UAE controlled ports??

Egon · Post by **Egon** » Wed Feb 22, 2006 1:50 pm

It's been awhile since I've posted, so "howdy" to all ya'll!

http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/02/21/ ... topstories

Does anyone else feel a little sick to their stomach about this story? Why is the prez so adamant about allowing a UAE-based company have control over these ports? Even his pals in Congress are saying, "Uhh, GW, are you INSANE?"

I fail to see how this is NOT a national security issue. These are major entry points into the U.S.--New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Miami, New Orleans.

Bush is quoted as saying, "I don't understand why it's OK for a British company to operate our ports but not a company from the Middle East when we've already determined security is not an issue."

In all honesty, having any foreign entity control these major ports is a security risk. Having a Middle Eastern company control these ports is a HUGE security risk.

Anyway... I hope that congress gets their way here (I can't believe I am actually saying that!) and that this gets blocked somehow...

KaymeeraUnleashed · Post by **KaymeeraUnleashed** » Wed Feb 22, 2006 2:17 pm

I'm actually more interested in finding out why Bush is pushing for it...

StruckingFuggle · Post by **StruckingFuggle** » Wed Feb 22, 2006 6:02 pm

I'll bet you ten bucks the answer is a large sum of money.

Deacon · Post by **Deacon** » Wed Feb 22, 2006 8:58 pm

What, so now Arabs are not to be trusted? Racist!

Personally, I think it may have something to do with the UAE's double-take when 9/11 happened and change in direction to be cooperative with and supportive of the US, in addition to them housing one of the most stregic bases from which an assault on Iran. Contingencies, contingencies, contingencies...

Egon · Post by **Egon** » Thu Feb 23, 2006 1:37 pm

[quote="Deacon";p="609006"]What, so now Arabs are not to be trusted? Racist!

Personally, I think it may have something to do with the UAE's double-take when 9/11 happened and change in direction to be cooperative with and supportive of the US, in addition to them housing one of the most stregic bases from which an assault on Iran. Contingencies, contingencies, contingencies...[/quote]

I think it's part stupidity, myself. Bush claims to have not been informed that this deal was going through. I personally believe that the national security issue that this presents would have been as obvious as a thousand suns glaring in the administrations' faces, including the President's... However, the Bush family ties to the Middle East (and specifically to Saudi Arabian and UAE companies) are well documented and I think that this is playing a major factor here.

I'd like to say that this is playing politics, but when most of congress is in agreement that this is a bad idea, I would have to say that the President is out of his gourd on this.

It was this this sort of thing that had me worried 6 years ago when Texas' worst governor ran for the Presidency. He did the same thing as governor--put his and his families' interests before that of the state. While Bush, Sr. was very much about his family, he would never have risked this much.

Bigity · Post by **Bigity** » Thu Feb 23, 2006 1:47 pm

What's the really big deal about this? I'm not sure I'm all that hot for it, but it's not like UAE would be sending Arab workers over here. It's still US workers, and US managers for the most part. Depending on how it works, I wouldn't have too much of a problem.

I'd rather more US companies exist that can handle this kind of thing, instead of having all dot com companies, service companies, etc etc.

Egon · Post by **Egon** » Thu Feb 23, 2006 2:14 pm

[quote="Bigity";p="609312"]What's the really big deal about this? I'm not sure I'm all that hot for it, but it's not like UAE would be sending Arab workers over here. It's still US workers, and US managers for the most part. Depending on how it works, I wouldn't have too much of a problem.

I'd rather more US companies exist that can handle this kind of thing, instead of having all dot com companies, service companies, etc etc.[/quote]

The "big deal" is that a large number of Arab muslims are boiling over with hatred for the United States and all things Western. As a result, any entity that is Middle Eastern in its origins needs to be watched with a wary eye. The fact that the company that would be overseeing the ports would have exclusive access to shipment manifests that could easily be doctored (by an Islamic extremist that happens to work for said company) to escape the eye of Customs and the Coast Guard. Anybody who thinks that every container is searched is gravely mistaken.

To those out there who say, "So what?", I say--What happened to being vigilent? What happened to securing entry into this country to protect us from another 9/11 or worse.

I guess I shouldn't be surprised by this... after all, people can easily walk over the border.

That's OK, though. We'll continue to use the Bush strategy of "take the war to them" while ignoring our own security. Because of this short-sightedness, we are doomed for a much worse attack.

Bigity · Post by **Bigity** » Thu Feb 23, 2006 2:47 pm

I thought the UAE was pretty much solidly on our side. Who said nobody would be vigilant? There are many situations were foreign companies assist or even manage parts of security sensitive contracts, and there is oversight to ensure nothing amiss occurs.

SunTzu · Post by **SunTzu** » Thu Feb 23, 2006 2:53 pm

The UAE as a nation is, the muslim community isnt. I doubt we're talking a massive conspiracy here, just that one easily influenced person in the wrong person and nukes could be getting into your country.

Egon · Post by **Egon** » Thu Feb 23, 2006 3:02 pm

[quote="Bigity";p="609322"]I thought the UAE was pretty much solidly on our side. Who said nobody would be vigilant? There are many situations were foreign companies assist or even manage parts of security sensitive contracts, and there is oversight to ensure nothing amiss occurs.[/quote]

Sure, on the surface, the UAE is "on our side". Don't forget that 2 of the 9/11 hijackers came from the UAE.

And I understand the fact that the U.S. controls security--that's missing the point. Our so-called "security" can only handle so much (we can't pay for the billions it takes to run such an operation). This is a very publicized fact (thank you media--sheesh).

I'm not thrilled with ANY foreign country (even the British) having this type of control, but it only makes it more worrisome when it is a Middle Eastern entity.

Globalism is bad, mmkay?

Posted Thu Feb 23, 2006 10:03 am:

What SunTzu said...

Bigity · Post by **Bigity** » Thu Feb 23, 2006 4:52 pm

I don't like it either, but hey, if no American companies want or are able to do it..gotta go with the secondary solution.

Donomni · Post by **Donomni** » Thu Feb 23, 2006 5:46 pm

While I do want to give peace a chance, I think it's a bit too soon to have this agreement go through.

Maybe in a few years, people would warm up to the idea.

Metzgirl · Post by **Metzgirl** » Thu Feb 23, 2006 6:03 pm

If I remeber the guy from NPR yesterday.... He was saying that the biggest problem isn't who owns/controls ports. It's the lack of enforcement and general security. Espcially since most workers on this side are American.

Besides, what we really want are controls at the port of origin and the US port. Good luck getting everyone to agree, though.

Spongiform · Post by **Spongiform** » Thu Feb 23, 2006 6:56 pm

So...fucking....stupid.

I don't care if it's the UAE or the House of Saud or the goddamn Earl Grey Tea Company, it's just plain stupid[/u] to sell American ports to foreign companies or governments.

Deacon · Post by **Deacon** » Thu Feb 23, 2006 8:13 pm

[quote="Egon";p="609319"]The "big deal" is that a large number of Arab muslims are boiling over with hatred for the United States and all things Western. As a result, any entity that is Middle Eastern in its origins needs to be watched with a wary eye. The fact that the company that would be overseeing the ports would have exclusive access to shipment manifests that could easily be doctored (by an Islamic extremist that happens to work for said company) to escape the eye of Customs and the Coast Guard.[/quote]
lmao....yeah, like terrorists are going to write "contraband" or "nuclear bomb" on their manifests, and those Islamic extremists in New Orleans will have to cover that up so it "escapes the eye of Customs and the Coast Guard." Come on, give me a break.

Anybody who thinks that every container is searched is gravely mistaken.

And where have you been the last 15 or 20 years? You're never going to have a system wherein every container coming in or going out of the US is thoroughly searched. Currently only about 5% are searched at all. If you're all paranoid about port security (which would not be handled by this UAE-owned firm), then that's where you should start bellyaching. Those bombings in London? Remember them? Yeah, a British company has been running these same ports for how long now, exactly? Ridiculous. The UAE is a prosperous country, and by far the vast majority of its government and its people are business people. If Islamic extremists to the point of committing suicide attacks can join and complete flight schools and who knows what else here in the US--in Oklahoma, even!--what makes you think that the fact that we'll be safe if only we don't allow a UAS-owend company to oversee operations--operations performed by existing workers?

Your knee is jerking.

We'll continue to use the Bush strategy of "take the war to them" while ignoring our own security. Because of this short-sightedness, we are doomed for a much worse attack.

...nice. Vague doom and gloom prophecies like that are nice and cushy stances to take, because if something does happen, regardless of what it is or why it happened or how it happened, you can claim that you knew it all along. And when nothing continues to happen, everyone just forgets about it, and you don't have to answer for it. And if you are called out on it, well, hey, we're all winners here, right, because nothing bad happened?

[quote="Spongiform";p="609438"]So...fucking....stupid.

I don't care if it's the UAE or the House of Saud or the goddamn Earl Grey Tea Company, it's just plain stupid[/u] to sell American ports to foreign companies or governments.[/quote]
When was the last time the operations of these ports were overseen by an American company?

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