Besides considering the number of acres the P&O operates in New Orleans here is perhaps a better comparison. Between the Head of Passes and Baton Rouge's upper bridge (the head of most ocean going navigation) the two banks of the river measure over 440 miles in length and are dense with vessel handling facilities.
The P&O manages approximately 2,000 linear feet on the East bank. Of the approximately 300 Coast Guard uniformed personnel , 40 member harbor police, 90 member parish sheriff's department, and several hundred security guards that serve the area the P&O will probably be responsible for staffing 3 physical positions with armed guards.
Of course the P&O already provides these armed American citizens, they have been running the container facility for years. What has changed is the P&Os controlling interest stockholder? If this deal goes through the same guys who are on guard tonight will be there the night after the deal is signed. But some weeks later they may have more lights, communications gear, and cameras since the "new' P&O" has been purchased by a company willing to put money into the Coast Guard approved security plan.
The old P&O stockholders balked at the security costs of doing business in post 9/11 America. Meanwhile I am still on duty along with the rest of the Coast Guard, if someone else is "in charge of port security" we haven't been told and know of no relief coming.
bttt
We have been asked by Bush to be uncomfortable with the wide open southern border and "trust him". After all we wouldn't want to offend the citizens of mexico...
Now we are being asked to be uncomfortable with this port deal, so we dont offend one of the only three countries that recognized the taliban...And doesn't recognize Isreal...
Bush can stuff it. Someone else can be uncomfortable this time. If Dubai doesn't like it...Tough.
The P&O manages approximately 2,000 linear feet on the East bank.
You do realize that this completely destroys the "no American company can do it" argument.
"The old P&O stockholders balked at the security costs of doing business in post 9/11 America."
So the port operations will actually be safer.
I find it ironic that the UAE has been securing cargo from all over the world that comes here from its port of origin.
If they are no good, I guess we will have to shut down all our ports. /sar