Posted on 02/14/2006 8:07:22 PM PST by ncountylee
Feb. 14--The Bush administration was urged yesterday to take another look at a deal that would turn over operation of two marquee New York Harbor ports to Dubai, a nation with ties to the 9/11 hijackers.
The emirate-owned Dubai Ports World finalized a $6.8 billion deal yesterday to buy the English firm P&O Ports, which now runs Manhattan's cruise-ship terminal on the West Side and the Port Authority's Newark Container Port, as well as ports in New Orleans, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Miami.
"If a terrorist organization decided to infiltrate this company... what would stop them?" asked Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.).
Schumer said the Department of Homeland Security should slow down the deal, approved by the U.S. Treasury department's secretive Committee on Foreign Investment.
Dubai has become one of the White House's close allies in the war on terror, but many of the 9/11 hijackers passed through the country and had cash wired from there.
"Foreign control of our ports which are vital to homeland security is a risky proposition," Schumer said.
Ports are considered one of the nation's weakest security links, with only about 5 percent of the cargo coming in inspected.
City officials did not comment last night, but a PA spokesman said the agency agreed with Schumer.
"We need to take a real close look at security before we approve such a company," said Steve Coleman.
He said that as landlord, the PA could boot Dubai.
(Excerpt) Read more at redorbit.com ...
Or clinton's effort to give the Chicoms a port on the California coast.
If they let this transaction go through, the answer will be--not very. With its "let them eat cake" attitude on illegal alien/border issues, the White House's credibility on combating terrorism is already in question.
LOL!
Smells, doesn't it...
I really don't see any difference between this and the Chinese takeover of the Panama Canal.
So right. Never thought a Dem would show common sense, and never thought I'd agree with one.
And the difference is?
It's apparently too difficult to understand for some folks.
No kidding. The Chinese are also operating the same business in Panama.
They aren't operating in Panama under the contol of a U.S. port authority or the U.S. Coast Guard.
I can't believe you are comfortable with Arab terrorists having this kind of access to US ports.
I'm perfectly comfortable with a UAE company owning these operations. Their access to these ports changes in no way whatsoever.
Who controls the inspections and clearances of all materials, containers, cargo, etc of our ports? Is is the local port authorities, Federal Government, State, or just who.
I haven't followed this story that closely so I'm assuming that security of the port and off loading clearances would remain the same no matter who owned the importer business?... Hopefully that is under the US control. Do you know?
The bottom line is if you ship a container from the UAE to the United States...nothing changes whatsoever.
A dem is one thing. They aren't all nuts at least till recently but schumer he's always been a raving loon........
Cheer up. Schumer is like the proverbial broken clock..
NO Muslim country should have ANY control ofver ANY U.S. port (geez, how I hate to agree with Schumer.)
Savage was all over this yesterday (tuesday).
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