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.
Thanks. I didn't think so but wasn't sure if something had gotten by me.
If those of us who are paranoid are wrong, then we're wrong. If Bush is wrong, we're screwed.
Morning John61,
Funny how some are falling for the demo-msm-communist manifesto "go negative campaign" on anything that President Bush/Admin says or does.
The whole negative media blitz reminds me of 1992, when some morons voted for pip-squeak perot and gave us the POS klintoon.(8 years of deceit, shame, treason, scandals, commie campaign cash, 4 missed opportunities to take out OBL, travel-gate, file-gate, monica-gate, potus late night trysts with golly woood babes, loss of the nuclear football codes, and the list goes on(Impeached)
Yet some of the sheeple will believe the lies, faked documents and hyperboles of the left.
The left(democrats) who are supporting the terrorists and want America as we know it to fall.
I have noticed that some on this site have eaten some of the fruit of the poisonous msm tree(commie-liberal-fabricated "ad hominem inc."
I have to presume the sheeple think we would be in better shape with "skerry" as POTUS or shrillary.
I voted for President Bush twice, and if permitted, would a third time. We are at a crucial cross-road in America.
The left will purport any ideaology, tactic, deception or fabrication to place power into the hands of the marxists/communists traitors to our country.
I believe many have forgotten ms shrillary stating, she would take things away from us for the good of others.
It is always good to see a (Brother Freeper) on the site, who can discern between liberal hyperbole B.S. and the truth(reality)
Many often opt to flee, when the "Chicken Little" keeps repeating the sky is falling, when indeed it has not.
What we are seeing today is just what Senator Joe McCarthy was talking about. Have we forgotten how he was demonized by the commie left and their gollywood marxists for telling the truth?
The commies will keeping telling the lies to the uninformed sheeple long enough and they will believe it to be the truth.
The bottom line is regardless of who owns or purchases those ports, any person involved in safe-guarding could be bribed to look the other way to allow for the entry of a WMD.
Many people can be bought for money, just like klintoon. The POS's lust to stay in office allowed Red China to acquire missle technology(computer guidance systems) for campaign cash in the 1996 presidential election.
In closing, I urge fellow freepers to remember, rather gate, the downing street memo, and all the other disinformation of the left. They hate America, for what we stand for in life.
**** "Stay The Course With President Bush, For He Loves America As We Do." ****
Color Me Red, White and Blue,
NSNR-THM
Morning Ladyinred,
I believe the next story will be about how "calypso louie far-out-kann" was hovering in the Mothership #19 over NOLA.
Calypso then utilizing a "noi fruitonian surveillance chip, over heard Bush instructing the CIA operatives where to place the C-4 to blow up the levees in the ninth ward.
The left wing comical communism info-flow, keeps repeating like a broken CD.
Oh Damn!!!! I lost my wallet while intoxicated, and it's Bush's fault.
Keep On Freepin "Ladyinred."
Sincerely,
NSNR-THM
Morning PTBORs,
One of the most sensible, logical and astute post's I have seen on the subject matter.(Keep Up The Good Work)
Cool heads prevail in any given situation especially, when dealing with the commie MSM.
Just The Facts,
NSNR-THM
I am beginning to wonder if this is the Free Republic or DU
People asked the same thing when Harriet Myers was up for Supreme Court. If we don't question things we don't like than things don't change. You should know better than that.
This is just not believable. In ALL the morning briefings, this topic never came up? I don't believe that.
Does anybody know which six ports this company would be in charge of? I haven't seen that printed anywhere.
"If those of us who are paranoid are wrong, then we're wrong. If Bush is wrong, we're screwed."
I think that about sums the whole thing up.
"Why let the above interfere with the creation of a hyped story and a fraudulent headline?"
Because if you have a better deal, why would the routine even be necessary? Ya think?
Morning O Neill,
I gotta third that myself.
I have to ask what have the democrats&carter&klintoon done to improve our national security???????
Oh wait!!! They "fear monger," "life is not fair" and blythe "feels your pain." (Eyes rolling big time)
As I See It,
NSNR-THM
"Nationalization" implies that the operation of the port has been turned over to our government, with the lack of efficiency and political cronyism attendent with such a move. In this case, DP is simply another contractor who is bound by the terms of the contract.
Morning DND,
So may I inquire if the following were true," all things were peaches&creme, camelot, and everything was everything and life was a bowl of cherries,"while billy do nothing rapist in charge was in office for 8 years????
Did the dems or klintoon give you a federal tax refund from our surplus??$600.00 (first term in office)
What did klintooon do about the bombed embassies, WTC, USS Cole, ME OKC terrorists bombing connection and TWA 800?? Canned investigations.
klintoon did nothing except posture, unlike President Bush who has done something in protecting America/Americans.
Word of caution, please look before you leap.
Confucis say, "person who jump through ass may never catch it again."
"Trust but Verify"
NSNR-THM
DoNotDivide was politely escorted out.
This Devil Dog has no problem trusting my family's safety to this Administration. Your continued blowhard rhetoric (at best!), however, does call your integrity into question.
Hey O,
Do you think Cheney might belong to one of those dastardly "White Right Wing Extremist Groups???
I figured the commie msm will portray the incident as a case of attempted "Chenycide," far more severe than the successful and unanswered Arkancide fiascos.
The trolls come out at night and day with only rabid (AB) comments to engage in the affray.
As I See It,
NSNR-THM
They should have known when Chuckie Schumer came on Fox to complain of this lease that it was a set up.
To borrow a phrase from Algore, "He played on our fears."
All we managed to do is get Arab Allies who has been helping us on the war on terror to become embarrassed and to again reveal that we had an arrangement for special security and cooperation against terrorist.
Just glad to see that some radio hosts did not fall for it.
Kudo's to Tony Snow on that one.
I see the mods have been busy cleaning up from the last couple days. We had some deep cover moles in on this one.
I agree it sounds made up.
To his credit, yesterday Sean Hannity - although he's opposed to this ports deal - did read an excellent Op-ed from the Wall Street Journal supporting this deal. That was the first I'd heard of that editorial. I wonder if anyone posted it here? [running off to check]
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