Administration Outsources Operations Of Six U.S. Ports To The Arabs
The Bush administration has outsourced the operation of six of the nation’s largest ports to a company owned by the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a country with troubling ties to international terrorism. The $6.8 billion sale would mean that the state-controlled Dubai Ports World would control the ports of New York, New Jersey, Baltimore, New Orleans, Miami and Philadelphia.
Some facts about the UAE:
– The UAE was one of three countries in the world to recognize the Taliban as the legitimate government of Afghanistan.
– 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.
While I agree that it's a fucking joke, you might want to get your facts straight before you go pointing yet another misplaced finger at the Bush administration.
There was no outsourcing involved here.
Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Co. (a British firm that owns or operates 51 ports worldwide, and is also one of the world's biggest cruise line companies) already owned the 6 ports in question, and has accepted an offer to purchase from the UAE based firm.
I agree that the prospect is potentially scary, but as usual Mike is quick to pull the "Bush did it" trigger.
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That deal could have been blocked by the Bush administration due to security concerns, but it wasn't. As far as I'm concerned, he always did, and still has his tongue shoved way too far up the asses of the Arabs.
Once again, where did most of the 9/11 terrorists come from? Hint: It wasn't Iraq.
That deal could have been blocked by the Bush administration due to security concerns, but it wasn't. As far as I'm concerned, he always did, and still has his tongue shoved way too far up the asses of the Arabs.
Once again, where did most of the 9/11 terrorists come from? Hint: It wasn't Iraq.
But that's not what you said. You said that Bush had outsourced the job, as if he had any control over it in the first place. All I did was catch you in your spin.
I'll be happy to reword this for you: "Bush does absolutely nothing to stop outsourcing the operations of six US ports to Arabs."
Quoting Sen. Charles Schumer: "Outsourcing the operations of our largest ports to a country with a dubious record on terrorism is a homeland security and commerce accident waiting to happen. The administration needs to take another look at this deal."
Last time I checked, Al Gore is a private citizen who hasn't held a political office since 2001. I don't think he's in a position to stop any deal of this kind.
Gore is a fuckin disgrace, we all know that. However, that's not the topic this time around. The fact remains that almost everybody, except the Bush administration, is upset that the UAE is taking control of our ports. I'm not thrilled about it & neither should our resident Bush apologists.
Nope - just thought it was hilarious what Gore did - so figured that would be a good solution to Mikie's issue...
So, the question is - who is looking out for our best interests? The Democratic VP who lost to Bush who is pandering for Arab dollars or the Republican President who seems to be pandering to the Arab for their dollars?
Bush says it's a "done deal" and no amount of talk is going to change that... the "moderate" Jewish Democrat, Lieberman says that we shouldnt rush to judgement simply because its an Arab owned company.
Knowing that Dems will try to make a political issue out of anything, let's take politics out of this discussion for a moment. Let me ask you this straightforward question, should the US outsource the security of its ports to foreign nations? Specifically, Arab foreign nations?
So, the question is - who is looking out for our best interests? The Democratic VP who lost to Bush who is pandering for Arab dollars or the Republican President who seems to be pandering to the Arab for their dollars?
Obviously, neither party is looking out for "our" best interests. Being of a conservative nature, I have always voted Republican since day one. While I voted for Bush in the first election, I just couldn't vote for him in the 2nd, but couldn't vote for Kerry, so I sat out the last election. As of late, I have lost complete faith in the Republicans, who are anything but conservative, and yet can't stand the Democrats.
Quote:
Originally Posted by packetjunkie
Knowing that Dems will try to make a political issue out of anything, let's take politics out of this discussion for a moment. Let me ask you this straightforward question, should the US outsource the security of its ports to foreign nations? Specifically, Arab foreign nations?
If our leaders had any national pride, they should have told those filthy ragheads to fuck off, but they didn't. Let's not play the R vs D game; Clinton sold secrets to the N. Koreans & Chinese, & now Bush has sold our ports to the UAE plus won't secure our borders. Both parties suck. Unfortunately, whichever party is in charge will sell out to the special interest. What "we" think really don't matter to them.
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So, the question is - who is looking out for our best interests? The Democratic VP who lost to Bush who is pandering for Arab dollars or the Republican President who seems to be pandering to the Arab for their dollars?
Bush says it's a "done deal" and no amount of talk is going to change that... the "moderate" Jewish Democrat, Lieberman says that we shouldnt rush to judgement simply because its an Arab owned company.
Knowing that Dems will try to make a political issue out of anything, let's take politics out of this discussion for a moment. Let me ask you this straightforward question, should the US outsource the security of its ports to foreign nations? Specifically, Arab foreign nations?
The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States reviewed the transaction and did not object. The committee, run by the Treasury Department, also includes officials from the departments of Defense, Justice, Commerce, State and Homeland Security.
"And the bottom line finding was that there was no national security basis on which to block the sale going forward," explained State Department spokesman Sean McCormack.
I still don't see where this is the President's fault, but I do agree that the entire US government should have thought this one through a little better. Personally, I'm surprised at the liberal outrage here, considering that none of you believe in pre-emptive action against the muslim community (Hint: judging Dubai Port World before any concrete evidence exists aginst it contradicts everything you have said since the war in Iraq began).
Shouldn't you all be waiting for a nuke to make its way to downtown LA before throwing your arms up in disgust?
As for Gore, all he did was go to Saudi Arabia, the birthplace of radical Islam and the principle source for the September 11 attacks, to remind radical Islam why they are fighting. He told his mostly-Islamist audience that the U.S. had committed "terrible abuses" against Arabs after 9/11, and that "Arabs in America had been indiscriminately rounded up, often on minor charges of overstaying a visa or not having a green card in proper order, and held in conditions that were just unforgivable."
"I do want you to know that it does not represent the desires or wishes or feelings of the majority of the citizens of my country."
"The thoughtless way in which visas are now handled, that is a mistake. The worst thing we can possibly do is to cut off the channels of friendship and mutual understanding between Saudi Arabia and the United States."
And before you embarass yourselves any further, keep in mind that Gore's presence at the Jeddah Forum was paid for by the Saudi Binladen Group -- the Jeddah-based construction firm owned by Osama bin Laden's family. It's a completely irrelevant point, but one that has been used against George Bush by the liberals in the media and on this very board for 5 years now.
And you guys criticize Bush for appeasing the Saudis?
