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...

[Accygirl]

This deal will allow needed weapons and equipment to get to our soldiers in Iraq (and Iran when we go in) much more quickly and therefore is a good thing.

It's sad that some posters aren't able to see the difference between our Muslim allies (which includes the UAE) and Al Qaeda. Posts like this help support the Dems stereotypes about conservatives.

[cripplecreek]

Wait till you see how much hell we can raise in coming days with the media.

[Cacique]

Compassionate conservatism at work. I suppose the defenders who think it's ok to give citizenship to 11 million illegals will soon show up to tell us what a great deal this is and how we need to embrace moderate islam and blah, blah, blah.How we don't understand what a great president he is because we are winning the war on terrorism etc., etc., etc. Is it any wonder why more conservatives are planning on sitting the next elections out?

Bush has been in the oil business for so long with these people that he has forgoten who they are.

Don't the couple look nice holding hands?

[the_Watchman]

Just because Americans will be working the plants and even if it really isn't a security problem, it is still REALLY STUPID POLITICALLY!

[cripplecreek]

So are these allies supporting the new friendly palestiian government?

[Supernatural]

But the ports won't be under Muslim control?

Tell me that the ports won't be under Muslim control.

[Cacique]

the difference between our Muslim allies (which includes the UAE) and Al Qaeda.Yes AQ carries out the attacks, the other guys finance them. AQ wants us dead right now, the other guys can wait a few years. Read the Q'uran so you know what we're dealing with.

[SeaBiscuit]

Thought this might be of interest..

[sinkspur]

Just because Americans will be working the plants and even if it really isn't a security problem, it is still REALLY STUPID POLITICALLY!

How? The fact that you don't see Chuckie Schumer's mug all over television or hear the excreble Peter King (he of IRA support fame) flapping his gums ought to indicate to you that the Dubai Ports deal was nothing but politics.

There's little difference between Doncasters and P&O in terms of the structure.

You anti-ports folks were played for suckers.

[the_Watchman]

Read my lips: It doesn't matter if the ports deal was a security problem or this arms plant deal is a security problem. It IS a political problem since it gives the Democrats an issue where THEY look like THEY are concerned with security. Appearance DOES matter.

[varon]

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

Yeah, a frickin ranch near Crawford, Texas!!!

[Do not dub me shapka broham]

There's no difference.

This agreement is just as imbecilic as the last sellout you and the pom pom squad were advocating, so it's no surprise that you're leading the cya charge this time.

[Czar]

Somehow, the fact that Americans will be running the operation doesn't give me all that much comfort (especially if any of the "Americans" happen to be Muslims). Not with Muslims having ownership. That makes me uncomfortable--very uncomfortable.

The risk may be small, but any risk is unacceptable.

Another bad call.

[TexasTransplant]

Yea "we" can take on tough issues.

Why can't we take on the tough issues of ANWR, Drilling off of California, Florida, Nuclear Plants and Utah's low sulfur coal?

I'm there, I'm scraping the Bush Cheny sticker off of my bumper.

He's went from Rushmore to Next.

TT

[SevenMinusOne]

It's sad that some posters aren't able to see the difference between our Muslim allies (which includes the UAE) and Al Qaeda. Posts like this help support the Dems stereotypes about conservatives.

Exactly right - There is clearly a group within the "right" and here on FR that are so absolutely uninformed about what they are talking about (regarding national security and issues like this) yet they go off on knee-jerk reactions as if they are DEM's yelling about gas prices -

[the_Watchman]

BTW: I wasn't against the ports deal, but I was highly distressed by the political gains made by the Democrats due to it. I thought it was gracious of the Dubai people to back out. However, this maneuver makes me wonder if they are trying to get the President in a tight spot.

[cripplecreek]

We just can't seem to give enough money to people who want to kill us. I know I'm not comfortable buying weapons for the animals who are killing our soldiers.

[RHINO369]

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, but what I had a problem with was the way Bush played it in the media. He came out and said he had no idea what was going on, then blasted republicans for being racist. He's got the political savvy of a half retarded monkey who was dropped as a baby monkey.

This has the potential to be even worse if he doesn't handle this well. So Mr Bush even though I'm not a fan of yours, you represent Republicans so don't look like a condescending retard please?

[EagleUSA]

Insanity. Arabs in charge of our defense. Arabs who have sworn to use nuclear weapons on us. What is wrong with Bush?
-------
IMHO, he has a serious sick ego problem -- so sick, that he has become irrational to the extent of being horribly un-American. Dubai, Mexico,...what next? The New World Order is just loving this...and so is the Muslim world.

[sinkspur]

This agreement is just as imbecilic as the last sellout you and the pom pom squad were advocating, so it's no surprise that you're leading the cya charge this time.

LOL!! You were suckered. Schumer used the ports deal for political purposes (see Watchman's post above for how well he succeeded). The fact that Boeing, and Siemens, and Honeywell are large clients of Doncasters (and likely targets for Chuckie's Democrat Senatorial Campaign Committee) has him tongue-tied.

There are no security issues except the security the Democrats now feel in how they sucked the GOP Congress and you hyenas into their trap.