Posted on 10/09/2007 5:04:55 AM PDT by pissant
Would a private-equity firm founded by Republican presidential contender Mitt Romney fork over sensitive secrets to the Chinese?
It might sound like the plot of a Jason Bourne movie, but it actually is the question shadowing concerns voiced by several U.S. lawmakers over Bain Capital Partners LLC's pending $2.2 billion buyout of 3Com Corp. [Mitt Romney]
Bain's decision to allow China's Huawei Technologies Co. to take a minority stake in 3Com has prompted some politicians to wonder whether Huawei will gain access to the Marlborough, Mass., telecommunications-equipment maker's technology, which is used by the U.S. Defense Department, among others. (Hauwei was founded in 1988 by Ren Zhengfei, a former Chinese army officer and the company's current chief executive, and says its sales rose 45% last year to 65.6 billion yuan, or $8.74 billion, from 45.3 billion yuan in 2005.)
"This goes right to the heart of cyber security," said Republican congressman Duncan Hunter on a recent appearance on "Lou Dobbs Tonight." Readers may recall that the CNN anchor was a vocal opponent in 2006 of Dubai Ports World's bid to operate a few big U.S. ports.
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
Darn, this WSJ writer does some serious editorializing at the end.
nobody cared when Loral gave the chinese missile tech under the clinton admin, why is this an issue?
If the latter is a real danger, we shudder to consider the implications for some of Bain's other deals. After all, it bought OSI Restaurant Partners LLC, parent of Outback Steakhouse, this year, and we certainly wouldn't want the recipe for Aussie Cheese Fries to get into the wrong hands.
A few people cared:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 20 May 1998
STATEMENT OF REP. DUNCAN HUNTER (R-CA) ON THE PASSAGE (364-54) OF HIS AMENDMENT BANNING SATELLITE TECHNOLOGY TRANSFERS TO CHINA
“Given recent developments, it is time to totally re-examine our technology exports with regard to Communist China. With its actions, the Clinton Administration has ensured that Chinese missiles, carrying nuclear warheads for delivery into U.S. cities, are now more accurate. This may represent the greatest triumph of greed over national security in history.”
I’d consider her comprehensive knowledge of 3Com, the products in question, and the deal itself to be a mitigating factor. Problem is, she does nothing to display comprehensive knowledge of 3Com, the products in question, and the deal itself.
I’m not sure what the point was, other than to ask the question then mock it.
The only, and I mean only, reason I can see is that she wanted to show her boss that she did a Google search on Bain Capital Partners LLC. Absolutely juvenile.
Intern, perhaps.
“Will America wake up?”
Not until they are in chains or fighting the enemy in rural america.
As long as we can still get $79 digital cameras and $10 toasters from WalMart, all is OK.
None of these Beltway f#%&ers should ever be trusted.
Hey, at least we should make them work for it. Clinton gave away the store.
Hey...! We live in a free trade global economy, so no more talk about national interests or protectionism.
There certainly is precedent for such transfer with a certain president orchestrating them.
There are a few that can be trusted. A few that are as Pro America as George Washington. One is running for the presidency.
People most certainly did care.
“None of these Beltway f#%&ers should ever be trusted.”
I’ll go you one better. They should all be taken out and shot for treason.
Buying 3Com accomplishes 2 things:
1. Lets them "legitimately" sell hardware containing the stolen software
2. Puts Romney in their pocket, should he become President.
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