Port Authority: We're suing to stop sale to Dubai firm

Newsday.com ^ | 2/13/2006 | KAREN MATTHEWS

[ARCADIA]

NEW YORK -- The Port Authority said Thursday it will file suit to block a Dubai-based firm from taking over operations at a Port Newark container terminal, saying the federal government has not given them assurances about security issues.

[ohioWfan]

FYI.......some facts needed here?

[Dane]

"Horrendous. Scary and horrendous," said Tom DiDomenico, a longshoreman from East Hanover, uttering one of the few printable reactions by customers at the Port Eatery on Corbin Street in Newark. "I'm a big Republican and I think Bush has lost his mind."

Yeah right, Mr. DiDomencio is probably one of those C-Span caller "Republicans", you know, "I have been a Republican all my life, but Bush is satan, yada, yada, yada'.

[ARCADIA]

The rest is just noise to make the president look bad, ineffectual, or out of touch.

He doesn't need anyone's help to do that. He created 100% of this mess himself when he threaten to unwrap his long neglected Veto pen. Until that goof this was just an inter-party skirmish. But, a veto from this administration, now that has to be special; that has to be scrutinized.

[OldFriend]

We'll just ignore the Oklahoma City bombing. The first WTC bombing, the two Embassy bombings, the USS Cole bombing.

All originated in Dubai, right?

The home grown terror cells?

The Milennium bomber?

Might as well blame the beltway bombers on Dubai too.

[ohioWfan]

Oh..........I see you're already here. :)

[mnehring]

The State PAs could technically block this a few ways. One is to attempt to revoke leases on the land the container terminals are located on. Another is to attempt to revoke operational licenses for P&O.

Both cases, one would have drawn out court cases brought by both sides, P&O/DPI suing the Port Authorities to retain original contracts & leases & the Port Authorities fighting to renig on existing contracts.

[tomahawk]

Savage has some validity when he says that to some people (meaning Rush), golf is the pinnacle life.

[jimbo123]

Why the lovefest with Dubai?

[frankjr]

Reagan would have ok'd the port deal.

[Pukin Dog]

The Port Authority can revoke their lease because of the lack of due diligence done on the deal by the review committee.

A ridiculous and subjective argument. Not a winner by any stretch.

[jess35]

Did he also mention that one of our own blew up a federal building in Oklahoma and we allowed the hijackers to enter this country and remain here for quite a while before the attacks? do ya still want to play the guilt-by-association game?

[OldFriend]

All the while certain of our talkers are digging their own holes deeper by the minute.

Next thing we know, someone will be writing a book about the issue.

[BigSkyFreeper]

Or is your blind party partisanship preventing so many of you from seeing that.

Your pat response doesn't address the issue at hand. This sale has nothing to do with national security or republican vs. democrat.

[Dane]

I trust Sen. Coburn far more than I trust Pres. Bush.

And I trust Fen. Tommy Franks who has real and recent experience working with the UAE, than a Senator who has never been there.

[iPod Shuffle]

Please please... don't let facts get in the way of a cheap political ploy.

[ohioWfan]

Rush understands the difference between Clinton and Bush.

Funny that you don't.

[RGSpincich]

Unions are running scared.

[DJ MacWoW]

P&O have American partners. Eller & Co., out of Miami, is one but I don't know how many ports or who actually owns what. It would be nice if we had more info, wouldn't it. *sigh*

[CWOJackson]

These stories were thorougly debunked the day this whole manufactures situation came out. The same people keep trying to keep it alive.

The funny thing is, most of the Dems who were so outspoken before are trying to back away from the whole issue now...they're moving on to "civil war in Iraq".

That won't stop the Bush is all evil crowd from trying to keep this deflated ball in play for days to come yet.

[antaresequity]

I just spent the entire morning pouring over the container port terminals data available online for the 6 cities in question.

The terminals are nearly totally run by American companies that through merger and aquisition are now held by various global conglomerates...

For instance...CSX is owned by Maersk...Seagirt and Dundalk in Maryland are owned by P&O

If you dig...and follow the ownership trail up the line...you will find that the majority of the facilities are ultimatley owned by foreign companies...

It makes total economic sense. When is the last time you saw a container ship or similar bulk carrier flagged with an American flag? Even the cruise ship facilites are commonly foreign owned.

If you own fleet of transoceanic bulk-container ships you do not want to be held hostage by a competitors terminal scheduling and berthing. You want to que, berth, and transfer as fast as possible.

The reaction and ignorance over this deal is astounding. My first reaction was a knee jerk too. Then I did some research. I learned alot about the shipping industry and with an open mind. I reversed my position from an emotional and ignorant one to an emotionless and fact filled one.