US Port's to be secured by UAE?

[Kenpoist]

What do you think of this proposal to let our US Port's fall into the hands of the United Arab Emirates (UAE)?

I think it is absolutely absurd! Why don't we hand over airport security to Iran, the border's to the Mexican government (oops..we seem to have already done that), and our Military to Syria?

What ever happened to self-preservation. Our forefathers did not shed their blood throughout the past few centuries for us to just give this country away based on the almighty dollar (making a profit/ oil ventures etc..).

I hope we wise up soon- for our children's sake!

 

[michaeledward]

At one point in my life, I was a 'Free Trade' Democrat. I was wrong.

That Dubai Worldport (I think that is the name) would acquire the British company now running these ports is just the same as when AOL purchased Time-Warner (or when Time purchased Warner Brothers).

If we are going to run our government on the philosphy of 'Free Trade' and 'Capital Growth Through Acquisition', we are going to encounter this type of conundrum. This is the government we elected with George Bush. (and Bill Clinton before him --- although maybe it was the 1994 Republican Revolution)

Before we complain about an Arab company running our ports, we should look closely at NAFTA, CAFTA and all the other ~~FTA's in our present and future.


P.S. We all do know that it has been a British Company running our ports, right? So, is it that it is a foreign company .... or a foreign company from a world where the skin color is more olive than here?

 

[Jonathan Randall]

P.S. We all do know that it has been a British Company running our ports, right? So, is it that it is a foreign company .... or a foreign company from a world where the skin color is more olive than here?

No, I think that is a little bit of a cheap shot. Relations between the U.S. and that part of the world, unlike those between the U.S. and the U.K., ARE strained. While we may enjoy a good relationship with the rulers of the U.A.E., I bet we're not too popular with some of the population there. IMO, it is an honest concern, particularly as two of the 9/11 terrorists came from there.

 

[michaeledward]

Asking a question is a cheap shot?

The actions of 911 were not state sponsored events. Even the Taliban rulers in Afghanistan, at most, were cursory to those activities. That 15 of the 19 hi-jackers came from Saudi Arabia has done little to affect how our government deals with that nation.

Why would the United States be 'not too popular' there? On 9/12/2001, we had the support and well wishes of the entire world. We were urged to keep shopping and go to Disneyworld to demonstrate that the 'Terrorists' hadn't won; business as usual. So why wouldn't a corporate acquisition be business as usual?

Did you see the names of the people who 'signed off' on this acquisition before it reached President Bush? Rumsfeld, Rice, Chertoff, Hadley. These are the leaders of our country. This is the government we have put in place.

 

[Jeff Boler]

It's the mother of all bad ideas, UNLESS....there is some serious oversight in place. What BOTHERS me is our president (whom I have continually supported) has gone out of his way to push his Homeland Security agenda. This seems to be in direct violation of that policy.

 

[michaeledward]

It's the mother of all bad ideas, UNLESS....there is some serious oversight in place. What BOTHERS me is our president (whom I have continually supported) has gone out of his way to push his Homeland Security agenda. This seems to be in direct violation of that policy.

Today, we learn the President was not aware that his administration approved the transaction until after it happened.

When he learned, he did not see a problem.

A former Reagan White House official, and H.W. Bush Treasury official, (Burnett, I think) on Terri Gross's program today indicated that there were substantial macro-economic issues to consider before calling off the deal. Many foreign governments are holding American dollars (financing our huge trade deficit). Cancelling the acquisition of P&O by Dubai Ports World could send shocks to those lenders. If they decided to divest their dollar holdings, it could spell trouble.

 

[Kane]

Although I am very much for free trade being a strong supporter of globalization and internationalism, this is a bit much! It is not the UAE's government I'm worried about. I'm sure they just want to do business. What I am worried about is their openness to fellow Muslims, maybe even wahabis and extremists! You also never know whether or not a few port workers maybe strong supporters of Al Queda! :eek

Not sure whether this is a good idea Mr. Bush!

 

[DngrRuss]

And they wonder why I drink.

It just seems that I, and others I have read and listened to, were right. Bush and Co. are not really Republicans. They only wear the guise of Republicans. They are power mad bougouis maniacs that don't care about the lives, rights, and security of the American people. they only care for their own selfish interests. I know that many conservatives will venomously disagree with me, but I wonder how much more it is going to take before normal, rational, thinking conservatives will step up to the plate and demand that they get their party back from the fun folks that want a new empire or a Christian theocracy.

I hope that this issue wakes you guys up. And with the numbers of Republicans that are jumping ship off the USS Bush, I think that it is starting.

 

[Makalakumu]

I'm not sure if one can really stop something like this. It's a symptom of globalization. The US has intricate ties to so many different places and people on the globe that it doesn't surprise me one bit that "some" (that is an understatement) of these ties lead to places like UEA. One of the interesting things about this is that its hard to have enemies when one is so tied to everyone else. It forces people realize that we are all in the same polder and if your neighbors are manning the pump one doesn't want to piss them off.

 

[dobermann]

as being not american, i see that the U.S. has done the one or other thing that turned against them in future. like financining bin-laden, giving WMD to iraq and other ventures..

maybe you think i am a european, ignorant dickhead, maybe you are right. but things that happened to poor civilians and brave soldiers on homeland and different countries is a lot selfinduced. i dont say its "americans" in general, but the government has done a lot of f***-ups. sometimes it worries me a lot. look at the nuclear war thread. or scholars for 911. maybe thats already BS, but still. torture for freedom? pre-emptive strikes? hey man, get real, if i was hit "pre-emptively" you would have to expect an answer. and if it was planes..

how come the almighty US want to hand over their ports (remember the USS "whatever that name was" <- ignorant european), to the nation that most terrorists from 911 were from. this is weird! i dont know whats going on, but i am sure, it wont be a good thing..

 

[Ray]

...i see that the U.S. has done the one or other thing that turned against them in future....giving WMD to iraq....

Which they promptly lost before our invasion.

maybe you think i am a european, ignorant dickhead...

Oh, I didn't realize that your were european...

 

[Mark L]

Bad idea. Islamic nations are not our friends. The Islamic voices I hear are intolerant of those who believe differently, and call for their destruction (cartoons, USS Cole, marine barracks, 9/11). There are likely significant segments of the Islamic faith who believe differently, and yet there voices are largely silent. I simply do not trust them based on their own words and deeds.

Anybody listen to Jay Severin? He often says "Not all Muslims are terrorists, but so far all terrorists are Muslims." Not entirely accurate, but applicable to those seeking the destruction of the US and Isreal.

 

[michaeledward]

Anybody listen to Jay Severin? He often says "Not all Muslims are terrorists, but so far all terrorists are Muslims." Not entirely accurate, but applicable to those seeking the destruction of the US and Isreal.

Are you talking about the Jay Severin that claimed to have won a Pulitzer Prize while working at MSNBC? It seems the Pulitzer Prize people never heard of him. Further, The Pulitzer Prize people don't give awards for web-page contributors (which is what he claimed he received it for).

Oh, yeah, and he also lied about his degree in Journalism from Boston University. It seems he never recieved it.

http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2005/09/16/severins_phony_pulitzer?mode=PF

http://www.jayseverin.org/

As for Dubai Ports World.... either Free Trade is a principle of the Republican Party, or it isn't.

With how much fear mongering the President has done concerning 'Arabs', this shouldn't be a surprise. The two principles are in conflict, aren't they?

 

[BrandiJo]

We talked about this in my gov class and im not sure where i stand but the common idea of the class is that its a good thing, it shows we are not culturaly blind or racest, that just because these people happen to be different from us do not make them bad and just becaues one "group" of people overe there dont like us dont mean we should be blind to the help the rest can offer us.... anyways thats what i got out of my class today ..aagain not sure what i think but that seemed to be the idea of my class and i can see truth in it but at the same time only 10% of ships that come in are inspeccted and if we now have "bad" people in control of laodin and unloading then that leaves alot of 90% of bad things to come in with them

 

[Mark L]

Are you talking about the Jay Severin that claimed to have won a Pulitzer Prize while working at MSNBC? It seems the Pulitzer Prize people never heard of him. Further, The Pulitzer Prize people don't give awards for web-page contributors (which is what he claimed he received it for).

Oh, yeah, and he also lied about his degree in Journalism from Boston University. It seems he never recieved it.

http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2005/09/16/severins_phony_pulitzer?mode=PF

http://www.jayseverin.org/

Yup, that's the one. I have no knowledege of his claim to a Pultizer, though I have heard him advertise his education at both Vassar and a masters at BU. I am not his defender, I just like the quote.

As for Dubai Ports World.... either Free Trade is a principle of the Republican Party, or it isn't.

With how much fear mongering the President has done concerning 'Arabs', this shouldn't be a surprise. The two principles are in conflict, aren't they?

What is the second principle? I would guess you're referring to our security, specifically against terrorists threats most likely to come from Islamic fundamentalists. Yes, they are in conflict. The source of my fear is not from the President, it is derived from the decades-long actions of Islamic terrorists. My opinion is that security trumps free trade, every time. The administration screwed this one up badly.

 

[dobermann]

maybe the afghans get a good deal out of it, unship the heroin they produce, bring it into turkey and spray it all over europe?

 

[Bigshadow]

It forces people realize that we are all in the same polder and if your neighbors are manning the pump one doesn't want to piss them off.

So it becomes a polite cold war of sorts?

 

[Bigshadow]

We talked about this in my gov class and im not sure where i stand but the common idea of the class is that its a good thing, it shows we are not culturaly blind or racest, that just because these people happen to be different from us do not make them bad and just becaues one "group" of people overe there dont like us dont mean we should be blind to the help the rest can offer us....

Looking out for ones interests, or self-preservation, is neither being culturally blind or racist. Often times these are used as labels to attack people who have differing opinions or views based in self-preservation.

I personally think the deal was a poor choice. To do something like this for the express purpose of "proving" our committment to globalization at the expense of our own self-preservation is in my opinion akin to suicide. We don't have to prove anything to anyone, we should be a little more concerned about our well-being as a country, regardless of how we are percieved by the outside world.

These very people in both of our political parties, our government custodians, would sell their soul for worthless money. Essentially, they ARE selling their posterity off to the highest bidder for their own personal and immediate gains, disregarding the well-being of their posterity.

Just my opinions on the subject.

 

[Flying Crane]

I don't understand why we would allow this kind of control in our Ports to be under ANY foreign control, whether it is British or UAE, or any other nations. It just seems like common sense that for the security of the nation, pre-9/11 or post-9/11, this is one of those things that would have to be run by a US company. A US company is subject to tighter oversight here at home, than a company based in another nation. If security is a concern, this much seems obvious.

 

[Gary Crawford]

I don't understand why we would allow this kind of control in our Ports to be under ANY foreign control, whether it is British or UAE, or any other nations. It just seems like common sense that for the security of the nation, pre-9/11 or post-9/11, this is one of those things that would have to be run by a US company. A US company is subject to tighter oversight here at home, than a company based in another nation. If security is a concern, this much seems obvious.

I agree with you that U.S. companies should be in the business of running the ports,but they were once apon a time. What happened that changed it and are there any U.S. companies interested? This whole issue has had me dumbfounded until today. I think I finally get it. Consider this: If the Bush administration was really against the UAE deal,how would the respective parties react? I think the left would be all for it and make these arguements in oposition of the administration. 1. The UAE does not have any ties to terrorism. 2. This is a racist issue because UAE are arabs and muslims. 3. Uae is a major oil producer and upsetting them will result in higher oil prices therefore giving more profitts to the Presidents freinds in the oil business. 4.Upsetting the Uae will result in more terrorist attacks. 5. There ar no sanctions against the UAE by the United Nations. The right wing politicians would object to the deal just as they are now.OK,now where are with this now? BOTH sides of the isle are against it. The deal now doesn't have a chance of going through! Could it be that Bush has outfoxed everyone?