Bush Says He Will Veto Any Bill to Stop UAE Port Deal

FOXNews.com ^ | Tuesday, February 21, 2006 | FOXNews.com

[Jeremiah2911]

WASHINGTON — In a rare display of his veto authority President Bush said Tuesday he will put the kibosh on any legislation that attempts to stop the purchase by a United Arab Emirates-owned firm of the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Co., which runs six major U.S. ports.

Breaking a gaping silence during the debate of the purchase by Dubai Ports World, Bush said the deal should go forward and won't jeopardize U.S. security.

Officials from the Cabinet departments that participate in the U.S. Committee on Foreign Investments in the United States, which approved the sale last Monday, are appearing in a briefing Tuesday afternoon to defend the process by which CFIUS reviewed and approved the deal.

Officials from the Treasury, Coast Guard, Customs and Border Protection and Homeland Security will participate.

[Don'tMessWithTexas]

Sorry your sarcasm was clearly not evident in your post and I have a fairly sensitive sarcasm detector.

[The Foolkiller]

Welcome to FR.

[inquest]

Congress didn't have anything to do with the things I mentioned. Even on border security, where Congress's record admittedly hasn't been exactly stellar, Congress has been considerably better than Bush. Bush has moved on more than one occasion to frustrate Congress's attempts at improving border security.

[TitansAFC]

His take was that everyone is misunderstanding, and we should trust Bush. Also, that the move will not be a good one politically, though good economically.

[Emile]

My definition of "enemy" is anyone who would do us Americans, or our lawful institutions and our society, harm. How do you think Bush's is different? And just how are his (mostly non-existent) policies for policing our borders going to keep such "enemies" from infiltrating the country, with disastrous consequences?

[luckystarmom]

Rush was talking about this issue while I was just in the car. According to Rush, 70% of our ports are owned by American companies, and 30% are owned by foreign companies.

Some ports are owned by the Chinese, and that really concerns me.

So it looks like there are plenty of American companies that can run ports.

[jongaltsr]

Probably because you are a Texican and you know how thick headed Texicans can be. I know. My ol man was a Texican and so was my wife.

[jongaltsr]

Sorry Hon. Never claimed to be humorist.
I am funny though. At least everyone tell me so.
The problem is that they don't specify (how) I am funny.

[CWOJackson]

ALL our ports are owned by America, none of our ports are owned by a foreign company.

[JSteff]

The facts are that they will NOT be running the security of the port. They will not be able to do anything they can't now. OUR COAST GUARD will still be managing the security of items coming in. OUR LONGSHOREMAN will still be the ones unloading the ships.

Dubai has the same presence at many ports in the world now... and will still even if they don't end up running this one. Have they shipped us any WMD's so far? Have they let terrorists ride containers in now (from other ports they manage)?

So now tell me how our security will be in any further jeopardy? It won't and this is just a knee jerk reaction by too many.. that is sad and I fear could end up hurting us more than just finishing the deal.