Call me primitively suspicious, but I don't like this one little bit.
Some of America's biggest and busiest ports are about to become the property of a government-owned United Arab Emirates firm.
This includes the ports in New York Harbor, Newark, Baltimore, New Orleans, Miami and Philadelphia. all busy terminals for cargo. Do we really want our major ports in the hands of an Arab country where al Qaeda recruits and raises money?
The U.S. Committee on Foreign Investment, a Treasury Department group which reviews such foreign investments approved a $6.8 billion transaction between the ports' current British owners and Dubai Ports World, a government-owned United Arab Emirates firm. The United Arab Emirates, you'll remember, was home to Marwan al-Shehhi, a September 11 hijacker and the Emirates known transit points and funding havens for
al Qaeda, Hamas, Hezbollah and other terrorist groups.And there are a number of terrorist symphathizers who live in the Emirates and in nearby countries.
The Bush administration calls the United Arab Emirates an ally in the war on terror, just as they do the Saudis.Both essentially fight and arrest terrorists who operate against their own countries and turn a blind eye at terrorists involved anywhere else.
The sale doesn't displace American ownership, and the British Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Co., who managed the ports previously probably never gave much thought to port security, but that's no reason to ignore an extremely questonable transactions and make matters worse. We should be improving port security right now, not outsourcing management of these ports to a company owned by a government that can and does have hostile anti-American and pro terrorist adherants among its citizens.
And what about Dubai Ports World? Where is the money coming from? Dubai Ports World is claiming 20 percent annual growth since 2001. That's not unverifiable since its a foreign private company. For all we know, Dubai Ports World is an undeclared arm of a foreign government...or worse.
Senator Chuck Schumer(NY-d), of all people is asking tough questions about this deal. For once, I have to agree with him: President Bush should overrule the committee and not permit this transaction.If he won't Congress should take action. The country's busiest ports shouldn't be owned or managed by a company owned by a foreign government.
Especially one that hails from a part of the world not noted for exactly wishing America well.
It took me about 2 seconds after reading this to whip one off to my congressman, whatever good that'll do.
ReplyDeleteThis is a no-brainer, duh. If we can't put the kibosh on this, it may be time to renounce my citizenship.
ReplyDeleteI can not believe that the controlling or selling of our ports are even being considered. This has to be the crazist idea I have ever heard of. I think this would be a very very huge mistake, not to mention putting the American people at a very dangerous risk. I for one don't trust the arabs, and to have them in charge of our ports? My fear is that the US will be taken over and the next thing you know, they will force the US to become an islamic country, whether we like it or not. And shove islam down our throats. And we know how muslim men view women as property. Imposing Sharia laws in the US. God I tell you this has got to be some kind of a sick joke. To have them in charge would be a nightmare. I know I am ranting here, but I just cant get over this even being considered. Have they lost their damn minds or what. God help the American people if this happens.
ReplyDeleteI am too happy about this deal. But what really gets me is the Administration did not think the American people would have a problem with this deal. Hello, we are fighting a religious war (not of our making) and we would not notice that Islam is taking over our ports.
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