at least ONE group is doing something to stop it and the senate will discuss it 'later this month' but discuss is too light a word for me. FORBID IT should be more like it. we are talking about giving control of SIX MAJOR UNITED STATES PORTS to a country which at times, supports TERRORISTS and HAS TERRORISTS as some of their citizens. some of the port city mayors and politicians are OUTRAGED as are some of the families of the victims of 9-11. i as an ordinary CITIZEN OF THE UNITED STATES am stunned beyond belief.
our king said the following. he obviously does NOT practice what he preaches (so to speak)
..............."We've got to protect ourselves by doing smart things in America," Bush said. "I appreciate working with the mayors on homeland security issues."............
Worries Escalate Over Sale of U.S. Port Operations
By TED BRIDIS, AP
WASHINGTON (Feb. 18) - A company at the Port of Miami has sued to block the takeover of shipping operations there by a state-owned business in the United Arab Emirates. It is the first American courtroom effort to capsize a $6.8 billion sale already embroiled in a national debate over security risks at six major U.S. ports affected by the deal.
The Miami company, a subsidiary of Eller & Company Inc., presently is a business partner with London-based Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Co., which Dubai Ports World purchased last week. In a lawsuit in Florida circuit court, the Miami subsidiary said that under the sale it will become an "involuntary partner" with Dubai's government and it may seek more than $10 million in damages.
The Miami subsidiary, Continental Stevedoring & Terminals Inc., said the sale to Dubai was prohibited under its partnership agreement with the British firm and "may endanger the national security of the United States." It asked a judge to block the takeover and said it does not believe the company, Florida or the U.S. government can ensure Dubai Ports World's compliance with American security rules.
A spokesman for Peninsular and Oriental indicated the company had not yet seen the lawsuit and declined to comment immediately.
The lawsuit represents the earliest skirmish over lucrative contracts among the six major American ports where Peninsular and Oriental runs major commercial operations: New York, New Jersey, Baltimore, New Orleans, Miami and Philadelphia. The lawsuit was filed moments before the court closed Friday and disclosed late Saturday by people working on the case.
The sale, already approved by the Bush administration, has drawn escalating criticism by lawmakers in Washington who maintain the United Arab Emirates is not consistent in its support of U.S. terrorism-fighting efforts. At least one Senate oversight hearing is planned for later this month............
and i just found this in the boston globe
Clinton bill seeks to stop sale of US ports to Arabs
President Bush supports acquisition
By Nicholas Johnston, Bloomberg News February 18, 2006
WASHINGTON -- Democratic Senators Hillary Clinton of New York and Robert Menendez of New Jersey introduced legislation to prohibit companies owned or controlled by foreign governments from buying US port operations.
The measure is intended to block the $6.8 billion sale of a company that operates six US ports to a firm controlled by the United Arab Emirates.
''Our port security is too important to place in the hands of foreign governments," Clinton said in a statement yesterday.
On Thursday, a bipartisan group of US lawmakers called for hearings on the purchase of London-based Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Co., the UK's largest port operator, by DP World, Dubai's port company. With the acquisition, DP World would gain control over most operations at ports in New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Miami, Baltimore, and New Orleans.
''Ports are the front lines of the war on terrorism," Menendez said. ''We wouldn't turn the Border Patrol or the Customs Service over to a foreign government, and we can't afford to turn our ports over to one either."..........
mmmmmm hil is doing something right? stepping up to the plate, holy shite has hell frozen over? (it sure feels like it in connecticut. it got COLD)
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Amazing, isn't it? You'd think there'd be some provision in the so-called 'Patriot Act' that would forbid the management of our ports by ANY foreign power, much less by one that has a history of harboring the very enemies we are supposedly fighting, and to prevent the infiltration of same into this country. That's why they call 'em 'ports', George. That's where people come in.
i guess they are more interested in spying on the citizens of the united states than being wary of people from nations that do indeed harbor, train and (some do)support terrorists
Why do they hate us? Western culture, with an underscored respect for reason, capitalism, and individual rights for all members of society is diametrically opposed to the virus of Islamic extremism which is escalating a battle for greater control of the Arab world and beyond. Any progress in lifting the Arab world into modern western standards is not going to be achieved by bribing these regimes to not attack us or capitulating to the demands of the extremists. Our greatest weapon is appealing to the self-interest of Arab companies and workers with the mutual benefits thankfully available through cooperation in modern global markets. Shared interests and shared fortunes with the Arab world will create equal incentives for security both on our shores and theirs. An attack on America by Arabs becomes a self-inflicted wound and sets off internal forces overseas to eradicate the virus.
In the long run, free trade is a more effective diplomacy tool than any number of guns. We are open to working with the Arab world as equals, not as terrorists. Money knows no borders or race or religion.
If these Clintonian political postures are successful, we will send a clear message to the Arab world that America is xenophobic - Arabs need not apply to the modern world, leaving options such as Hamas the seemingly only viable alternative. Assuming the deal is accepted, we send the message that America responds positively to peaceful cooperation and our wrath is only reserved for attacks on the rights that make such free trade available at all.
i have no love for cultures that stone women to death BECAUSE THEY WERE RAPED. i have no love for cultures that support terrorists. i am NOT against people that follow islam nor am i against the arab peoples. i think MOST people of the world are just like me. they want to be free, they want to be comfortable. they want to be healthy, they want to be educated, they want to care for and protect their families.
when our OWN citizens are secretly being spyed upon and NOT trusted, why is our government TRUSTING OTHER NATIONS, especially a nation that is known to have ify connections to and with terrorists? don't fool yourself it's for ONE REASON and ONE ALONE. MONEY. it's NOT to promote peace or trust. it's to LINE THEIR OWN EFFING POCKETS NOT MINE, NOT YOURS.
What is the real story behind this psychotic episode on the part of Hallibushcheney? This one makes my head spin, like I told Neil, so that my neck is corkscrewed ... what the f? Maybe we should turn airport security over to Osama if he's the low biddeer ... I still think Saddam would have been a safer choice than UAE to run our ports .. but what the f is wrong with having Americans run American ports? This really sucks bigtime ... thanks for keeping after this issue ... maybe their male chastity devices need adjustment or something (reference to your link elsewhere) rock on semi-sane one ... that's hell of a lot more sanity than these mfrs have ... and on another note ... okay ... maybe just one or two more posts before Billy Ray starts ... it's such a huge responsibility once it gets rolling ...
i am amazed - there are people who support our presence in the war in iraq yet see nothing wrong with turning over our ports to the uae. NONE of the hijackers of 9/11 were from iraq yet that is the 'reason' we invaded that country? mmmmm 15 were from saudi arabia and two were from uae (two from other countries). would you allow iraq to run our ports? iran? egypt?
oh and mr shock (of course that posting wasn't meant to YOU, i agree with YOUR visions) i am so very eagerly awaiting billy ray however, i understand you have others to see to (such as ben and the reverend and the lovely fly on the wall). so i will show my patient side
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