Bush Set to Approve Takeover of 9 Military Plants by Dubai

NY Times ^ | April 28, 2006 | JIM RUTENBERG and DAVID E. SANGER

[neverdem]

WASHINGTON, April 27 — President Bush is expected on Friday to announce his approval of a deal under which a Dubai-owned company would take control of nine plants in the United States that manufacture parts for American military vehicles and aircraft, say two administration officials familiar with the terms of the deal.

The officials, who were granted anonymity so they could speak freely about something the president had not yet announced, said that the final details had not yet been set and that Mr. Bush might put conditions on the transaction to keep military technology in the United States.

But his action is almost certain to attract scrutiny in Congress, because of the political furor that erupted over the administration's approval of a deal earlier this spring that would have given another Dubai-owned company, Dubai Ports World, leases to operate several American port terminals through its acquisition of a British company, the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company.

Dubai Ports agreed to drop the port deal after it became clear that Republicans were abandoning Mr. Bush and opposing the takeover.

In this case, the plants in question are owned by Doncasters Group Ltd., a British company that is being purchased for $1.2 billion from the Royal Bank of Scotland Group by Dubai International Capital, which is owned by the United Arab Emirate government.

Because the plants make turbine blades for tanks and aircraft, the deal was reviewed by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, which sent it on to Mr. Bush himself for a decision, a step used only when the potential security risks or political considerations are particularly acute.

Administration officials alerted Congress that the deal would go through the committee's review process in an effort to head off the kind of public debate that surrounded...

[Amelia]

Sorry, not enough coffee when posting, I suppose. Try this one?

[KantianBurke]

Where in the world did you come up with brainwashing??? My previous point was that the top ecechlon and the leaders of Dubai have engaged in and written about activities that can only be described as facistic and mentally ill. Thus it follows that they and their dependents should not be allowed any sort of access to our defense structure. I will at this juncture remind you of their previous support for Osama and other terrorists. Trade with them from afar but leave it at that.

[lepton]

On the ports deal, I didn't really care if the UEA managed our ports or not because I didn't think it was a huge deal,

No one ever proposed that.

[lepton]

But it will be foreigners who control the technology,

Which technology? Is it truly unique, or do hundreds of companies world-wide do the same thing?

I used to make precision parts for secret nuclear shelters...DB25-DB9 adapters. A friend of mine designed the curve in the door handles to strict military specifications.

Is this what we are talking about, or is there substantial technology in play?

[Prokopton]

"Can you guys think of anything else we can give away?"

Yea, how about the whole damn Country to Mexico.

[little jeremiah]

They call it capitalism. More like a nasty illicit marriage between big gov and big biz.

[little jeremiah]

They're not allowed to.

[little jeremiah]

"Republican" and "conservative" are more and more like ships that pass in the night.

[little jeremiah]

More than a few Muslims were energetic supporters of Hitler.

[winker]

It would be a lot worse to wake up some morning and not have a country!

Freedom Is not Free; people much better than you and I have died and been killed defending the honor and integrity of this Republic so the opportunity to express your opinions have to weigh heavier for those who have never not had freedom in the first place. I would venture that you have always had much but certainly not all of the good the world has to offer so be careful how you use the blank check someone else left for you to cash!

[nicmarlo]

Because the plants make turbine blades for tanks and aircraft, the deal was reviewed by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, which sent it on to Mr. Bush himself for a decision, a step used only when the potential security risks or political considerations are particularly acute....

But apparently the President approved this anyways.

[Valin]

GOOD!
Knownothings 1 Sane people 1

[Accygirl]

"Where in the world did you come up with brainwashing???"
The factories will still be in the U.S. and the workers will still be Americans, so in order to sabotage military equipment, they'd have to brainwash American workers.

"Thus it follows that they and their dependents should not be allowed any sort of access to our defense structure."
They wouldn't... They'd be the $$$ behind the factories and would have virtually no access to defense plan (or desire to see them).

Unless you want to nationalize the defense industry (i.e. become socialists), then you're going to have to get used to foreign companies, including companies from the Mid East, taking over U.S. factories.

[N3WBI3]

The more I see him run things the more I am disappointed I voted for him in 2000..

[KantianBurke]

You assume the only damage that could be brought is through sabotage. There are many others means by which harm could be brought to our fighting men by having Dubai's nutcases have access to our weaponry. The creation of countermeasures as well as detailing the weak points of our systems come to mind. No need to involve some lowly manufactoring worker. Just copy and paste plans then forward them to whoever wishes to fulfill Dubai's homocidal fantasies.

Although to divert back to your worries about sabotage, you assume that all the workers will be patriotic Americans. What if they are illegals? Its quite possible considering many have found employment on US military bases. Most worrisome then would be how resistent to bribery and how strictly they follow the laws of our land. Bluntly, they don't inspire confidence.

[Accygirl]

Which is why Hamas is bankrupt??? The Gulf States might not be vocally chastising Hamas, but their silence (and lack of monetary support) is just as important.

Furthermore, the emirs of the Gulf States understand that they need the U.S. to protect them from external and internal enemies. The leaders of UAE and the other Gulf States have a much more liberal view of Islam than Osama and friends and are therefore on Al Qaeda's hit list.

[Accygirl]

"The creation of countermeasures as well as detailing the weak points of our systems come to mind. No need to involve some lowly manufactoring worker. Just copy and paste plans then forward them to whoever wishes to fulfill Dubai's homocidal fantasies."

The Dubai company involved in the deal is a huge conglomerate that likely wouldn't be involved in negotiating contracts with the U.S. military. Plus, since they manufacture turbines, these factories wouldn't even be the main contractor. They'd be a subcontractor to a firm like Boeing, which is an AMERICAN company.

"Although to divert back to your worries about sabotage, you assume that all the workers will be patriotic Americans. What if they are illegals?"
Yes... the illegal aliens who'd like to REMAIN in the U.S. are going to forward military secrets to Al Qaeda. That's a sure way for them to get run out of the country with pitchforks.

[tutstar]

What in the world is he thinking?