Posted on 02/25/2006 4:21:24 PM PST by SwordofTruth
On Sunday, the Australian government issued the following alert to its citizens: "We advise you to exercise a high degree of caution in the United Arab Emirates because of the high threat of terrorist attack. We continue to receive reports that terrorists are planning attacks against Western interests in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Commercial and public areas frequented by foreigners are possible terrorist targets."
The United States has approved a business deal that would turn over the operation of six major American ports to a company that is owned by the UAE, the very country Australians are to be wary of visiting. The obvious question: If it is dangerous for an Australian to travel to the UAE because of terrorism, isn’t it even more dangerous for a company owned by the UAE to own the rights to American ports where terror might be directly, or indirectly, imported?
There have been some dumb decisions since the United States was attacked on Sept. 11, 2001, including the "welcoming" of radical Muslim groups, mosques and schools that seek by their preaching and teaching to influence U.S. foreign policy and undermine the nation. But the decision to sell port operations in New York, Newark-Port Elizabeth, Baltimore, Miami, Philadelphia and New Orleans to a company owned by the UAE may be the dumbest of all.
Security experts repeatedly have said American ports are poorly protected. Each year, approximately 9 million cargo containers enter the United States through its ports. Repeated calls to improve port security have gone mostly unheeded.
In supporting the sale decision by a little-known interagency panel called the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, the Bush administration dismissed security concerns. National Security Council spokesman Frederick Jones said the sale of the ports for $6.8 billion to Dubai Ports World was "rigorously reviewed" by the committee, which, he said, considers security threats when foreign companies seek to buy or invest in American industry. Apparently, money talked louder than common sense.
In a rare display of bipartisanship, congressional Republicans and Democrats are forging an alliance to reverse the decision. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, has announced plans for her Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs to hold hearings. Sens. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., and Frank Lautenberg, DN.J., who are members of Collins’ committee, have raised concerns. New York’s Democratic senators, Charles Schumer and Hillary Rodham Clinton have also objected to the sale. Clinton and Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., expect to offer a bill to ban companies owned or controlled by foreign governments from acquiring U.S. port operations.
In the House, Reps. Chris Shays, R-Conn.; Mark Foley, R-Fla.; and Vito Fossella, R-N.Y., are among those who want to know more about the sale. In a House speech, Foley said, "The potential threat to our country is not imagined; it is real."
The UAE was used as a financial and operational base by some of the 9/11 hijackers. A New York Times editorial said the sale takes the Bush administration’s "laxness to a new level."
Members of Congress may wish to consider that the UAE was an important transfer point for shipments of smuggled nuclear components bound for Iran, North Korea and Libya by a Pakistani scientist, Abdul Qadeer Khan. The UAE was one of only three countries to recognize the Taliban as Afghanistan’s legitimate government before the U.S. invasion toppled it.
The Department of Homeland Security says it is legally impossible under Committee on Foreign Investment rules to reconsider approval of the sale without evidence the Dubai company gave false information or withheld details from U.S. officials. Congress should change that law.
Last year, Congress overwhelmingly recommended against the Bush administration granting permission to a Chinese company to purchase the U.S. oil services company UNOCAL. Six years ago, when a Chinese company took control of the Panama Canal from the United States, retired Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Thomas H. Moorer warned of a "nuclear Pearl Harbor."
Congress must stop this sale of American ports to foreign interests and, in an era of terrorism, prevent any more potential terrorist targets from falling into the hands of those who wish to destroy us.
Cal Thomas writes for Tribune Media Services.
cal@calthomas.com
You have freepmail.
Hmmmmmm.... I'm not sure why you are saying that I am "missing the boat here with respect to the whole issue". Perhaps you have mistook me for someone else? As for watching how this unfolds and "much ado 'bout nuttin'", I agree.
It's an easy mistake to make. We are, after all, talking about Washington...
Read it and go find it yourself.
We've been telling you for three days that you're wrong and you just won't listen. I'm damned tired of talking to DOORKNOBS.
Why can't people disagree without lying? Cal Thomas' credibility takes a big hit with this - unless he didn't write the title himself.
And that has what bearing on this issue?
Very clever attempt to denigrate Tommy Franks. His statement on this must have really put a minus in your column.
nopardons stated that a congressional committee agreed to this deal last November. Your link does not confirm that. The approval came from CFIUS, which is in the Executive branch.
As to being "scrawny and fidgety", I'm guessing that that's what YOU look like. It most assuredly doesn't describe me.
I know you haven't been comatose this week, so you have to know that NO ports have been sold, nor are any of our ports up for sale.
Here's a quick way to read great, concise, humorous, but always factual commentary. You will learn everything that you will need to make you a learned and knowledgeable poster.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/user-posts?id=29691
It was established by EO, but later "fine tuned" by Congress under the.........er......I can't remember right now.
I'll see if I can find it.
keep it up, the more people who see your post, the lower down in their esteem, you will fall. :-)
I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt on that...for now. What ticks me off are the other so-called conservative pundits who continue to use this lie to prop up their mistake of joining the Chicken Little Stampede so quickly.
Goody, goody gumdrops.........you've learned a new phrase and now, that's all you are able to type.
It's a great idea. Jorge says so, therefore it must be so. Never mind that wide open border and amnesty plans.
Pass the chapstick.
They all know. This isn't about national security to them, it's all about their personal political agenda.
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