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Handing U.S. port security to UAE is terrible idea
The Columbus Dispatch ^ | 2/22/2006 | Cal Thomas

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 


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: aloadofbull; basedonlies; calthomas; chickenlittlethomas; closebutnocigar; ctpat; demstrojanhorse; dimpropaganda; dncxenophobia; howlermonkeys; invasion; isolationism; misinformation; portgate; ports; portsdeal; security; silentcal; smugglers; terrorists; uae; usa
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To: onyx

No, I missed it, too. Sorry. We've been out most of the day. Is the replay on about 10pm Central?


81 posted on 02/25/2006 6:24:34 PM PST by Diana in Wisconsin (Save The Earth. It's The Only Planet With Chocolate.)
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To: VictoryGal
"Would you mind not insulting those of us with concerns by calling us Democrats?"

I did not call you dickocraps,I said you are joining in with the dickocraps. Doesn't that make you twinge? Obviously it does or you wouldn't be falsely accusing me of calling you dickocraps.

Quote:"Let Dubyah do his job, and support his initiative instead of JOINING IN with the caterwalling Dickocraps and their trojan horse." Ports have throughout our history been multinational. Dubai is the new Hong Kong, a transhipment point for the entire middle east. They want dockage and warehousing in US ports. We want to flood the backward middle east with products manufactured by US companies, bringing tyhe world of backward Islam into the 21st century.Port security is in US hands because we inspect at the point or origin and at destination. A "Port" consisits of dockage and warehousing leased and operated by many extranational companies.Even the British had such "ports" shortly after the American revolution.

So stop joining in with dickocrap isolationism, fanned by what is inappropriate xenophobia , at this time.

It's a trojan horse issue.

82 posted on 02/25/2006 6:25:09 PM PST by Candor7 (Into Liberal Flatulence Goes the Hope of the West)
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To: the gillman@blacklagoon.com
"Let's turn over everything in the country to foreign control."

And what exactly are we turning over?

83 posted on 02/25/2006 6:26:22 PM PST by CWOJackson
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To: jonrick46
The UAE is truly our friend. Don't forget that.

They very well may be good friends indeed, but when you sleep around with too many of your friends, you pick up some of their deseases and the UAE has been deseased. They have had terrosit problems in the past and we have no idea how clean they are today. It is also a heck of alot easier for the would be terrorist to infiltrate a facility manned in part by fellow arabs then to penetrate a place that is staffed with guys who were born here.

Again I ask; what is in it for us? Why take on the risk?
84 posted on 02/25/2006 6:27:19 PM PST by ARCADIA (Abuse of power comes as no surprise)
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To: maica
"Our ILA members may not act in the best interest of the consumer and American commerce at all times, but you may rest assured, they do not plan to give up their jobs."

Since when has anyone even survived trying to scab longshoremen's jobs? Most of them, Islamic or not, would be sleeping with the fishes.

85 posted on 02/25/2006 6:28:07 PM PST by Candor7 (Into Liberal Flatulence Goes the Hope of the West)
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To: ARCADIA

Yes, General Tommy Franks is very insistent on how they are our friend and allie in the WoT. Of course I'm sure your first hand knowledge and experience far exceed his.


86 posted on 02/25/2006 6:28:40 PM PST by CWOJackson
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To: Diana in Wisconsin


I looked, and I will have to TIVO the 1;30AM replay and I am in Central time zone too. I see the replay of Beltway Boys earlier, but not the Watch.


87 posted on 02/25/2006 6:29:07 PM PST by onyx (IF ONLY 10% of Muslims are radical, that's still 120 MILLION who want to kill us.)
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To: CWOJackson
And what exactly are we turning over?

George Bush man, just George Bush; if he likes the UAE that mush he should pack it up and run for office over there.
88 posted on 02/25/2006 6:29:32 PM PST by ARCADIA (Abuse of power comes as no surprise)
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To: ARCADIA
"George Bush man, just George Bush; if he likes the UAE that mush he should pack it up and run for office over there."

This is why you will not succeed in your efforts...this is all you have.

89 posted on 02/25/2006 6:31:03 PM PST by CWOJackson
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To: Candor7

> I did not call you dickocraps,I said you are joining in with the dickocraps. Doesn't that make you twinge?

Does it make you twinge to know you're joining in with Jimmy Carter?


90 posted on 02/25/2006 6:31:36 PM PST by VictoryGal (Never give up, never surrender!)
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To: CWOJackson
You're always on the other side of these issues, no matter what it is. The ultimate maverick you are.

And I also suppose that if Bill Clinton were trying to ram this turkey through you'd be here day after day telling us how wonderful and harmless it is right? Please tell me that's true.

Hate to burst your bubble but the deal is DOA, no way Congress would be foolish enough in an election year no less to let this pass.

91 posted on 02/25/2006 6:32:34 PM PST by Reaganwuzthebest
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To: VictoryGal
"Does it make you twinge to know you're joining in with Jimmy Carter?"

Make me proud to be joining in with General Tommy Franks. Who in the opposition has the same level of real first hand knowledge and experience with the UAE, national security, the middle east and the war on terror? Hillary?

92 posted on 02/25/2006 6:33:53 PM PST by CWOJackson
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To: CWOJackson

No, we have you. The irrational support for anything this President does is the best recruiting tool that conservatives can ask for.


93 posted on 02/25/2006 6:34:04 PM PST by ARCADIA (Abuse of power comes as no surprise)
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To: Candor7

The point is that guilt by association in this case is a lousy argument since there are good guys and bad guys on both sides. Make your case with facts, and lay off the insults. Yes, calling someone a dickocrap fellow-traveler is an insult. If you don't think it is, have another think.


94 posted on 02/25/2006 6:34:13 PM PST by VictoryGal (Never give up, never surrender!)
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To: Reaganwuzthebest
"You're always on the other side of these issues, no matter what it is. The ultimate maverick you are."

You might want to start asking yourself why you're on the wrong side.

95 posted on 02/25/2006 6:34:43 PM PST by CWOJackson
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To: onyx

I like the Beltway Boys. Don't exactly know why, but those two old f@rts mixing it up is interesting to me. Kind of like listening to Dad and Grandpa arguing at the kitchen table as I was falling asleep as a kid, I guess. ;)


96 posted on 02/25/2006 6:34:55 PM PST by Diana in Wisconsin (Save The Earth. It's The Only Planet With Chocolate.)
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To: ARCADIA

You really should avoid the word "irrational" on a thread where people can read your posts.


97 posted on 02/25/2006 6:35:38 PM PST by CWOJackson
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To: jonrick46; ARCADIA

"am sure the UAE has given the United States a complete briefing of Iran's dealings"

and you have no proof. the article shows that they have a long history in ignoring sanctions, ignoring US requests to halt shipments (africa was mentioned), they also were assosciated with AQ Khan


----
The UAE has also bee responsible for buying and smuggling nuclear weapon material. They were tied to the Kahn network:

"On 25 May 1999, UAE Minister for Information and Culture Shaykh Abdullah Bin Zayid Al Nuhayyan met with Pakistani nuclear scientist Abdul Qadeer Kahn at A. Q. Khan Research Laboratories in Rawalpindi. Zaiyid was interested in obtaining Pakistani help in the nuclear field. Khan replied: “Pakistan would not present the atomic bomb or a missile on a platter but could train UAE manpower.” Pakistan (Islamabad), 26 May 1999,
http://cns.miis.edu/pubs/npr/vol06/64/db64.pdf
----


"The UAE is truly our friend. Don't forget that."

LOL...so a country that funds the terrorist group hamas (there are sleeper cells here in america, they kill jews in israel) and Council On Islamic Relations (a hamas front group) is our friend?
The crowned prince of dubai purchased the deed to CAIR's HQ in washington dc. This is an organization that tries to stifle the truth tellers about islam...for example, they pushed to Michael Graham thrown off of talk radio. This is one of the mediums that we utilize in order to get our message out....and they want to silence it (among other sinister things).

We're supposed to consider UAE as an ally when they fund the terrorists who want to destroy Israel? ISRAEL IS OUR BIGGEST ALLY IN THE MIDDLE EAST



UAE urges world community to force Israel dismantle wall
http://www.uaeinteract.com/news/default.asp?ID=324

2-18-2006: UAE, Palestine to set up a joint investment firm (Hamas)
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle.asp?xfile=data/business/2006/February/business_February391.xml&section=business



UAE condemns Israel's actions on occupied land
http://www.uaeinteract.com/news/default.asp?ID=324


98 posted on 02/25/2006 6:35:40 PM PST by Stellar Dendrite (UAE-- Anti-Israel and funds CAIR, check my homepage for more info (UPDATED FREQUENTLY))
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To: CWOJackson
Make me proud to be joining in with General Tommy Franks.

Tommy Franks is a general whose good friend and Commander in Chief just happens to be the president. What do you expect him to say?

If you want to keep playing that game you're on the same side as Carter and Bill Clinton. Must make you proud doesn't it?

99 posted on 02/25/2006 6:37:15 PM PST by Reaganwuzthebest
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To: Stellar Dendrite

Oh, Stellar, please don't bother the insulters with facts. You dimocrap! :-)


100 posted on 02/25/2006 6:37:21 PM PST by VictoryGal (Never give up, never surrender!)
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