Less than a week ago I read about the acquisition of the operations of 6 US ports for 6.8 billion dollars by Dubai Ports World via Bane's blog. Huh? WTF? was my first reaction, and it is still my reaction.
Here is what Instapundit.com states:
"The city's ports, considered a major target of terrorists, are about to be taken over by a firm based in the United Arab Emirates, a country with financial links to the Sept. 11 hijackers.
Dubai Ports World is set to complete a $6.8 billion deal to purchase Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Co., a London company that already runs commercial port operations in New York, New Jersey, Baltimore, New Orleans and Miami."
From Northjersey.com,Senator Robert Menendez and Hilary Clinton will attempt to block this deal, that apparently was approved by the Bush administration, by introducing legislation that would bar companies owned or controlled by foreign governments from buying port operations in the United States.
The article concludes with this: Menendez alleged that, in addition to the UAE's Sept. 11 connection, Dubai has served as a transfer point for shipments of nuclear components to Iran, North Korea and Libya.
"The Bush administration has neglected port security for years, and now they're ready to turn port operations over to the control of a foreign government that is a known transit point for smuggled nuclear technology," Menendez said.
How can Bush be pushing so drastically for the Patriot Act on one hand, while on the other hand, opening up the ports to who knows what? What am I missing? And why is this being silenced by the so called "Jewish controlled media?"
UPDATE
Lots of comments can be found at Think Progress. Here is a taste of it:
"The Bush administration considers the UAE an important ally in the fight against terrorism since the suicide hijackings"
"The UAE has been a key transfer point for illegal shipments of nuclear components to Iran, North Korea and Lybia," "According to the FBI, money was transferred to the 9/11 hijackers through the UAE banking system," "After 9/11, the Treasury Department reported that the UAE was not cooperating in efforts to track down Osama Bin Laden’s bank accounts."
If I were a Democrat, I would be all over this. If I were a Republican I would be embarrassed. Michelle Malkin has a beat on this story at least. BTW, I've notice some pro-Bush blogs have totally ignored this story.....Hmmmmmm
Arab ownership of ports in the US? That's messed up.
ReplyDeleteI can't believe this is getting close to no media coverage. Could you imagine if France, Spain, Italy or Britain were signing the same type of deal? Bush would be condemning it.
ReplyDeleteBush is losing it. What in the hell is wrong with him? Doesn't homeland security include our ports? DAMN! And selling it to an Arab country? He must be getting senile or getting alzheimers or going just totally insane!
ReplyDeleteI saw this story on Drudgereport, Friday and promptly posted about it on my blog as soon as I saw it.
ReplyDeleteI even praised Hillary's resistance to the deal.. *shudder*.. hey I call em like I see em. Dont think that all Republicans are on board for this.. Infact, I don't see it passing a second more thorough review by the legislature.
The Bush Administration is dropping the ball bigtime on this, and well I as a Conservative can't and won't defend that decision to have a UAE owned company own important docks here in the U.S.
It just goes to show that bureacracy and a big government whether in the hands of conservatives or liberals is just inefficient.
However, the deal is such an abberation and out of character that the situation demands closer examination. Theres something more than meets the eye here.
This is the only way I know to explain how something like this could happen.
Its possible Bush didn't know about this deal being accepted when it was. Alot of levity is given to Dept. heads and certain committees. Also, keep in mind that not all of the appointees in the Treasury Dept. or any other department were selected by Bush. Hell the State Dept. is chock full of liberal Democrats put there by Clinton. Bush can't get rid of appointees who are career civil service people. That leaves alot of enemies of the president ensconced in positions of power within certain Departments.
Combined with the fact that Democrats need a miracle, (West Wing was even canceled this year) and that Hillary was so quick to jump on this, it could have been approved by the committee so that Hillary and Menendez could lead the charge in resisting it. Granted this is just a hypothesis shot from the hip and my limited knowledge of politics and government. I am going to research who makes up the Committee of Foreign Investment before going further with this hypothesis.
Having sat in on legislative committee meetings, and dept committee meetings at a local state level, I have seen some pretty crazy ideas get the approval only to be thrown out like so much trash later upon closer scrutiny.
That being said, theres no defense about this action to approve of the deal. It should have brought up a thousand flags at the White House.
Johdarr
Self correction: When I said that I don't see the deal going through when the legislature looks at it more thoroughly.... I meant to say when Congress, not the legislature, looks at it....
ReplyDeleteI'd also like to add that the Treasury Department Committee of Foreign Investment doesn't have final say over National Security issues which this deal clearly falls under.
Although I don't like the idea of foreigners owning US property in any case, if the UAE merely buying the ports is supposed to convert those ports into conduits for terrorists and terrorist material, that says something about the effectiveness of port security in the first place. Who's to say a bribe to the appropriate person(s) doesn't accomplish the same thing now? If the mere owner of a port determines the operations of a port, then maybe we would uncover a lot of unsavory things going on at ports if we were looking as closely as we should......
ReplyDeleteIt's the corporations dummies.
ReplyDeleteCorporatations have the same disease the liberals have.
ie no conscience. and no feeling
ALL the major parties support the psychopathic corporations.
Bush supports the corps which have alliances with the Saudis and Oil. They are fully aware of this.
So the liberals and the corporations are the enemies of America and will probably destroy America along with the Islamists.
don't worry , be happy, find 6 feet of non radioactive earth and prepare for the end,
no problemo!
How easy it would be fro the Al queda to put their own man in the ports? Very easy. Threaten their family bakc homw. The usual stuff. All made easy becaue the company HQ is in Terrorist Home basse countries.
ReplyDeleteModerate (nuke em all) Max
Well, my hypothesis was definitely wrong. Bush seems to want to defend this absurd deal, even threatening to use veto power over any bill Congress decides to put forth.
ReplyDeleteThe good news is that the deal has no way of going through. The leaders of both parties are against the deal, and they have the needed votes to override a veto.
Especially after the Mohammad cartoon affair, this is a really bad time to be trying to sell this type of deal to the public.
Johdarr
I can't believe Bill O'Reilly supporting this. I didn't realize he was an appeaser. He said that the UAE is "our best ally in the middle east," and that your don't want to upset them.
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't take much to upset Arabs as we've seen. Why put your security at risk because you are worried what people think of you? Someone on CNBC said that 70% of the population in the UAE despise the West regardless.