Posted on 03/09/2006 10:42:42 AM PST by navysealdad
Dubai Ports Worls to divest itself of all American interests
Dubai-owned company has decided to transfer fully the U.S. operation of P&O ports in North America to a U.S. entity, according to Sen. John Warner.
Huh???
These leases being sold to different company will have negligible effect in our ports, but the politics of this deal was radioactive.
The media told us that the Arabs were going to run our ports. So that's how the issue was framed, and that's it.
I was opposed to the deal after listening to the initial media reports. It was only after coming to FR and reading posts by longtime members that I realized I've been had by the media... again.
Nevertheless, most folks are too busy making a living to dedicate time to learn all the details all this deal, so I understand that most Americans will not swallow this port deal.
For crying out loud, we have spies in Britain and Israel. What makes you think we trusted Dubai so much that we wouldn't spy on them also. We'll still have intel. It may even be better intel now that it won't be filtered by a so called ally that turned their back on America over a business deal.
I haven't researched the details, but expect that there are a range of business relationships. Subcontractor is truly arms-length relationship. Others are partial ownership, joint venture, etc.
At any rate, there are literally thousands of ways to skin the cat when it comes to structuring business to be in compliance with various international laws relating to ownership. Quite the scene, quite the uninformed reaction. In other words, situation normal.
"Now, in the minds of many people, Dubai is going to look as if it had something to hide after all."
Probably the same chicken littles that had a problem with the deal in the first place.
The same people that use emotion instead of logic.
They will look for justification. For the rest of us we know that Dubai Ports World pulled out because they see us as a bunch of cry babies and they just want to get on with life.
A Beijing run company whose ships were used to smuggle arms into the US should not be running a terminal on the West Coast.
BEIJING may manage our ports
After smuggling large arms of all sorts.
Yet, we punish the Arab good sports
You have NO idea what you're talking about. If the Navy can't resupply there, where will they do it? Do you understand the military significance of supply lines? How about the military significance of the Straits of Hormuz?
I would do the same if it were my choice. I don't associate with people who impugn my character and motives.
The loss of one of our few allies in that region, one who lets us use their country to house and stage our troops, is a big blow to our logistical and intelligence capabilities. For avoiding a minimum security risk we have lost real assets in our war with Islamic terrorists.
I wish facts mattered enough to people that they would spend the time to find them. And I wish some would learn that xenophobia is not a suitable substitute for reason.
Common sense and logic loses to politics and knee-jerk behavior again.
PresidentFelon
This is why I love it when Congress is criticized for doing nothing. At least when they do nothing, they cannot make horrendus foreign policy mistakes like this one.
I wonder if Bush knew this was going to happen... maybe some deals were made in India last week.
This sounds a little more like, "you're either with us when we feel like it, or against us."
I wonder what manner of reaction would come from the port workers unions and the Democrats if the American company Halliburton brokered a deal.
They aren't empty now, they are operated by the Brit company, but they just pulled that part of the buyout of the Brit companies assets off the table.
While I can understand why they'd be upset, the fact that they pulled out so early in the 45 day review period makes one wonder if there wasn't something more to this that would have been discovered by a more thorough review.
I had never thought the DPW had any nefarious motives, but was concerned about any folks they might send to work here. They'd be management folks, but might also be a Uncle Achmed's third son, nepotism is rampant in Arab lands, who unbeknownst to Uncle Achmed or his nephew, had come under the spell of a firebrand Wahabbist Imam, and been put in contact with Hamas, or Al Qaeda.
DPW - "Screw you guys, I'm going home."
Welcome to the pit of vipers darlin',
You're gonna be one very weary mongoose :)
"Common sense and logic loses to politics and knee-jerk behavior again."
Sadly, it's that simple.
I have a feeling the thread (haven't read it) got their info from Rush Limbaugh who reported this. All I've seen on the wires is that Dubai is giving up their management stake in US ports.
I vote for Walmart. We'd see efficiency not seen before in port operations and it'd be good for WalMart to have huge distribution centers right in the heart of each port reducing the need for extra transport costs.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.