Congressmen threaten probe of U.S. seaports deal

Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle yesterday threatened a congressional investigation of a deal to give control of six U.S. seaports to an Arab company, while one key Republican said the Bush administration's security reassurances were not adequate.

Democrats also are threatening legislation to block foreign governments from operating U.S. ports.

"I think we've got to look into this company. I think we've got to ensure ourselves that the American people's national-security interests are going to be protected," said Sen. Evan Bayh, Indiana Democrat. "And frankly, I think the threshold ought to be a little higher for a foreign firm. There can't be a choice between profits and protecting the American people."

The classified deal would let Dubai Ports World (DPW) of the United Arab Emirates run ports in New York, New Jersey, Baltimore, Philadelphia, New Orleans and Miami. London-based Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Co., which had been running the six ports, was bought last week by the government-owned DPW.

Do you really think he's that stupid?

Stupid? NO. Foolish, YES!!

We're TRYING to introduce some sanity and civilization into the mideastern Arab world.

TRYING is the key word here. First of all, the ports in question ARE IN THE US, NOT THE MIDEASTERN ARAB WORLD.

Second, allowing them to have access to American ports is just asking for a nuclear attack in one of our port cities. Perhaps you would feel different if it were YOUR port city?

You think Bush doesn't know what we're up against?

Yes, he KNOWS. He obviously doesn't care.

It's not just US, the world is waking up to the threat.

Good, let the world give them their ports! NOT OURS! We already give them billions of our tax dollars every year and it hasn't helped. We help them and yet they still hate us.

What do you want him to do? Throw gasoline on the fire?

NO!! That's exactly why I don't want him giving them control of our ports. The "fire" will come with the nuclear explosion. He should NOT put Americans at risk only to find out he was wrong. I DON'T want a bunch of Americans to die just to prove we will NEVER WIN THEIR HEART AND MINDS.

Lori, these people DON'T want peace. They DON'T want freedom. They DO want to kill you and your family and all the rest of our loved ones too!! Experimenting with American lives to find out what most sane Americans already know just won't cut it. I still have flashbacks of people jumping/falling from the WTC. A nuclear attack would make 9-11 look like a walk in the park. Bush already holds Ramadan dinners for Muslims every year at the White House. THAT hasn't paid off, and guess what? It's NOT GOING TO!! It's NOT just the US, they HATE ALL OF WESTERN CIVILIZATION, AND THEY WANT US ALL DEAD!! ISLAM is the ENEMY, and THAT makes Muslims HATE US!! THAT makes them dangerous!! THAT is why we DON'T want to give them our ports!!

We're TRYING to introduce some sanity and civilization into the mideastern Arab world.

Oh, so THAT's what our presidents are supposed to do. I thought they were supposed to head our government and make sure it doesn't do stuff to harm individual rights and preserve the liberty and sovereignty of the American people. Giving our cargo management system over to a foreign government and placing one of their executives in an extremely high position in our own government that controls movement of our military through our ports is just his little way of protecting our sovereignty.

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