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"Port security is the top priority for AAPA members."

I just heard Captain Kelley Sweeney, (Master Mariner, Merchant Marines) on the radio last night as a guest speaker. He authored the book "From The Bridge", which tells his stories of sailing around the world for twenty years in merchant ships, including dealing with terrorists at sea.

According to Sweeney, who is a true expert on port and terminal procedures, those foreignors who are hired by the subsidiaries and sub-contractors of big companies like P & O, have their background checks done only by the companies who hire them, NOT by the U.S. government. So these foreign-hired dock workers at our "landlord" ports get a free security pass of sorts. Scarey stuff coming from a guy like Cpt Sweeney.

This guy in no way was taking any political side or attacking anyone, he was just voicing his expert concerns about our horrendous port security as it stands now, and about how it could get worse with the UAE company working at our ports if we don't start changing laws and security procedures a.s.a.p.

I think that was the guy I heard as well. Prager or Medved IIRC. I thought the guest I heard was an Admiral in the Coast Guard responsible for port security. The reason as why I'm confused, is that the statements are very similar!

Also, I work in FAA security. I know how bad it was with Argenbright and now with TSA. If you think those guys handling baggage have a background check, think again.

have their background checks done only by the companies who hire them, NOT by the U.S. government.

The Unions aren't responsible to anyone? What i'm saying is, this company can't just hire anyone, they have to be in the Union, and in order to get in the Union they are probably already vetted.

The UAE isn't a charitable organization that's giving us the right to dock there for free. We pay them. But that's not why were important to them. We're important because if we weren't there the Iranians would swoop over and take their oil fields. And if we said "dock our ships for free or we're pulling out, they would dock our ships for free. Now, the relationship is equal. When the war is over, it will be unequal in our favor.

My suggestion to the scardy cats who are afraid the UAE won't like us? They should stop acting so desperate. It's not attractive.

This is why I think this development -- all the attention being paid to the DPW deal -- is good, because it also shines a light on port security. We need to question the Chinese government owning port operations on the west coast as well.

I like it when truth comes out. It's messy but we finally need to face the ways in which we can improve homeland security, and actually do it. I do not blame the administration per se for making this deal. Congress should keep themselves informed of these things also; so they were falling down as watch dogs, too.

Fox reports today that DHS originally nixed the deal. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,186044,00.html