Posted on 02/26/2006 8:25:29 AM PST by jraven
Moving toward a deal that could allow President Bush and congressional GOP leaders to save face and avert a prolonged confrontation, GOP officials said today that they were discussing the idea of having Dubai Ports World seek a new review of its acquisition of a British company's operation that runs several key U.S. ports.
House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Peter King, confirmed in a phone interview early Saturday afternoon to TIME that officials were close to a deal involving the Congressional leadership, the White House and the Dubai company. The agreement would call for a 45-day “CFIUS-plus investigation,” King said, referring to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, a Treasury Department-run interagency panel that probes proposed acquisitions in the U.S.
Although the Dubai deal had already been approved by CFIUS, "the rationale for reopening it is, once DP carved out the American ports from the rest of the contract it changed the nature of the agreement so it had to be reviewed again," says King, who had been among the leading GOP voices opposing the deal as first approved without the extra 45-day review process or briefing of Congress. King says will await final details before formally backing any such deal. King added "if we are going to hold back on legislation, I think there has to be continuous congressional review throughout the new CFIUS review.”
If approved by all parties, the new deal would allow Bush to avert a GOP-driven bill to overturn the Dubai deal with enough votes to override Bush's threat of his first veto. Republican sources tell TIME that Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist of Tennessee proposed the basic terms of a deal designed to give the White House a graceful way out, while also allaying the concerns of the many lawmakers in both parties who have said the deal could be a threat to our security. Under the Frist plan, the deal could stand a good chance of ultimately going through after the extended review. Frist aides apparently proposed the terms to representatives of the company and the White House late Friday. Neither has formally responded but both seemed interested in the idea, according to a Senate Republican aide. "This avoids a direct clash," the aide said. "It solves everyone's problem. The President doesn't have to cancel the deal or veto anything."
Under Frist's plan, the company would voluntarily separate U.S. ports from the rest of the deal for 45 days, allowing them to continue to operate as they do while the deal is re-vetted. That would allow a new review through the administration's Committee on Foreign Investments in the U.S. (CFIUS). Administration officials remain adamant that their first review was thorough and proper, so the face-saving element was crucial, according to one Capitol Hill negotiator. Frist is proposing that this time, CFIUS do the extra 45-day review that the law calls for in transactions where there are national security concerns. That provision was not triggered last time because administration officials had no remaining concerns at the end of the first review. This approach would eliminate the need for new legislation now, the Republican sources said.
And yet, NO ONE is asking WHY can't US Companies make money in this business.....
Over-Taxation, over-Unionization, Over-Regulation, Inane Enviro rules, Unlimited Civil Liabilities, etc, etc, adn, have forced yet ANOTHER Industry out of American hands......
Your welcome.
As I stated before, I have no problem with the US military engaging in certain deals with the UAE over there in the ME, that are advantageous to US interests. US leadership may consider the leadership of the UAE as an ally in the WOT. Fine. I just don't want any foreign govt, or any foreign entity having any control over any operational aspects, commercial or otherwise, of US ports of entry, over here on the American homeland.
Not likely. Of course they will say they didn’t know. Just like they did not know Kuwait manages some terminals. Just like they didn’t know that China manages terminals and imports moror tonnage then almost all other countries combined.
If we really can't trust them, I would think that would be worse than letting them manage some ports.
Exactly. We could start by not letting them fly F-16's all over the Arizona skies! How about we make them take back the 100 million in Katrina aid?
Personally, I trust the UAE just as much as I trust any foreign country. None of our allies are truly looking out for us. Not the UK, not Israel, not Korea. They are allies of convenience.
Currently foreign governments / foreign entities lease 80% of our terminals.
Personally, I think it’s a little late to be concerned.
Ah the usual knee jerk reaction and using Hillary Clinton as the scare tactics. Hillary Clinton can never be President no matter what.
Bottom line. Little has changed since the 9-11 attacks were carried out by Islamic "jihadists" and Muslim terrorists. This deal would never have seen the light of day if this was February 2002. There is no good reason for this deal getting approval today. In my book, it should have been DOA!
I believe you are simplifying this a little too much...SuperCuts nor Britain has blown up any Americans, at least recently...
The reality is, whover runs these 'terminals at the ports' will be operating under our trust...You and others seem to trust these muzlims more than most of us do...
And sure, there will be some American security but apparently the majority of the security rests with the ownder of the lease of the terminals...
UAE has not blown up Americans either.
The Dubai Ports and the Bush administration are the only adults here and they will be vindicated at the end, whereas as the Hate Bush democrats, the knee jerk Republicans/Conservatives will end up eating a lot of crow.
Sorry, but all DPW will be doing is hiring US Citizen rent-a-cops to guard their terminals.
The majority of security is operated by US Coast Guard, US Customs and Border Protection and the Port Authority.
Yes it is an ally in the war on terror because we have military naval and air bases in their country and they service many of our military vessels. In addition being the banking center of the Gulf region they are helping a lot in tracking the terrorists' funds and freeze them.
I don't think its ever too late to be concerned about such a critical issue. Especially, since I just found about it this week, along with millions of other Americans. You'll excuse me if my opinion of this "new" knowledge differs with your knowledge of the Beltway status quo. When I found out what was happening I was outraged. Its a huge bureaucratic blunder and whether its been going on for 15 months or 15 years, that doesn't make it right. And glossing over the issue at this point, is not the way to go.
Ha Ha Ha...you're a comic right??? Anything we may have made and exported in the last few decades is now made by Multinaional corporations in China, Indonesia, etc...We're not going to ship anything to the a-rabs, except money and a few Lincolns and Cadillacs...
Oh Ya, we'll be shipping them millions of gallons of water...
This has been exactly my point on several threads. If you disallow Muslims to do business at the ports, you must follow the logical conclusion to that which will be disallowing them from all business in the US which might be a security risk which is virtually everything or close to it.
And the underlying reason is because they are Muslim. This can never happen in the US under our Constitution. Impossible.
I think that's enough time but the admin will have to get a clue and quickly. First, they must convince that UAE is a serious ally against terror. Second, they will have to address the serious concerns about the deal. For example, what are the safeguards that will prevent terroists or sympathizers from infiltrating DP to our detriment? Third, they can and should make the argument that the deal is not just a potential negative but a real positive for security. DP has information about shipping through many ports. That information would be very valuable to us. Fourth, they must stop saying dumb things.
LOL. Folks here are complaining about 2 terrorist that came form the UAE, but they don't care about the 17 the came from SA.
Opps, I forgot, they didn't know. So much for FR being the gathering place of informed Americans.
How about some state Senator?
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