Posted on 02/17/2006 5:46:27 PM PST by Dane
UPDATE 3-US Democrats plan bill to block Dubai port deal Fri Feb 17, 2006 5:57 PM EST
(Recasts paragraph 1, adds UAE government, Rice, analyst)
By Jeremy Pelofsky and Caroline Drees
WASHINGTON, Feb 17 (Reuters) - Two U.S. senators, citing national security concerns, said on Friday they would try to block a company backed by the United Arab Emirates government from acquiring a British firm that runs several U.S. ports.
Sens. Robert Menendez of New Jersey and Hillary Clinton of New York, both Democrats, said they would offer legislation to ban companies owned or controlled by foreign governments from acquiring U.S. port operations, targeting the $6.8 billion purchase of P&O (PO.L: Quote, Profile, Research) by Dubai Ports World.
"We wouldn't turn the border patrol or the customs service over to a foreign government, and we can't afford to turn our ports over to one either," Menendez said in a statement. The Senate Banking Committee also plans to hold a hearing on the issue later this month.
P&O (PO.L: Quote, Profile, Research) is already owned by a foreign company, but is not state-owned, and the concern is that the purchaser is owned by the Dubai government, which is part of the UAE. The Bush administration considers Dubai and the UAE a solid ally in its campaign against terrorism.
The UAE company would control management of major ports in New York and New Jersey, Baltimore, Philadelphia, New Orleans and Miami.
U.S. seaports handle 2 billion tons of freight each year. Only about 5 percent of containers are examined on arrival.
It was unclear whether there was broad support for the new legislation. But objections in Congress to the deal could complicate ties between the United States and the UAE.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said she supported the U.S. government decision to approve the deal and that the administration may need to better explain its reasons to Congress.
"There was a thorough review. It was decided that this could be done and done safely," she said in an interview with Middle East-based media.
Rice plans to meet with some Gulf foreign ministers next week in Abu Dhabi, where the subject could come up.
"I understand the debate in the U.S. on the issue of P&O and Dubai Ports but we would like to emphasize that we have been a strong ally of the U.S. in combating terrorism and will remain so," UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahayan told Reuters.
A Dubai Ports World spokesman said ports the company managed met international security standards and that it had received all the U.S. regulatory approvals for the deal.
"All Dubai Ports World ports are ISPS (International Ship and Port Facility Security) certified as are the P&O ports in the U.S.," the spokesman told Reuters in Dubai.
The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), a U.S. inter-agency panel that reviews security implications of foreign takeovers of strategic assets, reviewed the transaction and did not object.
But both Republicans and Democrats in Congress urged the administration to conduct a more rigorous review. Some expressed fears that the UAE was used as a conduit for parts used for nuclear proliferation and that the local banking system had been abused by financiers with possible links to terrorist organizations.
The Senate Banking Committee plans to hold a hearing the week of Feb. 27 to examine concerns about the P&O sale and the U.S. government review process, a panel spokesman said.
"This does not create a train wreck," said Jon Alterman, head of the Middle East program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. "But it's not helpful for a huge number of things we do with the UAE, everything from cooperation on money laundering and trafficking to counterterrorism to defense issues and on and on."
U.S. officials have praised the UAE for steps to protect its booming financial sector against abuse by terrorism financiers. Money for the Sept. 11 attacks was wired through the UAE's banking system, according to U.S. officials. Two of the Sept. 11 hijackers were UAE citizens. (Additional reporting by Saul Hudson in Washington, Dayan Candappa and Firouz Sedarat in Dubai)
If that were the case, the GOP would be finished for a generation and the Dems would be riding high to easy victories in 2006, 2008 and beyond!
"Private companies aren't responsible for cargo inspection or release. U.S. Customs as a function of Homeland Security is responsible for cargo inspection and release."
"The threat of terrorism from container is neither increased of decreased by this deal. Hillary and Schumer give you misinformation."
You need a new line. I was against this deal before Clinton and Schumer came out against it. Richard Shelby and Peter King are also against this deal. You really don't know what you are talking about. A UAE company will be partially responsible for for security in major US ports. Your notion that this company could not enable terrorists to smuggle weapons into the country is absurd. You obviously know very little about security at US ports if you don't think private companies play major roles in keeping these ports safe.
Non-substaitive Post: You need a new line. I was against this deal before Clinton and Schumer came out against it. Richard Shelby and Peter King are also against this deal. You really don't know what you are talking about. A UAE company will be partially responsible for for security in major US ports. Your notion that this company could not enable terrorists to smuggle weapons into the country is absurd. You obviously know very little about security at US ports if you don't think private companies play major roles in keeping these ports safe.
You've said nothing in your post. It's an empty post. You basically said that something is true because -- it is. Why don't you illustrate your weapons smuggling scenario and how this company will increase the risk. In your scenario, be sure to document exactly how U.S. Customs handles and approves all containers before the private company gets its hands on it.
BTW, using your technique of name dropping instead of actually thinking for yourself, I'll point out to you that Peter King in the House and Shelby in the Senate were the first Republicans to go on national TV back in '98 and '99 and say that they were against the impeachment of Bill (Chinese at the Port of Long Beach) Clinton.
Your name dropping as a substitute for thinking for yourself -- is dopey.
We don't know if their concerns are legitimate or not. However, most likely if their concerns were legitimate, their lawyer would have articulated their concerns and most likely if their lawyer had described these concerns, the Clinton-loving press would have published them.
I've heard him on other shows. he is right, this decision was made by some beauracrats at all these agencies.
and why would the UAE be fighting so hard for this? now they are calling lobbyists. who runs this country, the voters and their elected reps, or the lobbyists and their monied interests?
You do know that Satan and Saddam are lovers right? Of course that's in South Park.
You've said nothing in your post. It's an empty post. You basically said that something is true because -- it is. Why don't you illustrate your weapons smuggling scenario and how this company will increase the risk. In your scenario, be sure to document exactly how U.S. Customs handles and approves all containers before the private company gets its hands on it.
My post stated that private companies play major roles in keeping ports safe. I also stated that you know very little about the security of US ports. Both statements are true.
In your last post you stated that"U.S. Customs handles and approves all containers before the private company gets its hands on it."
Actually customs inspects about 5% of all containers coming into US ports. Customs relies on this company's word to determine what is in 95% of the containers they handle. Customs will be relying heavily on this company to tell them what is coming in to these ports. The UAE will have more capability to smuggle WMD into this country's major cities, than any other foreign entity on the planet. The UAE has known links to Al Qaeda, 9-11, and nuclear weapons proliferation. They have also been doing business with Iran.
BTW, using your technique of name dropping instead of actually thinking for yourself, I'll point out to you that Peter King in the House and Shelby in the Senate were the first Republicans to go on national TV back in '98 and '99 and say that they were against the impeachment of Bill (Chinese at the Port of Long Beach) Clinton.
Name dropping? You've mentioned Hilary and Schumer on every single post you've made on this thread. You base your entire argument on some assumption that these two people are giving me misinformation. I am not concerned with what any of these people think other than the fact that I am pleased that they are helping to bring media attention to this deal. I simply demonstrated that more than two people criticizing this deal. You are the one who bases your opinions on what Schumer and Clinton think. You feel like you have to be against every single thing they say. You also seem like one of those people who think they have to agree with the White House on everything. I support most of Bush'spolicies but this is a terrible idea. Bush will end up killing this deal, or it will cost Republicans seats in November.
No. Only Customs searches containers. Private companies don't.
In your last post you stated that"U.S. Customs handles and approves all containers before the private company gets its hands on it."
I never said inspects. I said "handles and approves". Do you understand the logical difference?
Actually customs inspects about 5% of all containers coming into US ports.
Customs inspects for radiation about 5% of all containers. It was like that before the sale and it will still be like that after the sale.
Customs relies on this company's word to determine what is in 95% of the containers they handle. Customs will be relying heavily on this company to tell them what is coming in to these ports.
BS! The private port company doesn't determine what is in any container. Customs relies on the container senders word for any container they themselves can't search.
Name dropping? You've mentioned Hilary and Schumer on every single post you've made on this thread. You base your entire argument on some assumption that these two people are giving me misinformation.
No, I back what I said with facts.
You also seem like one of those people who think they have to agree with the White House
I've been here 7 years, have made thousands of posts and have criticized Bush. For instance his PD Benifit sucks.
Sangrila seriously, why do you have to make things up to debate a point?
You make things up about my posts and most importantly you made up the following misinformation:
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