A Tone Deaf President: A Hyperventilating Opposition

MND ^ | February 22, 2006 | Will Malven

[Nasty McPhilthy]

Sorry, BBC. That doesn't wash. I suspect that there are many of Arab descent who are employed in positions by the current operators that could enable them to do harm.

Nothing regarding current port security will change.

Why don't you just sit back and watch the Libs have to explain why, all of a sudden, their in favor of profiling. I want them to tell me why OBL is no longer the only threat. I really want to hear their reason why we should isolate portions of this region rather than embrace and corporate with them.

Ray Charles could see that this is a complete about face for the left.

[clawrence3]

They don't like Israel, but the Patriot Act gives the President plenty of power to track any illicit terrorist connections and, God forbid, they feel like risking their $6.8 billion investment, the President can take that too.

[DJ MacWoW]

If SSA Marine did not offer to do it, what the hell do you want us to do? Force them?

Dubai bid 6.8 BILLION to buy P&O. This wasn't just a contract deal.

[dfwgator]

Ray Charles could see that this is a complete about face for the left.

Well maybe not Ray Charles, but Stevie Wonder could.

[clawrence3]

You should not presume so much.

[BeHoldAPaleHorse]

"A Tone Deaf President: A Hyperventilating Opposition"

The secret of Bush's success is his tone-deafness. He simply doesn't react to the opposition, so they end up going stark raving mad.

[DJ MacWoW]

the statement that NO American corporation could perform this task is pure BS.

Actually Eller & Company were partners with P&O. Eller is in Miami.

[BubbaTheRocketScientist]

How will we know where the money we are paying them is really going?

To wherever the UAE government decides, of course.

I wonder what their feelings on Israel are?

Need you even ask?

[Nasty McPhilthy]

If the company run by Smith and Hemingway submitted a proposal, I'm sure it would have been considered.

Do you know if they did, and aren't they the ones that form so many joint ventures with the Chicoms?

[DJ MacWoW]

Maybe because businesses can make more money TAX FREE in Dubai than here in the U.S.

Isn't THAT the truth. But then DP World is govt. owned. And even THEY had to get a loan for the money to buy P&O. I think few American companies would try a loan that big.

[yellowdoghunter]

You misunderstood what I was meaning. I will leave it at that. Your name calling speaks volumes about your character.

[DJ MacWoW]

For a first post, you post flame bait? Slow down or you won't be here long.

[clawrence3]

Here are the ports currently operated by SSA Marine in the U.S.:

Seattle - Terminal 18 & 25; Bell St. Terminal & T30

Aberdeen

Astoria

Bellingham

Coos Bay

Everett

Kalama

Longview

Olympia

Port Angeles, WA

Portland

Tacoma - Sea Star

Vancouver, WA

Long Beach - Pacific Container Terminal; Terminal A; Pier F, Berth 206; C60Outer Harbor 54/55, San Pedro

Oakland International Container Terminal

Howard Terminal

Benicia

Port Hueneme

Redwood City

Richmond Terminal 3

San Diego - Conventional and Cruise Terminal

Stockton/Sacramento

Charleston, SC - Union Pier Terminal, North Charleston Terminal, Wando Welch Terminal, Navy Base Terminal

Columbus Street Terminal

Jacksonville, FL - Blount Island Terminal, Dames Point Terminal, Talleyrand Marine Terminal,

Morehead City, NC

Savannah, GA - Garden City Terminal, Ocean Terminal,

Wilmington, NC

Brunswick, GA - Mayors Point Terminal, Colonel's Island Terminal

Georgetown, SC

Columbus, MS (LSI)

Garrison, FL (Tampa)

Gulfport, MS

Houston, TX

Little Rock, AR

Mobile, AL

New Orleans, LA

Panama City, FL

Pascagoula, MS

Pensacola, FL

Port Arthur, TX

[BubbaTheRocketScientist]

Do you know if they did, and aren't they the ones that form so many joint ventures with the Chicoms?

It is my understanding that the original contracts in question were awarded to P&O many years ago. I have no idea what the business climate was at that time. It is also my understanding that the current issue did not involve any new contracts or new bids - merely the approval of transfer of the existing P&O contracts.

Regarding the Chicoms, better a joint venture with the Chicoms than a wholly owned foreign government operating our ports. Either way, would you have an objection?

[wideawake]

I wonder how many of these are full ports or indicidual terminals. Some locations listed are quite small and some are quite large, but New Orleans is an interesting one. It is enormous and SSA Marine operates there alongside DP.

Interesting to see how the bidding on the NO property went.

[CROSSHIGHWAYMAN]

Great idea. But what do we do in the meantime?

The deal will go through.....

and Bush will become a hero in the Arab world......standing up against Congress.

Bottom line......some executives in Dubai will get the big paychecks......

the grunts over here will stay the same.

[clawrence3]

As I understand it, the $6.8 billion deal was for the entire P&O company and port leases - the New Orleans terminals were NOT available for sale separately.

[Final Authority]

The dopey Washington insiders and apologists like Rush have all said the same thing, there are no American companies that can run a terminal, so how did the USA develop the Manhattan project in WWII? There were demonstrably no companies that had any experience enriching Uranium and building a bomb but somehow DuPont and other companies managed to get the work done. So, based on the first sentence of the post, should the USA find ourselves in trouble and the only company that could produce, say the weapons of war are our enemy (like exactly what is happening right now with respect to Asia) then we should just resign ourselves to being defeated?

I say, if GWB doesn't backtrack on this, allow a 45 day period for review and testimony, and only then make a decision, then I say he should be brought up on charges. Impeach him. And I BTW, am a supporter of the GOP and GWB, but this can't stand.