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
No what I got was insulting comments when I politely asked for a link. If a mistake was made fine, no problem.
Well, when you're wrong, you're wrong; they can't overturn it. The president can't even stop it.
Congress can pass legislation tomorrow banning foreign port ownership, to suggest otherwise is wishful thinking.
And in case you haven't noticed, the tide is turning and they will NOT even talk about overturning it.
We'll see about that, I think you're wrong.
COSCO.
Best to stay drunk throughout the entire political scandal season which is quickly approaching with mid-terms...
(I'm off to work)
And, as someone pointed out a short while ago, according to the WSJ we have 500 major business evestments over there. It won't be just our fleet.
To suggest that this is foreign port OWNERSHIP is an out and out lie.
Just take a look at the FR front page.
Midterms.............LOL.
LOL.
Just like the Federal Election Commission, I suppose.
I still want to know why people complaining about this "deal" think the United States government has any say at all on the purchase of a British corporation by a (government-owned, but that's irrelevant) Dubai corporation.
Do they believe we're not only the World's Policeman but also the World's Securities and Exchange Commission?
Tex, they don't care. They do not care that the UAE are providing us intelligence and access and bases for our military.
They overlook the fact that 500 American companies are currently doing business in UAE.
I can't tell you the number of posters here whose main complaint is that two hijackers came from the UAE!
But that's okay, just keep on posting from ignorance. Eventually, you just may come across the facts and accept them.
Precisely.
And we're not going to kick the UAE out of here.
Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaawn......................
I can't wait to see that freight start piling up on the docks.
Because we cannot possibly kick out ONE COUNTRY.
(Although I would like to see the unions out of work......LOL)
Seriously what can they do? They need us more than the other way around. Right now we're a buffer between them and Iran so militarily they're sort of dependent on the USA for protection. They may make hay for a while but it'll blow over. The government-owned company is spreading out all over the globe and will make their billions with or without us.
Btw I'm glad to see you think will Congress will overturn it because I do too, politically it would be too dangerous for the GOP not to.
This is what happens when the unions, the democrats, the MSM and the Bush is all evil crowd get together...a campaign of lies.
Good for you! My husband married one as well. You are both very fortunate, special men. :-)
Ladies relax, calm down. I know you love George Bush to death but really this deal hasn't got a chance. It's politically radioactive for the GOP and frankly their political careers are more important than his since he doesn't have to run anymore.
The way I see it is that the congressional Republicans have been spooked for quite a while about GWs poll numbers and the effect it would have on their phony baloney jobs this year. I don't believe for a New York moment that this deal caught them "off guard" or that they did not know the facts. The GOP has decided to dump GW in the hopes that it will help them in November. I can promise them one thing, if they were worried about a few unappeasable "conservative" Bush haters sitting out 2006 they won't believe how many Bush supporters will just mow the lawn on election day.
Projection is a curable mental aliment...get help.
I have NO idea what a "snake cake" is, nor do I live in a double wide trailer. I don't even resemble a double wide trailer. OTOH, you certainly are giving away just what YOU are. LOL
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