Posted on 02/21/2006 4:23:44 PM PST by bnelson44
Statement by Senator John McCain on the debate over the Bush Administration’s decision to allow Dubai Ports World of the United Arab Emirates manage U.S. sea ports.
“We all need to take a moment and not rush to judgment on this matter without knowing all the facts. The President’s leadership has earned our trust in the war on terror, and surely his administration deserves the presumption that they would not sell our security short. Dubai has cooperated with us in the war and deserves to be treated respectfully. By all means, let’s do due diligence, get briefings, seek answers to all relevant questions and assurances that defense officials and the intelligence community were involved in the examination and approval of this transaction. In other words, let’s make a judgment when we possess all the pertinent facts. Until then, all we can offer is heat and little light to the discussion.”
(Excerpt) Read more at corner.nationalreview.com ...
Again, he played the race card by implying that the only reason people wouldn't want arabs owning those 6 ports (including one in NYC) would be racism.
Jimmy Carter, on the other hand...
The United Arab Emirates also don't recognize Israel as a state, and support the Taliban as the true gov't in afghanistan...
"Bush needs to get his head out of the sand and realize what a monumental mistake this is."
deja vu (miers)
And your reason would be?
I have this unfounded bigotry against people who want to lop off my head and detonate a nuclear bomb over my city.
Finally....someone got it right. Good one Shermy!
Everyone running arount crying the sky is falling because they think that the Bush administration has selected the UAE company.
The transaction is between two independent companies in two independent countries....none of them U.S. One of the companies just happens to have contracts to run ports in the U.S.
Now, that said, I am not in favor of an Arab company managing our ports....the possibility of infiltration is just not worth taking.
But Bush did not "sell out" to the Arabs! His staff just think the risk is minimal.....and it may be. But it's still a bad idea.
After the September 11, 2001, terrorist attack on the U.S., Saudi Arabia and the UAE cut diplomatic ties with the Taliban.
The United Arab Emirates hosts about 3,500 U.S. servicemembers, mostly Air Force. Dubai, the second-largest emirate and the commercial center of the country, hosts port calls for sailors and Marines operating with the U.S. 5th Fleet. The facilities at Dubai are the only ones large enough in the region to handle aircraft carriers.
In 1999, the emirates bought 80 U.S. F-16s. Officials traveling with Myers said he has a close personal relationship with Emirati defense leaders
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Aug2004/n08092004_2004080902.html
You brought Harriet Miers to this thread; not me; as you've done to quite a few others.
You seem obsessed with her. I wonder why.
This deal appears to be all about money. Dubai Ports World is "a business and its money is the same color as everyone else's, only it's got more of it," one banker told the Baltimore Sun. Where does the money come from? As a private company, Dubai Ports World's claim of 20 percent annual growth since 2001 is all but unverifiable, and its inner workings opaque. For all we know, Dubai Ports World is an undeclared arm of a foreign government.
The root question is this: Why should the United States have to gamble its port security on whether a subsidiary of the government of the United Arab Emirates happens to remain an antiterrorism ally?
The Committee on Foreign Investment is the wrong place for this decision to be made; it appears to be little more than a rubber stamp.
http://washingtontimes.com/op-ed/20060214-102147-5104r.htm
Bottom line you don't trust the UAE because they are Arabs and it doesn't matter if they are an ally of ours or not.
You know what's sad?
No one despises McCain more than me, maybe as much, but not more. But with this statement he earns a damn sight more respect than a number of conservatives including some on this forum.
I have no position on whether this should go through at this time. I do have a position that hysterics deserve no respect. And hysterics spouting heated rhetoric without rational analysis of the pros and cons, people that ignore G.W.B.'s record in the WOT as insignificant, are blind mice I will not follow.
They should be ashamed of themselves for their behavior, not their position against this port deal...provided they know what the hell they are talking about to begin with.
The only true allies we have in the Middle East are the Israelis, and the Bush dynasty seems to enjoy screwing them over, in contrust to their Gulf Arab chums, who it's more than willing go to the mat for.
Same same with the Miers nomination (win-win)...........The Bush Administration has proven to be experts at the game of "pull my finger".......
We are not giving the ports (terminals) away, or selling them, or losing them..........they are to be managed under our supervision, and under our authority, by a country that has, for the most part, been an ally for decades. True, there are certain elements in the UAE that have been cause for great concern..........the same can be said for many of our allies.
Now, I don't agree with everything that the Bush White House does, but, I do know one thing............if you are going to play poker with Bush..............don't bet the ranch.
That's what I thought.
Bush Won’t Budge: Keeping Port Deal (VIDEO)
http://exposetheleft.com/2006/02/21/bush-wont-budge-keeping-port-deal-video/
BINGO!!!!!
Evil Halliburton can build a port but run it? I would love to see them run it just as a stick in the eye of the left. :o)
Hear! Hear! A well reasoned post that is spot on.
McCain is scrambling to regain some dubya supporters. This is a desperation move, even though I tend to agree with him.
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