STILLWELL: Bush and the Ports: The Honeymoon Is Over

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | 3/8/6 | Cinnamon Stillwell

[tertiary01]

At one point, guards emptied an envelope containing suspicious white powder into the air outside the building. The company that provides those guards, Wackenhut Services, is, by the way, owned by a firm based in Great Britain.

Feeling reassured now?

This is exactly what those much maligned right wing groups in the late eighties were warning was then about to happen. Adding that these foreign companies would not have the patriotism or ties to this country and could be more easily manipulated to work against our interests.

[goodnesswins]

Sorry....you can't get away with that....what are OPERATIONS of a Port to YOU? Is that the Customs department? The Security Department? The loading and unloading? The Payroll Department? The hiring and firing? What kind of business experience do you have?.....there are MANY interpretations of "operations." Pick/describe the one/s you think are included in this agreement.

[tertiary01]

But it can lead to him being unelected.


http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1592575/posts

[clawrence3]

In your post # 42, you stated: "I can not see the logic in waiting until we are attacked before implementing common sense defensive measures."

My question (one last time): "Would shutting down every gas station in the U.S. be a "common sense defensive measure"?

[eskimo]

Sorry....you can't get away with that...

I already did.

The words I used are simple and accurate enough. If you wish to pick away at the meaning of either or redefine them in any way, have at it, I'll listen.

[ElPatriota]

Well, there you go. But in all fairness, everything pre 9/11 was "theory." Even the first attack on the towers was within the realm of the possible. But what happened on 9/11, not even the lefties in Hollywood could have imagined it that way!

- CAN ANYONE think of anything more spectacular that what happened that day????? -

Thanks God it was not later in the day or the amount could have been staggering (20,000... 40,000... more?).

oh yes, the point... If we did not learn from that day... then, we will never "get it." I got it! :)

[goodnesswins]

Got better things than to debate something you won't define with you.....bye bye

[clawrence3]

Tom Clancy "imagined" more spectacular attacks. So did Yamamoto.

[ElPatriota]

:) I should have said "that it was actually carried out....... in America!" :)

[eskimo]

I guess I just do not know what you are trying to say.

[clawrence3]

I think Hawaii was an American territory, but I know that Pearl Harbor was an American naval base, on December 7, 1941.

[clawrence3]

I'm seeing where your "common sense" would draw the line (if at all). Did you see my "gas station" hypothetical above?

[ElPatriota]

Good one, you win! :) and Eskimo wins too. But I made my points. Take care.

[eskimo]

I'm seeing where your "common sense" would draw the line (if at all). Did you see my "gas station" hypothetical above?

Sorry, I missed that. I know what you mean.

I was speaking more along the lines of logical defensive tactics during time of war. Establish a guarded perimeter, etc.

[clawrence3]

Take care too (remember, I had to go back 60+ years for a more spectacular attack - don't discount the impact of a sustained "suicide-bombing" type campaign like what Israel has gone through - soft-bellied Americans would be freaking out).

[clawrence3]

Look, I understand your concern, but the United States is too big and FREE of a country to effectively guard militarily. I, for one, do not want to change that. It already is easy to attack us – why would terrorists go to all this trouble of stealing the one key, for the one locked front door, if they could shut down much more, much easier, for a bigger impact, through all the other UNLOCKED doors? The people concentrating on "21 port terminals" out of thousands are missing the forest for the trees - how about we win the war on terrorism over there, bring democracy and freedom to the region, so that we don't have to worry about 21, or 2100, port terminals?

[ElPatriota]

Ho yes!.. I work in Washington DC (live in VA), and let me tell you, we have been afraid here. We know, Washinton DC is a marked city for anything really... Nuclear, suicide Bombings.

In fact, to tell you the truth, I am suprised it has not happened yet!... so credit to the president on that one. Which is exaclty why I support him to authorize to listen to phone conversations, whatever has to be done to prevent an attack. Sure I understand abuses can take place... but if the manage it right, they will be very careful and avoid making stupid things.

[atlaw]

You and Johnnie need to get together on your talking points. Johnnie says the terminal operations at issue are so insignificant that the deal won't matter to security. You say the terminal operations at issue are so enormous that no American company can perform them.

Any story in a storm, eh?

[eskimo]

The people concentrating on "21 port terminals" out of thousands are missing the forest for the trees -...

Well, you can give up a few trees here and there but if you keep allowing it to happen you soon run out of forest for cover.

...how about we win the war on terrorism over there, bring democracy and freedom to the region, so that we don't have to worry about 21, or 2100, port terminals?

Might work if it doesn't take so long that the unguarded "over here" isn't overrun and there is no "land of liberty" to which our soldiers can return. Foregoing any real defensive posture when battling terrorist forces is insanity.

[atlaw]

why would terrorists go to all this trouble of stealing the one key, for the one locked front door, if they could shut down much more, much easier, for a bigger impact, through all the other UNLOCKED doors?

And I've always had a fondness for this argument. "Go ahead and unlock all the doors because so many are unlocked already." Or, if you prefer, "the boat's already leaky, so punching a few more holes ain't gonna hurt -- much."