Posted on 02/22/2006 6:19:30 PM PST by iPod Shuffle
Arab Co., White House Had Secret Agreement
Feb 22 9:03 PM US/Eastern
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By TED BRIDIS
Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON
1d08c5bfc6d0@news.ap.org The Bush administration secretly required a company in the United Arab Emirates to cooperate with future U.S. investigations before approving its takeover of operations at six American ports, according to documents obtained by The Associated Press. It chose not to impose other, routine restrictions.
As part of the $6.8 billion purchase, state-owned Dubai Ports World agreed to reveal records on demand about "foreign operational direction" of its business at U.S. ports, the documents said. Those records broadly include details about the design, maintenance or operation of ports and equipment.
The administration did not require Dubai Ports to keep copies of business records on U.S. soil, where they would be subject to court orders. It also did not require the company to designate an American citizen to accommodate U.S. government requests. Outside legal experts said such obligations are routinely attached to U.S. approvals of foreign sales in other industries.
"They're not lax but they're not draconian," said James Lewis, a former U.S. official who worked on such agreements. If officials had predicted the firestorm of criticism over the deal, Lewis said, "they might have made them sound harder."
The conditions involving the sale of London-based Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Co. were detailed in U.S. documents marked "confidential." Such records are regularly guarded as trade secrets, and it is highly unusual for them to be made public.
The concessions _ described previously by the Homeland Security Department as unprecedented among maritime companies _ reflect the close relationship between the United States and the United Arab Emirates.
The revelations about the negotiated conditions came as the White House acknowledged President Bush was unaware of the pending sale until the deal had already been approved by his administration.
Bush on Tuesday brushed aside objections by leaders in the Senate and House. He pledged to veto any bill Congress might approve to block the agreement, but some lawmakers said they still were determined to capsize it.
Dubai Port's top American executive, chief operating officer Edward H. Bilkey, said the company will do whatever the Bush administration asks to enhance shipping security and ensure the sale goes through. Bilkey said Wednesday he will work in Washington to persuade skeptical lawmakers they should endorse the deal; Senate oversight hearings already are scheduled.
"We're disappointed," Bikley told the AP in an interview. "We're going to do our best to persuade them that they jumped the gun. The UAE is a very solid friend, as President Bush has said."
Under the deal, the government asked Dubai Ports to operate American seaports with existing U.S. managers "to the extent possible." It promised to take "all reasonable steps" to assist the Homeland Security Department, and it pledged to continue participating in security programs to stop smuggling and detect illegal shipments of nuclear materials.
The administration required Dubai Ports to designate an executive to handle requests from the U.S. government, but it did not specify this person's citizenship.
It said Dubai Ports must retain paperwork "in the normal course of business" but did not specify a time period or require corporate records to be housed in the United States. Outside experts familiar with such agreements said such provisions are routine in other cases.
Well, it would not "have to" if ours were not a problem nor have been for quite so long without remedy. That's exactly it, right there: people continue to express concerns about security and those concerns fall on deaf ears, with the exception of Tancredo and a few others in Congress.
sorry I did not mix them up. I knew at the time it was yemen. MY POINT was that the Yemeni port was "safe" for our navy vessel to dock there. IT WASNT.
Do you think that a bunch of guys threw some c-4 in a boat in 10 minutes and rammed it into the ship? The official investigation showed that that attack was the SECOND attempt on our ships. TWO BIG POINTS HERE
1. They KNEW when the ship would arrive so they had plenty of time to prepare the attack.
2. The explosive used was a specialized explosive produced only in Russia ( I believe)
That means that these guys had tons of intellegence inside the port to plan this attack. They had the time to aquire this specific explosive to knock a 20 foot hole in a reinforced steel ship. They tried once and the boat and explosives sank on the way. Then they rescheduled for a few months later and tried again. That means they had to have more explosive on hand or access to it, and know exactly when one of our ships was in port.
THAT IS NO BRAIN FART my friend. That is a specific example of our country being assured of safety and some low level schmuck with jihaad up his ass able to compromise us.
Buddy, tommy did a great job. But you want to ask yourself a question. "where do all these generals get their money after they retire? " You probably dont know, these guys get HUGE bucks in speaking fees from arab governments to Lobby the media and do Public relations talks, or op ed peices in papers.
So dont throw tommy franks name around unless you first ask him the question in front of a camera..." Have you ever or do you now accept money from government X or a subsidiary of that government?
I am not saying Tommy is or does, but I know that alot of formal military honchos do. That is why you see people out of left field making comments in the paper or on TV.
Whose brain is farty now>?
People have abundantly voiced gratitude to President Bush for his work on national security. The problem is that we started from a point of below zero on a scale of one to ten, and we're breaking the lower rung. Which is good but there's a whole additional range to be covered, yet ahead.
It's not that people don't recognize nor appreciate what President Bush has done as to national security, it's that there's growing disbelief that he's prepared or even willing to go the whole distance on this issue. Particularly given his duplicitousness where Central America is concerned, if not the illegal alien problem altogether. He can always get tough on that area and save the day.
But it hasn't happened since, has it.
I believe General Franks is under the influence and I do not refer to substances.
Sounds like you are avoiding the question. Did Gen. Tommy Franks lie? Yes or no.
Has he vetoed anything? I had expected him to veto Campaign Finance Reform but he didn't. Just seems strange that he's let things pass that limit our freedoms and he's going to veto this.
Bush has never vetoed anything.
So he is a liar, in your opinion. Correct me if I am wrong.
We are "selling" access. Access is key. It's the concept and the access that the concept provides. The agreement is, in effect, "selling" access because the Port Deal is a negotiation involving exchange of assets. Call it a lease, call it favoritism, call it a gift, call it anything you want but it's still a situation wherein the U.S. has "sold" access and access to privileged information and other very significant resources.
It's also just easier for most of us to type out in comments than writing out the elaboration of the actual terms involved.
Dont know if he "lied" Is he taking lobbying money from the UAE yes or no? THAT answer has a huge and significant bering on tommy franks statement.
Fine, Afghanistan then. I knew I was writing the wrong country earlier, and indicated a request for clarification, so, thanks.
I have not attacked President Bush nor never will so please stop the personal attacks of and about me in that regard.
I voted for President Bush, include him in my prayers and appreciate him. I would vote again for him if given the chance.
Many of us have read it but I don't think you have. I mean no disrespect, but I don't think your reading skills are very good. Otherwise yo wouldn't posted the above drivel to me. I said nothing about he Koran or nothing about the nature of Islam. I said Moslems are open about what they believe. If that prompts the above response from you; you have minimal skills in reading comprehension.
Perhaps you are trolling, who knows.
It's a crass thing to write about someone. There are many people who try to discuss issues objectively and someone inevitably appears and discounts any/all of that if/when someone is not towing a strict Administration line. By your line of attack, half of the U.S. Republican Senate is a troll because they disagree with Bush on this Port Deal and have on other issues, too.
It's important to be frank when and as needed. If I wasn't, I'd not be a responsible citizen. I assure you I support President Bush and intend to again vote as a Republican as I have in previous elections, and that I do donate to the GOP. I hope that eases your discomfort as to my political affiliations.
Criticism as to issues and behaviors is not "attacking" President Bush. Those allegations by you are quite irrational, in my view.
This can't be...but but but they could cause sabotage!
"June 24, 1997, ABU DHABI, U.A.E. -- Abu Dhabi Ship Building (ADSB) has completed repairs on the U.S. military transport ship USNS Gordon, its first contract for work on a U.S. Navy vessel since the shipyard was established approximately one year ago. ADSB received the contract from Newport News Shipbuilding (NYSE: NNS), Newport News, Virginia, USA, a major shareholder in ADSB. The Gordon repair project involved completion of warranty work for the U.S. Military Sealift Command vessel during its recent visit to the Arabian Gulf.
-snip-
ADSB began operations in mid-1996 after a very successful public stock offering in the United Arab Emirates. In July of last year, ADSB bought an existing, small shipyard just outside of Abu Dhabi. The company is currently building, refitting, and repairing vessels at this existing site while a new, much larger shipyard facility is being designed and constructed at a location nearby. Newport News currently has a team of 16 employees permanently located in Abu Dhabi providing both executive and technical management for the new company.
-snip-
ADSB completed the repairs while the ship was docked in Jebel Ali Port, about 50 miles north of Abu Dhabi. A team of ADSB specialists and supervisors was dispatched to Jebel Ali from the company’s Abu Dhabi location and worked for several weeks to complete the required work on the vessel. "We believe the U.S. Navy personnel on the Gordon were well pleased with our work and we intend to pursue additional opportunities with this particular customer in the future," said Rocky Holliday, ADSB’s managing director.
-snip-
"This was ADSB’s first opportunity to provide support for U.S. Navy ships in the Gulf," said Holliday. "Now that the U.S. Navy has worked with us and seen what our local NNS personnel are able to do, I’m hopeful that ADSB will be able to provide repair and maintenance services for other U.S. Navy ships deployed in the region.""
-end snip-
http://www.nn.northropgrumman.com/news/1997/nr970624.html
This post was totally meant for Stellar Dendrite's post# 375, but it disappeared for some reason. *snicker*
We just parted company. He's been on our radar for awhile now.
LOL. I have indeed read the Koran and my reading skills are quite good in several languages. Betkellum shway Arabi kamaan.
Address what I said about allies in the WOT, I'd like to hear that.
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