Posted on 03/09/2006 10:42:42 AM PST by navysealdad
Dubai Ports Worls to divest itself of all American interests
And, no, I'm not happy with his handling of this. I don't think he should have ignored it, but thinking it was a non-issue, I have been willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.
DOBBS: Key leaders in the House and the Senate, at least initially, stood up to the White House and his -- the president's threat of the veto.
One of those leaders is Congressman Duncan Hunter, the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, joining us tonight from Capitol Hill.
This is, Congressman, would you say the beginning or the end?
REP. DUNCAN HUNTER (R), CALIFORNIA: Well, I think that the right message has been sent, but these papers haven't been signed yet, and the transfer from Dubai Ports World to this American company has not been completed. So when it's completed, then I think -- then it's over. But it ain't over till it's over, and right now we have a statement from Dubai Ports World and little else. So before we spike the ball in the end zone, Lou, let's watch this thing come through to completion.
But beyond that, we've got lots of critical infrastructure in this country. And I've got a bill that requires the secretary of defense to identify critical infrastructure in America, whether it's ports or power plants or other pieces of infrastructure. And once that's identified by the secretary of defense, in concert with the secretary of homeland security, that has to be American-owned, managed and operated.
DOBBS: What kind of support do you have for that legislation?
HUNTER: Well, we've just introduced it. I think at this point, we've got 25 co-sponsors. We get more on every couple of hours, and I think that we're going to be able to get that or something similar through the House of Representatives, and I think through the Senate, because I believe there's some momentum now for really securing this infrastructure.
And that includes -- that includes making sure that we inspect 100 percent of the cargo containers coming through these ports. We've got the -- we're the masters of surveillance, and we ought to be able to inspect these doggone cargo containers. And I look forward to having a good old colonel out of the 101st Airborne coming back from Iraq and being a port director who gets that kind of stuff done.
DOBBS: That's a terrific idea, and I hope your colleagues are listening to you.
I'd like you to, however, listen to something that General John Abizaid, the head of the U.S. Central Command, said just a few hours ago. If we could roll that sound bite.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEN. JOHN ABIZAID, U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND: The United Arab Emirates is absolutely vital to our stake in the Arabian Gulf area, that they have been good partners, good allies. I'm very dismayed by the emotional responses that some people have put on the table here in the United States, that really comes down to Arab and Muslim bashing. That was totally unnecessary.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DOBBS: What is your reaction to a member of the general staff getting involved in what is, first of all, by the White House's assertion, a commercial transaction, one that would work tirelessly for -- but to hear the head of the Central Command accuse the opponents of this deal of being anti-Arab, anti-Muslim and inject himself into a domestic political discussion?
HUNTER: Well, first, General Abizaid and other generals have said that this -- that the UAE and Dubai have been very cooperative. What they've seen, Lou, is a cooperative side when we're making military operations...
DOBBS: But, Mr. Chairman, if I may interrupt you...
HUNTER: But they don't...
DOBBS: I'm talking about what he said about the critics of this deal. And he injected himself specifically into it. That's got to concern you.
HUNTER: Yes, I can just speak for myself, and that is, I don't know if he's referring to my criticism, but my criticism is based on 66 nuclear triggers being shipped through Dubai while American agents are sitting there asking the Dubai government not to let them go, and they say we don't care what America's position is; they're going. Now, that's not anti-anything expect pro-American security.
DOBBS: Exactly.
HUNTER: I don't think the general knows about those things. I think he sees -- he sees the smiling face of Dubai when we're making military operations.
DOBBS: It is in my judgment, and I will say it this way, and in my judgment it is unseemly to see this administration and this Department of Defense literally -- and I hate to use this, in all respect for the uniform and the men, these men who serve the country so well -- to be trotted out to support a deal that is a commercial transaction and a domestic political issue like this. Does that offend you?
HUNTER: Well, actually, Abizaid, General Abizaid was over here to give his regular briefings to...
DOBBS: No, I understand.
HUNTER: Which he did in private session, and he was asked that question. So to his credit and to Tommy Franks' credit, Lou, those guys have seen when we have been moving men and material into war, they have seen the Dubai government and a UAE that has accommodated us. The problem is they accommodate the bad guys when that's in their interest.
DOBBS: Congressman Duncan Hunter, we thank you for being with us.
HUNTER: Let's stick with this issue, Lou. We've got a lot of work to do.
I doubt that Wolfowitz would buy into your total lack of salesmanship. Are there a bunch of bad appples in the ME bushel? Yep!! Can we dictate what happens to governments there - no!!!
Your approach would have all 3.2 billion Muslims on the planet turning into Islamofascists - which is a hell of a bigger problem than we have today with maybe 300,000/600,000 willing to fight for Islam/FascistStyle!!
The brightest spot: 73% of Iranians want the Mullah's regime gone!! We need their help....and soon. The trick is to keep them with us after we take out their nuclear facilities. Tricky job!
Nudging Iran and Iraq towar pluralistic democracy is the solution that will ultimaely solve the ME threat. Telling them that "we control the fate of the ME" is a recipe for disaster.
Bush cut this deal. Can't say I blame him - election writing was on the wall.
Like I said, it's just not the whole truth and you weren't totally wrong, but having that information does change the way I perceive the situation.
Like you, of course I'd rather see American companies managing American port terminals, but there is no way that I think the government should come in and try to 'fix it'. The business decisions that were made, we made legally and freely by American companies. Their profit margin wasn't high enough so they sold out to foreign investors. Now at this late stage of the game it would be expensive as hell to get back on top and I don't think it's the government's job to intervene.
My vision is Halliburton/WallMart form a joint venture to manage the ports. Dick Cheney is named CEO and Chairman.
This would get both Schumer and Hillery to commit sepuku!
This would get both Schumer and Hillery to commit sepuku!
Hardly! Talking about handing the 2006 elections to the Dems on a silver platter.
"Not while the beheadings were on going, nor while the war ongoing, nor a mere 4 1/2 years after Pearl Harbor either. It was at least 20 years, and a bit more, a full generation.
A full generation after the war against the Islamist terrorists ends, then we can treat them the way we treated the Japanese in say, 1970. Until then, "Trust but Verify".
We are building schools, hospitals, roads, Mosques, water plants and electrical facilities in Iraq as we speak and selling F-16 fighter jets to Pakistan this year not years from now.
Dole: a good man, but a lousy leader.
I'm sure you don't but from other suggestions I've seen on FR I have to wonder if others do. As things stand at this hour I have a strong suspicion our magnificent Congress is working on a way to do just that. Hope I'm wrong.
what the heck are the longshoremen? sounds like the highwaymen to me...
Oh, now I get it. It's nothing important. Like Hunter's re-election bid.
Perth is roughly 6 days at about 40 knots and does have a ship yard. When the UAE shipyard deal was started Newport News Shipbuilding owned at least a third in the company the rest is a nationalized company of UAE. NNSBDD sold their interest back to the UAE a couple of years ago. This shipyard wasn't an emergency only facility it was doing routine and warranty work as well. In a ship yard a ships Damage Control material condition is highly compromised and is not capable of obtaining water tight integrity in most cases.
IF a yard in that region was a must have then India would have been a much better partner.
There is the widespread perception that we've somehow eternally burned our bridges with Dubai as a nation. You show me one nation out there where they've closed the door for good because of a deal gone bad. Look at businesses; you can read about Corporation X suing Z Inc. on page A-3 of the newspaper, and over on page A-10, separate divisions in the same coprs are signing agreements.
Yeah, the folks in Dubai might be irritated over this, but now the ball is in their court. If they start calling us "Crusaders" and "infidels", well, it proves folks like myself were right in opposing the deal. If, however, they simply stick around until the next president is inaugurated, and try again successfully, then maybe you other folks are right.
I see you don't understand yet. The key word is isolationist. We can abandon alliances with all those minor city-states. All this 'talk' about winning minds and hearts is just that...just talk. We don't have any use for these people, after all, we're the world's super power and we can do what we darned well please and the rest of the world be damned if they don't like it.
What we need to do is close off all borders completely. If Halliburton can't handle taking over those leases then we just need to privatise it and have the government run it. That way it stays in American hands. Who cares if Halliburton doesn't think its feasible to their bottom line to buy the leases from P&O. Let Halliburton spend the monies to automate and if they can't or won't, well we'll just raise taxes to pay for it. Why, Halliburton's actually pretty unpatriotic for not bidding and winning the bidding for P&O anyway.
We need to do the same thing with any other businesses owned by furriner's. Kick them out and have American's take them over. Hey, if any of those American businesses balk we just force them to take them on. Haven't you heard yet? We don't need anyone else for any reason. It's the highway or my way and you'd better bet it's going to be my way because we're the biggest, baddest on the block. Who needs allies? Not the US! If any other country gives us any trouble, we'll just turn'em into a glass parking lot.
Hey, we have a problem with illegal immigrants from Mexico because it's our fault we're so attractive to them. If Israel wants to exist then they need to quit being so namby pamby and relying on our diplomatic assistance. Just sell them some military hardware and let them take care of their own problems. While we're at it, what in the world are we doing in Korea? Who cares if that Jong guy develops his own nukes? Heck, if he bothers us, we'll just turn him into a glass parking lot. Oh yeah, I forgot...Taiwan. Let the Chinese have them. Hey, forget those treaties we have with the Japanese too.
It's because we interfere in everybody else's business that we have all of the problems we do. Just think of the money we could save and all of the goodwill we'd encourage if we weren't always sticking our nose into everybody elses business.
If we'd just mind our own business and leave everyone alone then they'd leave us alone too. It's our fault we have to do all that negotiating because if we'd just leave everyone alone they wouldn't bother us.
Hey, I don't care if any of those other countries are communist or socialist or dictatorships or whatever! If the people living there don't like their government then they can just overthrow it and start over again. Big deal if Iran develops their own nukes. They can use them on each other and turn each other into glass parking lots. It's our fault they want nukes anyway. After all, we scare them what with us having our nukes and all.
What are you? Some kind of Bush-bot globalist? Get with the program! Time to roll up the carpet and tell the rest of the world to get lost.
Can you explain what Congress does that U.S. companies do not jump on opportunities in our ports. I would like to know why. Thanks.
If there were links it wouldn't be intel.
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