Posted on 02/22/2006 12:53:12 AM PST by goldstategop
For the past several years, I've been condemned as an "extremist" for advocating nationality profiling – unapologetically applying stricter scrutiny to terror-sponsoring and terror-sympathizing countries in our entrance, immigration and security policies.
Now, mirabile dictu, some of the same Democrats who have routinely lambasted such profiling are rushing to the floors of Congress and in front of TV cameras espousing these very same policies. The impetus: the White House's boneheaded insistence on ramming through a $7 billion deal giving United Arab Emirates-owned Dubai Ports World control over significant operations at six major American ports in New York, New Jersey, New Orleans, Baltimore, Philadelphia and Miami.
Make no mistake. I stand with critics on both sides of the aisle who want to stop the secretive deal transferring operations of our ports to the UAE – a Middle Eastern government with a spotty record of fighting terrorist plots and terrorist financing. The issue is not whether day-to-day, on-the-ground conditions at the ports would change. The issues are whether we should grant the demonstrably unreliable UAE access to sensitive information and management plans about our key U.S. ports, which are plenty insecure enough without adding new risks, and whether the decision process was thorough and free from conflicts of interest.
From every angle – political, safety and sovereignty-wise – Dubai Ports World's business transaction (made possible by an unprecedented $3.5 billion Islamic financing instrument called a "sukuk" that upholds sharia law) looks bad and smells worse.
But there is a teachable moment here that shouldn't be missed. The tone-deafness of the White House is bad. The craven political opportunism of the Democrats is worse.
Listen to Sen. Evan Bayh, Indiana Democrat:
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. And frankly, I think the threshold ought to be a little higher for a foreign firm.
And Sen. Barbara Boxer, California Democrat:
It is ridiculous to say you're taking secret steps to make sure that it's OK for a nation that had ties to 9-11, [to] take over part of our port operations in many of our largest ports. This has to stop.
And Sen. Hillary Clinton, New York Democrat:
Our port security is too important to place in the hands of foreign governments. I will be working with [New Jersey] Sen. [Robert] Menendez to introduce legislation that will prohibit the sale of ports to foreign governments.
And Sen. Charles Schumer, New York Democrat, who said the Dubai company's involvement "is enough to raise a flag – at least to do a thorough review, at minimum."
I wish these politicians luck in their quest to block the UAE transfer, shed light on the process led by the shadowy Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, and join with congressional Republicans to put American security interests first. But as they attempt to do their best Pat Buchanan impressions, let's not forget:
It was Democrats who tried to block Bush administration efforts to impose common-sense citizenship requirements on airport security workers in the aftermath of the 9-11 attacks.
It was Democrats who attacked the Bush Justice Department after the Sept. 11 attacks for fingerprinting young male temporary visa holders traveling from terror-sponsoring and terror-friendly nations; temporarily detaining asylum seekers from high-risk countries for background screening; and sending undercover agents to investigate mosques suspected of supporting terrorism.
It was Democrats who secretly attempted to remove funding for the National Security Exit-Entry Registration System – the Justice Department program that helped nab at least 330 known foreign criminals, 15 illegal-alien felons and three known terrorists who attempted to enter the country.
And just one week ago, it was failed Democratic presidential candidate Al Gore who was in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, attacking the Bush administration's profiling and immigration enforcement against illegal aliens from terror-friendly countries as "terrible abuses." Perhaps the UAE will be hiring Gore to condemn the "abusive" practices now being championed by his fire-breathing extremist Democrat colleagues?
After all, they are all red flag-raising, threshold-hiking, thorough review-espousing, foreign ownership-banning profilers now.
(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie. Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")
Countries don't allow other countries to control ports or accesses except in the case of treaties and special arrangements (i.e.: the Panama Canal). We DID war over that only to eventually let China have final say there - but that's a different story.
First off, our ports (or their rights of control) are not for sale to foreign governments so long as the properties being discussed are within U.S. jurisdiction. Congress and the people in the affected state have more weight in such decisions than the Administrative branch of the U.S. government. If allowed to go through the precedent will be set that the Administration's "Executive Power" has expanded to nearly unlimited proportion never seen before, endangering all rights and laws that it finds inconvenient. Surely you don't trust any administration so much as to grant it the right to do with YOU anything it wants.
Secondly, the group the Administration is pushing for is regarded (for well-documented reasons) by the general public and our better representatives to be actively seeking our destruction or enslavement. Saudi Arabia knuckles under the radically violent and harsh version of Islam that calls for all non-adherents to be subjugated or killed...plain as that. While the UAE is, by name and diplomatic definition, a non-religious entity it is known by all that they would have no choice should this avenue be exploited by terrorists if the Saudis wished it so. It's bad enough that dubious individuals have been funneled in for some time through the nearly detectionless illegal immigrant deluge and then into the network of mosques that now exist in every state and major city. I personally believe that many of those people have succumbed to the American way of life and ditched their missions - but a cadre of freshly fanatic "officers" coming through this far-easier channel may whip them back into Jihad.
Bottom Line: they're not our friends and they want us dead if we don't bow to the Caliphate. All Arabic politics are dominated by that presumption and it stands in direct opposition to the ideals America was founded upon. No can do, self-deluding dudes. Reject barbarism, regain the scientific curiousity you had 500 years ago and get back to us.
Uh michelle sweetie, this deal was reported last November, nothing secret about it.
Sorry michelle but I will trust a President who has killed more islamic terrorists than all other Presidents combined, rather than a writer who thinks she kills them with keystrokes on a keyboard.
She's an asset!
It's not about profiling.
It's about reaching logical conclusions based on the record of Dubai.
It's not about what the people of Dubai look like.
"$7 Billion of sukuks were on the market in 2004."
thanks for the statistics.
Do you get the point? There is an interested party here, and that interested party's mind-set is a tad troubling.
Someone call Bill Clinton's friend, Greg Norman and tell him he is dealing with a 'terrorist'. /sarcasm
Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem
Dubai Ports World, now the third-largest port operator in the world, is headed by Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, who also represented the royal family in buying two Manhattan trophy properties, the Essex House on Central Park South and the Helmsley Building at 230 Park Ave. for $1.1 billion.
Greg Norman Tees Off With Nakheel
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates -- A new golf experience is coming to Dubai, thanks to an agreement between Nakheel and Greg Norman. The World Golf Hall of Fame member will design three courses, thus providing a unique experience for vacationers and residents of Nakheel's residential developments.
Norman met with Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, Chairman of Nakheel, on the eve of the Open Championship at Royal Troon Golf Club in Scotland to sign the contract that will see AED1 billion (U.S.$270 million) invested in the project.
"Greg's experience as a world-class player and designer will help us create an experience that is totally unique to Dubai," said Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem. "Nakheel's aim is always to challenge the norms and existing standards in design wherever they may be and take these benchmarks to new heights. These three courses will take us further along this road and are helping bring our vision for Dubai closer to reality."
snip
"I have been a regular visitor to Dubai for nearly two decades, and I have followed the meteoric development and progress very closely," Norman said. "I am very much looking forward to joining Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem and Nakheel as they help foster Dubai's evolution into a world-class tourist and business destination."
http://tinyurl.com/grkwy
What can I say, this is just one of those cases where the self-preservation instinct trumps 'reasoning'.
Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem sounds like a darn good businessman to me, not a terrorist supporter...
Many years ago, when port official Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem's grandfather was a pearl diver, the people of Dubai knew nothing about containerized shipping or free zones. But they did know about international trade.
"We are merchants, and we've been trading since the days of our ancestors," Sulayem says. "Our country was on the maritime Silk Route to China, and we moved goods to and from Africa. Our forefathers used to dive for pearls for three months during the summer and then take them to India fo sell. But then the Japanese discovered cultured pearls, the maharajahs were forced out of power in India, and that industry was destroyed."
After that, says Sulayem, "the trade and the port became our business."
http://tinyurl.com/hlwm4
13 December 2005
Sultan Bin Sulayem honoured with Personality of the Year award at DIMA
Dubai, UAE – Sultan Bin Sulayem, leading UAE-based businessman and public figure has been hailed as Personality of the Year at the 2 nd Dubai International Maritime Awards (DIMA), organized by international maritime publisher and events organizer Seatrade.
The award comes in acknowledgement of his pioneering and far-sighted vision that is responsible for placing Dubai on the international maritime map.
http://tinyurl.com/f93t8
Entrepreneur's deals help shape 'Dubai Inc.'
By Heather Timmons The New York Times
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2006
Last week, the 966,000-acre emirate clinched a $6.8 billion deal for Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation, the storied British shipping company, making Dubai, part of the United Arab Emirates, one of the top port operators in the world at a time when global trade is booming.
http://tinyurl.com/kmrha
Nakheel Golf on par with the Great White Shark, The Dubai Desert Classic
January 12, 2005
Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem(pictured above), Executive Chairman for Nakheel commented that, “we are honoured that as Greg Norman enters his 50th year he should chose such an exciting European Tour Event to play at, whilst representing Nakheel.
Norman joined Bin Sulayem, Saeed Ahmed Saeed, Managing Director, Projects, Nakheel and Wahid Attalla, Executive Director Commercial and Operations, Nakheel, live to also unveil the logos and designs for the two Eco-Signature golf courses, ‘Earth’ and ‘Fire’, that he is designing on the revolutionary Jumeirah Golf Estates. This exciting new development reinforced the close partnership between Nakheel and Great White Shark Enterprises.
The Eco-Signature concept was developed by Norman and Bin Sulayem. Soon after entering into the partnership with Nakheel Golf, Norman invited Bin Sulayem to serve on the Advisory Council of the Environmental Institute for Golf, of which Norman is the Chairman. Bin Sulayem accepted the invitation and then encouraged Norman to put the concept into practice at Jumeirah Golf Estates. Through their collaborative efforts, the term Eco-Signature was born.
Commenting on the Jumeirah Golf Estates project, Bin Sulayem confirmed that Nakheel Golf was pushing the boundaries of golf development with the advice and input from the Greg Norman Golf Course Design team. Bin Sulayem said the challenges of creating a collection of golf courses that would be world renowned was one of the most challenging goals the company has set. When completed, Jumeirah Golf Estates will feature 72 holes of tournament golf.
but I will trust a President who has killed more islamic terrorists than all other Presidents combined
Don't forget the crusades!
What this really proves, albeit unintentionally, is that the Democrat Party has been reduced to two words "Oppose Bush". If Bush says it is morning, it must be night. If Bush says the sky is blue, it must be yellow. This is what the Democrats have reduced themselves to. Any position Bush takes, whether it is defending freedom, putting judges on the bench who don't legislate, cutting taxes or drugs for Medicare recipients, Democrats MUST take the opposite position.
When we were kids, my younger brother once said to me "I hate everything you love." I replied, "I love Grandma". That shut him up.
But the mentality is exactly the level of sophistication the Democrat argues with today. If Bush says it is right, it must be wrong.
That doesn't mean I always agree with Bush but I can at least think about it before I disagree. Democrats have removed the thinking part and just go straight to disagreeing, no matter what the topic is or how hypocritical they look for disagreeing.
As I understand it, this deal is also a component in setting up the first Arab stock market.
By the nature of the democrats screaming about port security you know its a non-issue they are abusing purely for politics.
(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie. Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")
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