22 ports in Arab deal, not just 6 as reported (From Maine to the Gulf)

World Net Daily ^ | 2-24-06 | Jerome R. Corsi, Ph.D.

[bildabare]

Dubai Ports World is scheduled to take over operations at 22 U.S. ports, not six as previously reported by most major media.

According to the website of P&O Ports, the port-operations subsidiary of the London-based Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Co. (P&O), DPW will pick up stevedore services at 12 East Coast

[mad_as_he$$]

I think they took out the sub ride.

[Mike Darancette]

I think they took out the sub ride.

Damn!

[PistolPaknMama]

Or about how many think this was some "secret".

You mean even the president? He admitted he didn't know about it until it was already done. So is that secret, miscommunication or GWB was on the "doesn't need to know list"?

[bildabare]

Jimmy Carter is WRONG about everything.

Jimmy Carter supports the ports deal.

Therefore the ports deal MUST be bad for America

ha- well said-

[CharlesWayneCT]

"Secret" is being used to indicate some nefarious plot to keep us in the dark because there is something to hide.

I'm saying nobody was hiding anything, the media simply didn't get the facts right.

I didn't know how many ports there were. Of course, I didn't care.

[CharlesWayneCT]

President didn't read my column this week, but that wasn't a secret either.

"secret" is being used to imply someone was hiding something. People have been saying "look, they lied, it's not 6, its 21, no its 22" as if the administration is deliberately trying to mislead people.

The charge is without merit because the information is public knowledge.

Most people didn't know our ports were run by a british company. Funny how many people were screaming about foreign ownership, and arguing that the british company be allowed to keep the ports. But in fact that was public information.

It doesn't bother me that the president didn't know about this -- For him, we've been sharing information and cooperation with UAE for a few years now, so why would anybody think twice about this deal? We just went through a military-level review to approve them for navy ship operations in Dubai. IF they passed that review, why would anybody in government think they had to tell the president about THIS deal?

And since the CSX deal went through last year and nobody said a word about it, that would also suggest a lack of concern. And since DP World already is our partner inspecting containers that come here, and was cleared for that, why would people in government have red flags on this deal?

And since DP World already runs ports in allied countries, and since our best ally (Britain) has no security issue with DP WOrld buying their company, why would anybody think Bush had to be bothered with this?

Didn't The president have REAL issues to worry about, like possible civil war in Iraq, troops in danger in several countries, trying to keep on top of the civil unrest around the world regarding the cartoons, pushing his new budget, and gettting the Alito nomination through congress?

Plus don't forget the critical Cheney Shooting issue.

The President messed up by not realising this would be a big deal. But everybody making a big deal about this now didn't think it important enough months ago to even MONITOR THE NEWS for merger notices. Bush doesn't think this is a problem, so why should HE monitor? But all those who think it is horrible that a merger take place aught to be paying attention so they know when to scream. Waiting until Schumer puts out Democrat talking points isn't very becoming.

[angkor]

Badgering people by saying they are ignorant of the facts is usually a Democratic tactic, which definitely isn't going to work around here.

I don't recall badgering anyone, other than pointing out the MSM's disingenuous use of the phrase "take over port operations" in its new coverage.

Fact: go to the Port Of Portland (Maine) website (Google it), and compare the overall size and scope of activity there to P&O's operations, which are limited to stevedoring. That's hardly "taking over port operations."

Fact: Go to the Port Of Miami and poke around for the same info. You'll find again that P&O is a 50 percent owner in terminals and stevedoring services there. Again, that's not "taking over port operations."

Fact: you'll need to do your own research, but the following link directly to the P&O Ports detailed listing of North American operations will get you started:

http://portal.pohub.com/portal/page?_pageid=169,1,169_82863&_dad=pogprtl&_schema=POGPRTL

[World'sGoneInsane]

I don't recall badgering anyone...

This wasn't anything personal toward you. It's just I've been trying to find some reason/facts in this, and there seems to be a line around here that if you are opposed to this--you are either ignorant or hysterical. I'll look at the link.

[leprechaun9]

Go to the P&O Ports web site

http://portal.pohub.com/portal/page?_pageid=36,1,36_31159:36_34061&_dad=pogprtl&_schema=POGPRTL

and check out the other ports worldwide that they operate. In particular look at Australia!

[Stoooopendous]

Yea, and Al-Qaeda would of already done it if it were so simple as you seem to suggest.

[Euro-American Scum]

Oh ye of little faith. Don't you realize that George W. Bush is God's holy prophet of the Truth on earth. You better get right with him or you'll burn in hell.

[El Gato]

The threat of a "Suitcase Nuke" has been HIGHLY overhyped by the media. It's very very likely that absolutely ZERO of these such things exist.

Oh, they exist all right, or once did at least. What's unlikely is that the Islamnazies have any of them in working condition.

The version shown below weighed about 400 pounds, but that would not be a problem, nor would 1,000 pounds, in a shipping container. Atomic Demolition Munitions

And this from PBS Frontline

And from Global Security

[El Gato]

They will be using the same employees that worked for P&O, as is done in most mergers and acquisitions that happen every day around the world.

They always start out that way. Then they begin sending out managers from either the parent company, or from other subsidiaries that have been part of the parent for a longer time. This is only natural, the money men want people they know and trust out watching their money and making things work or work better. But even though it's natural and normal, it always creates some animosity on the part of the employees of the acquired company. Been there and I know I was PO'd when "our" mangers were replaced or slapped down by "their" managers. The best (or worst, depending on which side of the divide one is on) was "We bought you, you'll do it our way" (This despite the fact that "their way" required many more levels of approval and took much longer for the same size of project. (i.e. what required the signature of a manger only one level above the project in "our way", required approval all the way back to the VP of the acquiring company, and had on "their side" before the merger).

[World'sGoneInsane]

P&O Ports’ success and experience in privatization was also the foundation for further international investment by P&O, resulting in it being a world leader in port development and operation today.

Just started looking. Since you appear to have a background in this, what does privatization of the ports mean? Were they previously run by the government?

[El Gato]

There are HUNDREDS of these deals every year that go through the review process and are approved. You think the first thing that done when it's approved, is a phone call to the President??

You misunderstand me. I wouldn't have expected the President to know about it, because as you say, many, many of these sorts of deals go through all the time. But for the same reason, the general public, and most FReepers, would also not have been aware of the deal. Thus the reaction now, when they have become aware, rather than months ago when the deal was first announced.

[WatchingInAmazement]

From SourceWatch

Jerome R. Corsi co-authored the book Unfit for Command with John E. O'Neill which played a key role in the election year attack on the war record of Democratic Presidential hopeful John Kerry by the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth.

http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Jerome_Corsi

[maica]

One of the upsides or downsides (depending on which side of the coin is more worrying) of this particular company is that there are so few Dubai natives that would want to and be qualified to do this port operations work, that the company will by using the same search [headhunter] companies that P&O used to find staff. They will recruit and hire people from all over the world, to work all over the world.

[af_vet_rr]

I share your view on WND as well, but UPI is now carrying this story from their own correspondent (albeit, it's only 21 ports).

I heard it elsewhere last week that it was more than 26, based on people looking at P&O's holdings.

Part of me is irritated about this, but I have a friend who made a strong argument that President Bush and his family know what they are doing - they have a long history of close ties to several of the major Arab families and nations (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, etc.) that go back decades, and the fact that President Bush threw out the promise of a veto (which would be his first) indicates that because of his and his families ties to those families/nations, he feels very strongly that there is nothing wrong with it, that he knows better than Congress.

Like I said, I'm irritated/uneasy, but President Bush seems very convinced that there will be no problems.

His first veto in five years, that's a pretty strong indication of how confident he is.