Scary.
Posted on 02/23/2006 12:00:42 AM PST by Dane
Tommy Franks Defends Dubai Ports Deal
Former CENTCOM commanding general Tommy Franks said Wednesday that the Bush administration was right to approve a deal for a United Arab Emirates-based company to run six major U.S. ports.
"We have more U.S. Navy ships using the port in Dubai, Jebel Ali, than any other port outside the United States," Franks told Fox News Channel's "Hannity & Colmes."
The former Iraq war commander explained U.S. reliance on the Dubai port facility by saying, "We know he difference between an enemy and a friend."
"The Emirates is a friend," Franks aid. "That is the best run port that I've ever seen."
Gen. Franks said the Dubai company had three essential qualities that commend it for the task of running U.S. ports: the capacity to handle the job, the inclination to do it right and security, which he noted "will remain, in any case, in the hands of the United States Coast Guard."
SSA Marine is actually the largest PRIVATELY owned port operations company in the U.S. with a few terminals, but your point remains the same - no American company operates this many MAJOR ports - none bid for P&O obviously.
My favorite, so-far today, was from Joe Biden appearing on F & F. When asked if his opinion had changed since Tommy Franks had spoken up about the UAE, Biden said that he still had reservations. Apparentely Joe Biden believes that if a dirty bomb is sent into an American port, it will be written on a bill of lading. And because of that, it is dangerous for us to have this an Emirates company responsible for that paperwork.
I am sure LOTS of people will want to keep track of all the extreme positions taken (ON and OFF FreeRepublic ; )
Franks does not seem a bit interested in politicis but he would be my first choice.
Just imagine if Condi's last name was Beans. LOL
"Franks & Rice 2008"
I like it! Too bad Condi's nickname ain't "Beans" ; )
Good post. Bump
On CNN last night, the COO of DPW stated the company would do whatever was needed to get the deal through - I'm sure they would submit to Congressional hearings if Bush requested - my concern is the precedent that sets for ALL Arab companies when British, Danish, etc. never had to go through that.
Scary.
Scary.
I agree 100% and making them go through "special" checks that other people didn't have to makes us look ummm racist
Yep...that's the icing on the cake...
General Tommy Franks is the real deal....
He should know and that fact that he isn't in politics though they tried to drag him in proves it...
The kind of man America needs right now...
If he says it's good to go...then it's good to go
imo
The fact that third rate radio jockeys like Michael Savage keep reporting this as the "Arabs are taking over our ports" when, in reality, it was merely a minor outsourcing of duties unrelated to port security, shows how sensationalistic and ignorant the talking heads are, even on "conservative talk radio."
######
This is what has made me the most frustrated about this whole situation. The refusal of so-called commentators to do any research or critical thinking, but just act with man-on-the-street level of information.
And we know the man on the street has a hard time naming the vice-president.
I happened to hear Michael Reagan last night brag about an op-ed of his that was going to be published today, and he was still saying that DPW would OWN the ports.
Security handled by the U.S. Coast Guard who is under Homeland Security.
When this all hit the fan, sure it seemed weird, but I urged caution. The international shipping business is huge, extremely lucrative and dominated by overseas interests. As the information has come out, this is not the doomsday scenario that many proclaimed.
I know people that work in overseas shipping. They have lived in Singapore, Bahrain and the UAE. It is very big business. The capital investment of these sorts of ventures is too great to allow for the infiltration of some tin pot terrorist related to someone's second cousin.
Uh oh, now General Franks won't be invited onto Hannity's program anymore.
Kneejerk, Jerk, and their friend Levinjerk.
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