Frist Changes Position, Says He Now Supports Port Security Plan

San Luis Obispo Tribune ^ | 02/26/2006 | Ryan Alessi

[JackQuickFrost]

LEXINGTON, Ky. - U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist said Saturday night that after recent briefings, he is now comfortable with an Arab-owned company running port security for six American cities and backed off a pledge to pass legislation to stop the deal.

But Frist, a Tennessee Republican who was in Lexington for a state GOP dinner, told reporters that the next few days will be crucial for other members of Congress to press intelligence officials about the details of such an arrangement.

"My comfort level is good, but I have 99 other United States senators who need the opportunity to ask their questions," he said before speaking to 900 Kentucky Republicans at Lexington Center.

"We're behind the president 100 percent. We believe the decision in all likelihood is absolutely the right one," Frist added.

Last weekend, it became public that the Bush administration had approved the sale of a port operations company to Dubai Ports World.

On Tuesday, Frist initially criticized the move and threatened legislation to stop it. Friday, aides to Frist told The Washington Post that he would wait to be briefed by the company before taking a stand. He said Saturday night that many of his fears were allayed by briefings by his aides.

While he said Saturday night that legislation may not be necessary now, he said having "30 to 45 days" to step back and evaluate the deal still could be necessary. A first deadline comes Thursday when the contract with Dubai Ports World is expected to be consummated.

"If there's some question about the diagnosis, then maybe we need to get a second opinion,"said Frist, a former heart surgeon.

Frist, following a host of Kentucky Republican politicians, then went on to give a stock political speech with an angle toward the 2006 elections to the audience who paid $75 per plate to attend Saturday night's statewide Lincoln Day Dinner. Scores of them also wrote $1,000 checks for a pre-dinner reception. All the money goes into the Kentucky Republican Party's coffers.

Frist hammered on the notion that grass-roots efforts must be the GOP's strength.

The Kentucky Democratic Party, in a pre-emptive strike, issued a statement Friday saying Frist had "failed the American people" by allowing "tax cuts for the wealthy, record deficits and I outsourcing of American jobs overseas."

Frist included his own dig at Democrats in his remarks. "What do they really believe? What do they really stand for? Do they really know where they're going?" he asked. "That's the difference between us and them."

Other top Kentucky GOP officials, including Senate President David Williams and House minority leader Jeff Hoover, rallied the faithful in preparation for this fall's legislative election.

And as they took turns at the podium, the health of Gov. Ernie Fletcher became a recurring topic. He is recovering from pancreatitis and the removal of his gallbladder and did not attend.

U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell noted that he spoke with Fletcher by phone Saturday and said, "He sounded strong."

First lady Glenna Fletcher then read to the crowd a lengthy letter written by the governor that largely echoed his statewide policy speech last month.

One notable addition, however, got some chuckles. "Working with partisan Democrats has been bitter, but I didn't realize it was having such an effect on my gallbladder," Glenna Fletcher read.

[no-to-illegals]

and all the while mohammad is allow to pay a fee and get behind American lines for whatever mohammad decides to visit upon Americans.....personally I don't want the enemy inside my perimeter, even if he / she is supposed to be unarmed. I realize the argument from many in this forum is mohammad isn't the enemy. okay that is their argument, but I do not support that position. those who do support mohammad are free to do so, but I will be ever included in that support for mohammad.

[Dog Gone]

I doubt 90% of Americans could even find the UAE on a map.

[no-to-illegals]

ever = never

[jec41]

Most people need to go back to the sixth grade and review how a international seaport works and how it is defined. The ignorance is astounding even in congress. If onw just accepts the ignorance of a politician, MSM, or a pollster one is no less ignorant.

Port; exit or entry from one area to another.

Airport; entry or exit from one area to another area of a country by air.

Landport; entry or exit from one area to another area of a country by land.

Seaport; entry or exit from one area to another area of a country by Sea.

Terminals; leased areas used by carriers to either pick up or deposit cargo and passengers that will enter or have exited the port.

Port security; checks cargo and passengers before such can either leave or enter a terminal.

International Port; exit or entry from one country to another.

International Airport; entry or exit from one country to another country by air.

International Landport; entry or exit from one country to another country by land

International Seaport; entry or exit from one country to another country by Sea.

International Terminals; leased areas used by carriers to either pick up or deposit cargo and passengers that will enter or have exited the international port.

Customs; checks cargo and passengers before such can either leave or enter a international terminal.

A port can be in country or international.

A port can have both terminals and international terminals.

A port is owned by the state where located.

A port cannot be sold.

A port can lease a terminal and that lease can be sold.

A port can lease a international terminal and that lease can be sold.

State and federal port authorities determine security and leases. Other agencies are (homeland security, customs, FBI, etc.) are consulted. The president does not negotiate leases.

Most terminals are leased by in country carriers.

Most international terminals are leased by international carriers. The US does not own any international sea going shipping carriers. The US owns international air carriers.

P&Q leases six international terminals from US international ports. Some of these leases expire in 2007 and must be renewed.

Dubai would purchase these leases from P&Q to have international dock space to load and unload cargo.

Dubai would purchase P&Q leases before they expire to have first rights to renew the leases.

Some would deny Dubai the right to purchase P&Q leases because they are a Arab shipping line.

The National Shipping Company of Saudi Arabia is a Arab country and leases international terminals in US ports. NSCSA.com. They have not been ask to give up their leases

Most US international oil terminals are leased by the importing company or shipping line. Most are owned or invested in by Arabs.

We have 56 military ships in Dubai international terminals in the Dubai Seaport.

Are Dubai Arabs worse than other Arabs who lease US international terminals or is it because they are Muslim. Oops the other Arabs are Muslims too.

Should we lease these international terminals to Indonesia (back up bidder) or Nigeria (US oil importer) Oops they are Muslim.

What other countries or shipping lines would lease these terminals and are not Arab or Muslin.

Can't be China, they already lease the largest international terminal in the US. CA. port.

[Thermalseeker]

guess you already have your harold ford jr sign

Hardly. I'm just not afraid to call a RINO a RINO. Perhaps you are?

[no-to-illegals]

What are you going to say if more Americans are killed?

I do not wish to allow the enemy to get close enough to kill one single American.

I'm tired of politicians who tell me "We are at War" and then proceed to behave as if the enemy is our friend.

Yes, I'm throughly pi$$ed off at mohammad. I'm pi$$ed when someone pees on my leg and tells me it's raining. Hey that is who I am, and I'm not going to change. Those of you who want mohammad on our shores will eventually win out; of this I am certain, but I don't support your position, never have, never will.

[stopem]

Just what we need a "I voted against it before I voted for it" person running for President :) That's the other side's game.
And they say only women are allowed to change their minds:)

[jec41]

Why are we always behind the curve?

Because most did not know something that was taught in the sixth grade. The definition of ports and how they work I learned in the sixth grade in 1952. I guess schools don't think its that important any more and what PC should be observed is more important.

[Molly T.]

I'll say AMEN AND AMEN. This so called deal that's evidently been made, where the White House and those (including the ones who've been using this merely as a POLITICAL sound bite) can all "save face" is disgusting "politics as usual". It's not going to change the fact that the deal is going thru, just like the President and his committees wanted....and they're NOT GOING TO ADDRESS THE QUESTION....WHY ISN'T AMERICA IN A POSITION TO OVERSEE HER OWN PORTS ON HER OWN SOVEREIGN GROUND.??!!??

[no-to-illegals]

it would certainly seem, some Americans, and our politicians do not want we Americans to be in a position to question their decisions nor question the security, or lack of security, our politicians from DC are leading us away from. Much money changes hands in DC. It would appear the money is with the terrorists, for the concerns of Americans are not being addressed. I too want the concerns of Amerians addressed. (Ricen found yesterday in Texas in a dorm.) What about the people dear politicians, or have you politicians written We the People off as not worthy of answers?

[Willie Green]

Makes him look pretty unpresidential.

I'd say it's a pretty strong signal to the globalists that he can be bought-off pretty quickly.

[Just mythoughts]

"I can't get behind this just because the Dems are against it."


The Dems are NOT really against it, they are spewing LIES for a political advantage, it is an election year and they have called this a sale of our ports by the President. When actually the "sale of our ports" since this is what the liberals are want to call it, wasn't even ours to sell to begin with.

So what is England now a state, and has no terrorists within its borders???

So while the Clintons will accept UAE dollars for their presidential library in Little Rock, aren't you the least bit suspicious about their dog and donkey show over claiming things that have not occurred and are NOT true.

[jec41]

How many muslim firms operate American ports?

None operate American ports, many however lease port terminals such as The National Shipping Company of Saudi Arabia. Ports are owned by the state they are in and they are operated by the State Port Authority. The US Government is responsible for International Port security. The problem is that ports and port terminals are two different things and politicians, MSM and people don't know the difference. If you turn on the news now you will hear them talking about ports and not what is leased as terminal. It is either deliberate or ignorant misinformation.

[no-to-illegals]

ah, be quiet over there...
dogs will be barking and there'll be yellin' and screamin'
if we bother to ask any questions?

okay....?!?

[no-to-illegals]

muslim firms?

[PhilipFreneau]

>>>If you turn on the news now you will hear them talking about ports and not what is leased as terminal. It is either deliberate or ignorant misinformation.<<<

Or maybe they have the same belief that I do: that every Muslim is a threat to national security, just as every liberal is a threat to national security.

[PSYCHO-FREEP]

You're wasting your time trying to present legitimate facts that support your position, with these people. They have no desire to change their outlook.

The Buchanan Administration has adopted this forum because everywhere else they go, they fail or are not welcome.

[jec41]

Where there is smoke there is fire and where there is stench there is rot.The smoke is generally from between the ears of the uninformed. First there are no 6 ports or 21 ports. They would buy the leases of 6 port terminals in 5 ports from P&Q. P&Q owns 21 terminals in several ports. The NY port alone has 102 terminals and P&Q one of the world largest shipping lines leases 2 for loading and off loading passengers and cargo. Cargo and passengers must go through customs before leaving or entering the terminal from the port. You cannot either leave or enter a terminal without going through the port.

[Let's Roll]

Uh, maybe because he is now better informed and knows that the largest US Navy port outside of the US is in the UAE and because Tommy Franks and General Pace have both come out for this?

Just guessing.

[no-to-illegals]

dear generals, how much did they pay you?
are we all certain no ME hands were in the pie?

hey don't yell at me... I want to know....