[TBP]

http://webnewsroom.blogspot.com/2006/02/president-bush-will-veto-bill-undoing.html

President Bush today said that he will veto any bill to cancel the deal granting control of six U.S. ports to a government-owned company from Dubai, one of the United Arab Emirates, despite heavy opposition from leaders of both parties. Congressional leaders have been promising to send such a bill to the President's desk.

The secret deal would allow Dubai Ports World to gain control of six major American ports through its purchase of London-based Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company, which currently runs the ports: New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Baltimore, New Orleans, and Miami.

"Nothing changes with respect to security under the contract. The Coast Guard is in charge of security, not the corporation," said Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld. President Bush noted that the Coast Guard will still be in charge of security. But in order for the company to do its job effectively, security plans and arrangements will have to be shared with the contractor.

The Bush administration considers the UAE a key ally in the War on Terror, but the UAE has been a significant sponsor of terrorism. It was the home of Marwan al-Shehi, one of the 19 hijackers who killed 3,000 people on September 11, 2001. Other hijackers travelled through the UAE. The UAE was an important financial base for the September 11 hijackers.

After 9/11, the Treasury Department reported that the UAE was not cooperating in efforts to track down Osama Bin Laden’s bank accounts. The UAE is a transit point for Al Qaeda. It has been a financier of Al Qaeda. According to the FBI, money was transferred to the 9/11 hijackers through the UAE banking system.

The UAE was one of three countries in the world to recognize the Taliban as the legitimate government of Afghanistan and is militantly anti-Israel.

The CIA has identified the UAE as a major center for drug running and money laundering. It has served as a key transfer point for illegal shipments of nuclear components to Iran, North Korea and Libya.

The UAE is a federation of seven Arab emirates on the Arabian peninsula.

What happens if nuclear materials pass through one of these ports? How will the UAE direct its employees to deal with that? The threat to our national security is clear. It is amazing and disappointing that the Bush Administration refuses to see this.

This deal gives the impression that the Bush administration does not care about port security. While the Administration has done very good things in the War on Terror, this deal undermines all their good work.

[Vortex]

What we need is a Bill that prohibits foreign ownership or control of infrastructure elements critical to national security. This would include ports, borders, roads, airways, waterways and communications.

[spinestein]

[What happens if nuclear materials pass through one of these ports? How will the UAE direct its employees to deal with that? The threat to our national security is clear. It is amazing and disappointing that the Bush Administration refuses to see this.]



What happens if nuclear material passes through one of these ports, today?

It either is detected by the drone workers, or it isn't. It depends on the motivation and the ability of the workers and the technology and procedures they rely on.

Explain how "the threat to our national security is clear" if the UAE are in charge of this and if the workers are similarly motivated, have the same ability, and use the same technology and procedures. Why would any of that change just because the UAE runs the process?