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
Boy, that took balls; you THREATENED ME and now you're pinging the Lead Moderator.
Lay off the steroids.
Sheesh.....it only took over 500 posts......you guys are slipping.
FR discusses a variety of issues. What are you attempting to incite?
LOL!
Liar. When did I threaten you?
I'm including the moderator because of your history of false accusations, and dirty tricks.
Yes, you are wrong.
That's your assumption; frankly, I don't want them to leave these threads; the longer they stay on here posting, the more obvious their agendas become.
Whatever.
When did I threaten you?
You posted to ME and then came back and said:
Show where I lied. Put up, or shut up.
I'm including the moderator because of your history of false accusations, and dirty tricks.
No, you're doing it because that's what you always do.
OK.
Liar. When did I threaten you?
Nothing, it was just an observation and turns out I wrong anyway, sorry for bringing it up.
LOL..........is that the best you can do?
But if I could give you a little advice, perhaps it's not such a good idea to come on threads and start fights with people and then act the victim, all the while calling the poster a liar, vile, and telling them to put up or shut up.
You misread my post, went off halfcocked, and now you're making a complete fool out of yourself.
By all means, stay on the thread all night long. The most you post calling me a liar, the more ridiculous you look, which, after your other posts on this thread, is really pushing the envelop, but, hey, take your best shot.
We've all seen this act before.
Lay off the steroids.
541 posted on 02/26/2006 3:00:57 AM EST by Howlin ("Quick, he's bleeding! Is there a doctor reporter in the house?")
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Liar. When did I threaten you?
Gee.......the UAE does BUSINESS with ISRAEL. Perhaps you need to get the latest info, before posting again.
You're making a fool out of yourself.
And all you're proving is that you came on this thread to attack me.
Feigning victimhood might work with some posters, but this is your usual MO, as we've all seen before.
Exactly!
Even if the risk that terrorists would somehow use Dubais to attack the U.S. is small, the potential damage they could cause if that small probability comes to pass is far to great.
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