A New Jersey congressman said Saturday he wants to require that security officials at U.S. ports be American citizens to prevent overseas companies operating shipping facilities here from hiring foreigners in such sensitive positions.

Republican Frank A. LoBiondo, chairman of the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee, cited "significant" security concerns over a $6.8 billion sale that gives a company in the United Arab Emirates control over operations at six major American ports.

LoBiondo said he wants the new mandatory citizenship requirements approved by Congress and President Bush before state-owned Dubai Ports World completes its pending purchase of London-based Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Co.

The British company, the world's fourth-largest ports company, runs major commercial operations at shipping terminals in New York, New Jersey, Baltimore, New Orleans, Miami and Philadelphia.

The Bush administration earlier approved the deal, which has drawn escalating criticism by lawmakers who maintain the United Arab Emirates is not consistent in its support of U.S. terrorism-fighting efforts.

Caught by surprise over the breadth of concerns expressed in the United States, Dubai Ports World is cautiously organizing its response. The company quietly dispatched advisers to reassure port officials along the East Coast, and its chief operating officer _ internationally respected American shipping executive Edward "Ted" H. Bilkey _ was expected to travel to Washington soon for meetings on Capitol Hill and elsewhere.

Meanwhile, the Bush administration is defending its approval of the sale, and strongly resisting demands by Congress to reconsider.

State Department spokesman Sean McCormack described the United Arab Emirates on Friday as "a long-standing friend and ally" and said the United States and UAE had a good relationship.

Bush visited the port in Tampa, Fla., on Friday but did not mention the dispute. Bush said an important element of defeating terrorism was taking precautions domestically and working with local officials.

"We've got to protect ourselves by doing smart things in America," Bush said. "I appreciate working with the mayors on homeland security issues."

But one of those mayors, Martin O'Malley of Baltimore, criticized Bush's approval of the ports deal as an "outrageous, reckless and irresponsible decision" and urged the president to reconsider.

O'Malley, co-chairman of the U.S. Conference of Mayors' Task Force on Homeland Security, also is seeking the Democratic gubernatorial nomination in Maryland.

"I think that they did not take into account the vulnerability of America's ports," O'Malley said Saturday in a telephone interview. "I think Congress needs to have further hearings on these things."

He said only 5 percent of the shipments into the nation's ports are inspected, calling that a stark contrast to Hong Kong, which inspects 100 percent of shipments.

Dubai Ports World declined through a spokesman to respond to O'Malley's remarks.

In New York, families of some victims from the September 2001 terror attacks planned to criticize the deal Sunday during a press conference with Sen. Charles Schumer, a leading critic of the sale. Schumer, D-N.Y., said he is dubious any assurances can justify the UAE's involvement in American ports.

Schumer and others have cited the UAE's history as an operational and financial base for the hijackers who carried out the attacks against New York and Washington.

"A lot of families are incensed by this, because you're talking about the safety of the country," said William Doyle, whose son Joseph died at the World Trade Center. "We have a problem already in our ports because all of our containers aren't checked, but now they want to add this unknown? It's not right."

LoBiondo's legislative proposal would amend federal maritime laws to require facility security officers, which operate at terminals in every U.S. port, to be American citizens. LoBiondo said there now are no citizenship requirements, which he said permits foreign companies with a stake in U.S. terminal operations to employ security officers who are not Americans.

"We cannot be lax about our nation's security nor fail to recognize that our ports are realistic targets of terrorists," LoBiondo said.

[Wormwood]

It is disbelief, shock and blood boiling anger at the damn fools who made this moronic decision and it will not be tolorated.

Of course it will be tolerated.

All they have to do is wave Hillary, Bin Ladin, and Gay Marriage at the base. Landlide vistory for the republicrats!

[johnmecainrino]

The coast guard, customs, and homeland security control the ports.

The cargo is inspected by federal agents first. All one hundred percent is inspected. Now only 5 percent is given further inspection when a red flag is raised during the first inspection.

This is a non story.

In 15,000 applications there has been one rejection.

We control the security and the procedures.


We control the security of the ports. This story is all about lies. But don't expect the asleep at the switch white house to get in front of this story.

Scott McClellan and the white house press team are brain dead. They never get the facts out.


UK uses this same company for their ports. There security first inspects it like it does here too.

No one probably thought twice about this because they don't control the security of the ports.

By law they couldn't have done anything anyway. The U.S has worked with this company for years. The law states there has to be something wrong with the company or they would have had to have lied.

If you want to blame someone blame the british company shareholders for noting taking the singapore offer instead of the dubai offer. Bush didn't bring this on the shareholders did. In 15,000 applications only one has been rejected under this group. Also blame the american companies for not offering a bid.




Gore wants to increase saudi visas but that gets no press.


Bush needs to first thing monday go on the offense, the coast guard and homeland security are still in charge of the ports.


Schumer waited until after the deal was done by the shareholders to make a fuss about it. He didn't care about stopping it. It was known for weeks before they were going to get the deal.


The public will believe the lies that our ports will be controled by foreigners

They are controlled by the coast guard, homeland security, and customs.

Maritime security experts will tell you this is not an issue in security. We need better technology for the inspections which happen first by the customs at the ports.

[Chgogal]

I'm not too sure if it is bigotry. Remember, Al Qaeda prides itself on patience. Ten to twenty years from now will we be as gung ho as we are now? I would like to remind everyone that right now these ports are now "outsourced" to foreigners, the British based company P&O. I personally am uncomfortable with the UAE company making this purchase. All it will take is a few properly placed jihadists and a lot of trouble may ensue.

[OpusatFR]

"The cargo is inspected by federal agents first. All one hundred percent is inspected..."

That's news to me. Where did you get that figure.

[johnmecainrino]

Bush didn't make this decision.

This was a treasury decision and they followed the law.

Bush is going to sign the tough house immigration bill.

Harry Reid will filibuster this.

Homeland security, coast guard, and customs are in control of the inspections at the ports not this stupid company.

People need to realize is the company has no control over the security of the port. Everything is inspected when it arrives at the port then it goes to the terminal that the company owns.

Almost all of the workers at the terminal will be americans.


I have never in my life seen a more incompetent white house press team.

They have the facts on their side and they let lies go on and on.

The average american citizen believes these lies from the media.

The company doesn't control the ports. Coast guard, homeland security and customs do. A full inspection takes place first with them at the port.

[Pukin Dog]

Gee, 20+ posts, and no facts YET!

You are all being played for fools. There is NO STORY HERE! This is nothing but an attempt by Democrats and a few Republicans who DONT KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT to appear tough on Defense. I'm not surprised that a few in Congress have bought into this, but I though FReepers would look for a few facts before going off the deep end.

I thought wrong.

[Pukin Dog]

Okay, it took 25 posts.

Thanks.

It is damned upsetting to see FReepers go stupid on this, playing right into Democrat's hands.

[Itzlzha]

The Bush administration earlier approved the deal, which has drawn escalating criticism by lawmakers who maintain the United Arab Emirates is not consistent in its support of U.S. terrorism-fighting efforts.

And again, it was up to we, the "Eeee-litists, sexist, RACIST" types to call B.S. on a Bush Administration GAFFE!

But I guess we are still not "Republican" enough, or 'Bot enough for the "Unappeasables" of the "Cult of Bush" here!

Caught by surprise over the breadth of concerns expressed in the United States, Dubai Ports World is cautiously organizing its response. The company quietly dispatched advisers to reassure port officials along the East Coast, and its chief operating officer _ internationally respected American shipping executive Edward "Ted" H. Bilkey _ was expected to travel to Washington soon for meetings on Capitol Hill and elsewhere.

Yup, better P.R., that's the ticket!

This must translate into "Quick, get more CA$H to pay off these Opponents...and get me the "Puppet-Phone" to our Administration quislings!"

Meanwhile, the Bush administration is defending its approval of the sale, and strongly resisting demands by Congress to reconsider.

Yup..."I DEMAND you ignore all the dangers and issues, and just 'Trust Me'! Harriet Miers said to!"

"Ahead Sell-Out Factor 10, Mr. Chertoff!"

[johnmecainrino]

I saw an interview with a coast guard officer on cnn.

They inspect all the cargo first at the ports. Where it came from, delivery process, numbers, everything is checked out. They also have technology to inspect all the cargo. Then if a red flag is raised then they inspect further. That is where the 5 percent figure comes into play. They inspect that 5 percent further. Why would they inspect all 100 percent further without any red flags raised. You would competely slow down trade for no reason. Coast guard has all the security power not this company.

It would be great if the british had sold it to an american company but no american company placed a bid. But that won't stop lou dobbs from going nuts.


All the info out there is that this is a top notch company that has been working with u.s in ports all around the world. UK uses them.


Maritime experts say you need to improve the inspection by the coast guard, homeland security and customs. They don't care who owns the terminals. They are worried about the inspections at the port.

The inspections done by our federal agents are what they care about.

This is a great political story because you can lie and say you are turning over our ports to arabs. But that is a lie because we are still in charge of the inspections and the ports. After the inspections by our federal agents at our ports then the company comes in. Even then we still have security over them if we don't like what they are doing.

[SwordofTruth]

I think it really makes President Bush look weak on homeland defense.

With or without this deal Bush is weak on homeland defense, very weak in fact. Our borders are even more wide open than they were before 9/11 and we have still yet to find those WMD in Iraq and Bush already wants to start a new war with Iran. It makes one question who the real terrorists to America really are.

[Reaganwuzthebest]

Bush is going to sign the tough house immigration bill.

Sure he will as long as it has an "amnesty that's not an amnesty" provision attached to it. And then only the amnesty will be enforced and funded as he goes on ignoring the part where the borders get secured and the laws upheld. Most of us aren't falling for that same old bait and switch routine. As they say, fool me once...

[Pukin Dog]

But I guess we are still not "Republican" enough, or 'Bot enough for the "Unappeasables" of the "Cult of Bush" here!

No, but maybe you are just too stupid to get your facts straight before spouting off on this issue?

Read up on the facts.

[johnmecainrino]

Our borders are far better than under clinton.

Clinton had catch and release policy for mexicans which has been stopped by bush.

The few illegals sent back by clinton were sent back right across the border. Under Bush they are flown to their cities inland.

We have 3,000 more border agents since bush came in.

Under Bush we use predator drones at the border which clinton blocked.

Under Bush we are going to build a 700 mile fence in urban areas and in enviornmentally proected areas which clinton refused to build a fence there.

Bush picked alito who was anti illegals. Dems hammered alito for always deporting illegals. Bush's circuit court judges are far better at cracking down than clinton.

We now have technology at border entrances to have scans of all mexicans coming across at border entrances.

Bush has added detainee beds.

Bush signed the real id act which hillary went nuts about.

Bush will sign sensennbrenner's border security bill which dems are going nuts over.


People will miss bush when they get hillary and pelosi as our leaders.

[ex-snook]

Hey thanks for ping. Somebody's questioning foreign control of America? First democracy and now capitalist ownership in doubt at cure-alls? What next - 'free' trade with China?

[EternalVigilance]

placemark...

[johnmecainrino]

Kilgore was great on immigration and he lost in a red state to an open borders illegal lover in kaine.

Bush also when he came into office stopped clinton's census plan to include 4 million more hispanics in the census.

Conservative voters love to whine about illegals then they vote for kaine over kilgore or don't show up to vote.

[Reaganwuzthebest]

Conservative voters love to whine about illegals then they vote for kaine over kilgore or don't show up to vote.

With immigration candidates and ballot initiatives you win some and lose some. We lost in Virginia but won in Arizona with Prop 200. Because Kilgore lost doesn't mean illegal immigration isn't an issue and people don't want something done about it other than more amnesties and guest worker programs.

[Esther Ruth]

It is disbelief, shock and blood boiling anger at the damn fools who made this moronic decision and it will not be tolorated.
***

And the continued condescending, patronizing spin.
What and who is behind this and what is the agenda?

[hedgetrimmer]

You would competely slow down trade

And you wouldn't want the safety of American citizens to interfere with the interests interests of the multinational corporations funding our politicians, would you?

[Spirited]

Thanks for pointing out that Kaine-Kilgore was an exercise in reality.
People on this board simply blame the campaign for Kilgore's loss.
I figure we have this goon as our Governor because those voting are convinced they can get more out of the Dems.
While the Dems are convinced they can get more out of the people.