Posted on 02/21/2006 12:30:45 PM PST by KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle
WASHINGTON, Feb 21 (Reuters) - Arab-Americans contended on Tuesday that bias and bigotry, not security concerns, lay behind the uproar over a deal that would place commercial operations at six U.S. ports in the hands of an Arab company.
The furor centers around the $6.8 billion acquisition by Dubai Ports World, owned by one of the United Arab Emirates, of London-based Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Co. P&O had been running operations at shipping terminals in New York, New Jersey, Baltimore, New Orleans, Miami, and Philadelphia.
Citing what they say are fears of lax security, politicians from both parties called on President George W. Bush to cancel the deal and several began drafting legislation to block it. The issue was also increasingly being aired on conservative talk radio stations and in Internet blogs.
"I find some of the rhetoric being used against this deal shameful and irresponsible. There is bigotry coming out here," said James Zogby, president of the Arab American Institute.
He said politicians were exploiting fears left over from Sept. 11 to gain advantage in a congressional election year.
"Bush is vulnerable so the Democrats jump on it. The Republicans feel vulnerable so they jump on it. The slogan is, if it's Arab, it's bad. Hammer away," Zogby said.
According to some industry analysts, the change in management would have no real effect on security, which would still be carried out by American workers to international standards. The UAE, whose government owns Dubai Ports World, is an international financial hub and close U.S. ally.
"The Emirates have been very pro-active partners in helping our security. They have a solid track record of cooperation," said Peter Tirschwell, publisher of the Journal of Commerce.
Rabiah Ahmed of the Council on American-Islamic Relations said members of her organization also believed anti-Arab bigotry was driving the debate.
"The perception in the Arab-American community is that this is related to anti-Arab sentiment," she said.
Despite the UAE's close ties to the United States, some critics say lax controls allowed some of the Sept. 11 hijackers to exploit its banking sector to transfer funds to support the attacks. Others have suggested its commercial links with Iran are a cause for worry.
"It is obviously an emotional, political and security issue, but I don't see xenophobia involved in this," said Peter Brookes of the conservative Heritage Foundation.
CHINESE PRECEDENT
The opposition was reminiscent of a similar controversy last year when China National Offshore Oil Company Ltd. tried to purchase Unocal, a U.S. oil services company. The Chinese company ultimately withdrew its offer in the face of fierce political opposition.
South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsay Graham said Americans were not against foreign acquisitions as such but were suspicious when they involved security infrastructure.
"Americans right now want free trade, but when it comes to national security issues, we want to maintain the infrastructure ourselves," he told Fox News Sunday.
"I don't think now is the time to outsource major port security to a foreign-based company," he said.
Daniel Griswold of the libertarian Cato Institute said opposition to the Emirates acquisition had more merit than the opposition to the Chinese energy bid.
"Here, there are legitimate questions of port security. Experts have long warned us that U.S. ports could be an entry point for weapons of mass destruction and we can only search one container in every 20 that come in," he said.
But Griswold conceded anti-Arab feelings were also playing a role. "It's obviously part of the mix and there's also some misunderstanding and a lot of political grandstanding going on," he said.
Muslims have learned how to play the game beautifully, haven't they? They don't make public statements after 9/11 expressing their sorrow, we don't trust them as a result of that and they turn it all around on US?
I admit to being unprepared for this response. Silly me.
Led by Hillary Clinton and Chuck Schumer?
Noooooooo way.
Well in that case let's turn everything over to Gulf Arab management and ownership.
Anything short is racist.
Perpetual victims.
Well Zogby, let's take a poll of the American as to whether "if it's Arab, it's bad."
The race card.
Don't leave home without it.
LOL!
Remind me why I should care whether CAIR's feelings are hurt?
Not really bigotry, more like a small fact that it was middle eastern muslims that slammed three jets into buildings and one into the ground, killing over 3,000 people. But who is counting. OH, and I forgot, UAE hates israel and supported the taliban, they don't allow christians to openly practice in their nation. What a bunch of ill-informed hypocrites.
Jews can't own land in Arab lands.
Who's the bigot?
So I'm a Bigot...Been called worse
(Cracker,honky,Rebel ect..)who cares ..
These idiots (Arabs) who are supposedly American citizens
need to understand where they are at ...AMERICA...we do not want Foreigners in charge of our ports.Even if it is only business!
Sucks to be part of a death cult that is no longer able to hide its murderous agenda from the American population. Cry me a broken levee...
Hmmmmmm. I wonder....
Saudi Arabia - Conversion by a Muslim to another religion is punishable by death. Bibles are illegal. Churches are illegal.
Yemen - Bans proselytizing by non-Muslims and forbids conversions. The Government does not allow the building of new non-Muslim places of worship.
Kuwait - Registration and licensing of religious groups. Members of religions not sanctioned in the Koran may not build places of worship. Prohibits organized religious education for religions other than Islam.
Egypt - Islam is the official state religion and primary source of legislation. Accordingly, religious practices that conflict with Islamic law are prohibited. Muslims may face legal problems if they convert to another faith. Requires non-Muslims to obtain what is now a presidential decree to build a place of worship.
Algeria - The law prohibits public assembly for purposes of practicing a faith other than Islam. Non-Islamic proselytizing is illegal, and the Government restricts the importation of non-Islamic literature for distribution.
Jordan - Has the death penalty for any Muslim selling land to a Jew.
Sudan - Conversion by a Muslim to another religion is punishable by death.
Pakistan - Conversion by a Muslim to another religion is punishable by death. Bans proselytizing by non-Muslims. Christians regularly put in prison for charges of blasphemy.
Malaysia - Every baby born is automatically Muslim and it is illegal to ever change religions.
Note to Arab Americans...Unless I have been presented with a cogent argument otherwise, I MUST ASSUME THAT YOUR ULTIMATE GOAL IS TO KILL ME. I regret it has come to this, but I have no reason to believe otherwise.
Worthy of the poverty pimps!
I've been expecting it, and BINGO!, it's a little behind schedule. I could give a flying rat's rear-end.
Aside from their luck of having a bunch of oil - what is good about arab countries? Do they help each other out i.e. palestinians with no "homeland", do people expect them to help in the tsunami? About all they do is start wars with each other and the west...
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