Tommy Franks Defends Dubai Ports Deal

Newsmax ^ | 2/22/06 | Carl Limbacher

[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."

[Canedawg]

Apples and oranges.

Comparing Israel to UAE is foolhardy.

[wallcrawlr]

huh?

your point was based on trust.


we dont 100% trust anyone

[rfp1234]

---Dick Gregory, David Greogory--I bet that's not the first time that's happened this week.---

There's really no difference - David Gregory IS a d---

[BuglerTex]

It's an amazing place to live at this time of their development.

The Gulf was a very interesting place some 30 years ago as well, after Beirut fell apart, all the banks moved to Bahrain. It was the start of the boom there, the construction was either old, genuine gulf arab vernacular, British colonial remnants whitewashed thick as stalagmites, or new under construction. Solid connection between Texas businessmen and local families, some for generations.

Then the Shah abdicated.

All this was at the start of this war.

The UAE is 1200 years ahead of rural Abyssinia. It takes courage to stand up to other mid-eastern pressures with SCUDS landing within the horizon, the 5th fleet at home, (their COM) in your ports for years, and you, reconstruct an old Brit airbase to take the war to Saddam. We do the Gulf arabs a grievous disservice with our uninformed, bigoted generalizing borborygm.

[Walkin Man]

I'm sure Jimmy Carter was pleased with the former Generals comments....

[floriduh voter]

We're good unless UAE has a coup - maybe...It's stupid to pretend that "I'd like to buy the world a Coke in perfect harmony."

Did you know that Jimmy Carter is a personal FRIEND of the CEO of Dubai Ports? Jimmy Carter is now a Bush buddy like Bubba is. Maybe Jimmy Carter is their new brother from another mother.

That's why Carter's for this. He's probably getting a big kickback from the Dubai company.

While going overboard to prove how swell Americans are, some of our leaders are not watching our backs. Maybe there was a command decision to bring the war on terror back over here.

Someone in D.C. needs to take a class in risk management.

[floriduh voter]

You are absolutely right. And Jimmy Carter is a long time friend of the CEO of the Dubai company. Jimmy Carter pushed this deal and is shilling for the president. JIMMY CARTER.

Besides the Dubai company, I wonder who else is getting filthy rich off of the deal?

And, accusing doubters of racial profiling? That's nonsense! Franks is not at war now but America still is. Do they want to bring it over here? Seems so.

[Canedawg]

So let's just allow those we trust the least run the ports :(

Even Joe Pistone did and said things to gain the confidence of those he later busted.

[floriduh voter]

Pat Paulsen died years ago but run him anyway.

[floriduh voter]

Condi also wants to spend 75 million in Iran. I don't trust her judgment any more. That's taxation without representation. I hope Congress turns her down. She's no economist.

[floriduh voter]

Don't hold me to this but I thought Tommy Franks commanded the Afghan War and General Abizaid is in charge of the Iraq War.

[floriduh voter]

bump 203.

[floriduh voter]

Even the bidding was done in secret. JIMMY CARTER IS A FRIEND OF THE CEO OF DUBAI. This has Jimmy Carter's special touch on it. The Dubai CEO said as much the other night on cable news.

Jimmy Carter must be getting a boatload of money for this.

[PISANO]

Watch out because after some posturing the Dim's 2008 presidential hopeful [Hillary] will slowly change her tune on the ports debacle. And this is why!

X42 Praises Dubai

[floriduh voter]

playing the race card? Bioweapons and nukes don't care about race or creed.

If they are going to bring the war back over here, will they not tell us until it's too late to hide?

[Marine_Uncle]

IMHO this issue is not trusting anyone. It is about obtaining the FACTS. And the facts have been very twisted in most of the many articles I have viewed over the past two days.
To many reporting on this issue are using very misleading titles. Let me say this and please anyone that knows otherwise correct me.
P&O's operations at these named six ports was restricted to the ownership and operation of one or more terminal facilities.
An example. A terminal facility may be a few acre area with some buildings and associated equipment for the off loading of dry bulk materials, say a dry concrete mix. The terminal may have a direct link to one or more piers for berthing the ship for unloading the materials on a conveyor belt to waiting trucks, railroad cars etc..
This is the type operation in question.
The British company P&O did not control the port. These ports are managed by the state/city port authorities. And each port has a customs agency. And between the various companies that work with the customs office, and port authority security forces, and the United States Coast Guard, these ports are managed. Which includes the security and managment of any incoming/outgoing materials of shipment that require routine checks such as passing a container for instance through a gamma ray or x-ray machine etc..
I took time to investigate some of these ports via. google.com.
Just for instance. In Philadelphia, one of the six ports mentioned, there are a dozen different private and public terminal operations. Some are quite huge, and contain many individual companies that do specific type shipping. Some of the ports's terminal operations are literally many miles apart along the Delaware River. I failed to find what particular terminal operation was actually owned and managed by the British company in question, but that is OK. At most it probably only owns and operates a few of these terminals. Many are owned and operated by American and other country companies.
So where am I leading to? O&P does not control/run the port of Philadelphia. I is but one company that leases or owns some buildings and equipment and contracts with other companies to run it's operations. It may not even directly pay the manual labor such as dock workers/crane operators etc., but relie on a contracted company to handle this function.
So forgive me for my verbosity, but I feel compelled to set the record straight on the misleading news reports on this issue. For some, they may actually think this UAE DWP company where going to come in and take over the control of US ports. This is total bull shit. A disclaimer.
I understand the issue relating to why even let them have a presence at our ports. That is ok. I have no problem with that aspect. I am simply addressing the misleading reporting on this issue. Some Freepers may be mislead on just what Dubai Port World would actually be involved in. They sure will not be running any US port.

[wallcrawlr]

oh my word...its doesnt end.

Soo....the Gen just doesnt know what he's talking about then I guess....

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."

[floriduh voter]

It's a gut feeling, not media reports that have me opposed to Dubai. I'm also alarmed that such a major billion dollar deal was done in secret but after a couple of days, suddenly, Bush didn't even know about it.

Bush was certainly prepared to veto something he said he didn't know anything about.

I was since day one but am not now, a Bushbot.

That includes all the Bushes.

[maica]

Isn't bidding for multi billion dollar companies always done in secret? It's for the shareholders to accept or reject, isn't it.

CFIUS is in place only to scrutinize a foreign company for potential National Security problems.

The laws were written so that publicity could not affect the bidding and/or purchase.