Posted on 02/24/2006 1:46:34 PM PST by markedmannerf
Actually, the Brits wanted to sell the operations. Given 911 and my opposition to government imposition of who can/can't buy the ports based on race or religion, I would say that it is a price we should pay regardless of who owns the ports.
I think we should flat out have the ability to snoop on *any* international operations regardless of what the country of origin is.
My former employer, a multinational company, that has roots in the USA, is as loyal to the USA as UAE is. They only care about profits. They will sell tech to China, Iran, anyone they could get away with selling to. They don't care about the USA, but they won't sell to Iran if they think getting caught will cause them to lose profits. That is the bottom line for all of these companies. You have to make it more painful to work with terrorists/fascists, than to be honest.
Yes, thanks. That has been going on a long time.(Miami Vice) Often it is the law enforcement on the take. But, it is a corrupt blue state problem. They are so used to it they think everyone lives that way. When someone says that we have always had immigrants without problems, I say that we still don't have the maffia under control. I don't know how we get past pretending that criminals are just the loyal opposition, but it would be nice to call them on it.
Not hard at all. There is a clean way to handle things such as the port operations, and it still astonishes me that it wasn't done properly. It's been done thusly for many years, actually many decades:
1. Create an American company to handle the matter (if foreigners wish to buy in, or even buy it, that's ok);
2. Wall off the foreign investors/owners. They are silent partners. They have no say in the actual operation;
3. Create a "classified Board" composed of people with security clearances and experience in sensitive matters;
4. Appoint an American CEO and other top executives with experience and clearances.
We do this all the time with, say, foreigners who want to buy companies that manufacture parts for weapons sytems, etc. It seems the obvious solution here. Dubai would get prestige and whatever profits are generated. Americans run the thing and guarantee, so far as is possible, security. Looks like a win/win solution. For that matter, we should have done the same sort of thing with the British owners, and we should do the same thing with the Chinese and others who now have access to all kinds of potentially dangerous information thanks to their buy-ins.
I wouldn't let them sit in the high chair and wouldn't pat them on the head or give them cookies. I'd cut off all aid, stop selling them weapons, and I'd help Israel build a 100 foot wall around the Palestinians.
Most of these countries are not our friends and are downright evil (i.e. Saudi Arabia, the government of which funds the Wahabi schools that teach terrorism - and by the way, is also the country funding most of the mosques in the US, including those that preach terrorism and harbor terrorists) and allow our military bases to be there because it's in their best interest. For example, the Saudis need us to help keep their nepotist government in power. And because we give them MILLIONS in aid, and sell them the latest military weaponry.
Talking about grownups - I read a news story about a meeting of some big Arab alliance (I believe it was the Arab League, but can't recall for certain) - but I thought it gave a lot of insight to the mindset of the Arab world. The meeting broke up because the representatives were out of control and shouting insults at each other, some of them standing on thier desks and screaming things like "your mother was a goat".
There is not a single Arab or Muslim nation on the planet that respects human life, individual rights, women, etc. They have no idea what it means to be civilized - just look at the cartoon riots and the murderous actions between the Sunnis and the Shi'ites. Religion of PEACE??? BWAH hahahaha hahaha hahahaha...... (ROTFL)
Check out the website http://www.thereligionofpeace.com/ and then click the link to "List of Islamic Terror Attacks". Count up the dead, and the number of attacks, and tell me you think these people are part of the 'civilized' world.
Have you ever been outside this country?
I am not a xenophobe, I just don't trust Arabs/Muslims AS A GROUP. I do not hate individuals, nor do I advocate mistreatment of individuals.
I've been to Mexico and all over Europe, including former communist countries. I do business with a number of companies outside the U.S. None of the people in the countries I've visited or done business with have tried to kill me, my family, or any Americans at all as far as I know.
The wall was obviously a facetious remark. However, I would put restricitons on Arabs/Muslims coming into the U.S. and would block any business in an Arab nation or staffed largely by Arabs or Muslims from having anything to do with any aspect of our security. They cannot be trusted.
I notice you have nothing to say about the Arab "civilization" or the list of 3000 Islamic terror attacks.
I was able to find ONE American-owned company, which is obviously not big enough to take over P&O, but which does SOME port terminal operations:
http://www.ssamarine.com
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