Arabs owning Ports in the U.S.

[waterone1@aol.com]

On my way home from work today I heard the tale end of a news story about several ports, in the US that have been bought by the United Arab Emirates. Does anyone know the whole story on this ? Maybe I'm getting excited about nothing, but didn't several of the 911 bombers go through that country ? aren't they the ones that always try to scam Americans who are selling a boat or such, and try to defraud them ? Call me old-fashond, but for security sake, shouldn't our ports be owned and maintained by the US ? Anyone have any data on this ?

 

[ZmOz]

Re: Arabs owning Ports in the U.S.

The ownership of a port has ZERO to do with the security and inspections done at said port.

 

[waterone1@aol.com]

Re: Arabs owning Ports in the U.S.

Do you work at or enforce security at a port ?

 

[rodbolt]

Re: Arabs owning Ports in the U.S.

its amazing how much the sauds,jordainians,Iraqis,Iranians and the UAE and a few others own. what do ya think they did with all that oil money? think they just lined the camel stalls with it? do you think all they did was finance the Bush family members for their start in the oil biddness?<br />it was amazing how much of Houston Tx was purchased by the sauds in the late 70's early 80's and every time you stop at the 7-11 ole Hugo Chavez says cha-ching.<br /> so I am not sure of the actual port but why would who owns it make any difference on security?<br />port security is a different animal than ownership.<br />I have a customer that is a supervisor with port security at NIT. our ports are far from secure.<br />but it has nothing to do with ownership its the sheer volume of containers.

 

[bootle]

Re: Arabs owning Ports in the U.S.

Foreigners have assets in the USA and the USA have assets in foreign lands, its been that way for over 150 years, the list of countries and assets fluctuates.

 

[ZmOz]

Re: Arabs owning Ports in the U.S.

Originally posted by waterone1:<br /> Do you work at or enforce security at a port ?

No, but the US government does. They couldn't care less who owns it, all requirements and inspections are the same. It would be just as easy for "arabs" to bring something nasty into the US through a port owned by an American company...the same way it's still very easy for them to bring a gun or anything else they want onto an airplane. Security cannot stop someone who is suicidal.

 

[rodbolt]

Re: Arabs owning Ports in the U.S.

ZmOZ<br /> my freind at norfolk says they complain bitterly about the high container volume and lack of equipment and manpower to track them.<br /> he says some other US ports noteably on the west coast are even more overloaded.<br /> its a very good thing the terror groups have no immagination or they would be way more successful in disrupting our economy than they are.<br /> some of the containers are difficult to track. he says some make several stops in ports around the world before they enter the states, they have a programm to help them some but he says there is just no way to inspect them. the sheer volume at NIT overwhelms them.

 

[waterone1@aol.com]

Re: Arabs owning Ports in the U.S.

I guess my concern is not that a foreign company owns a US port, but that a foreign GOVERNMENT owns a US port. Myself, and some politicians are getting vervous about this.

 

[ZmOz]

Re: Arabs owning Ports in the U.S.

Originally posted by rodbolt:<br /> ZmOZ<br /> my freind at norfolk says they complain bitterly about the high container volume and lack of equipment and manpower to track them.<br /> he says some other US ports noteably on the west coast are even more overloaded.

Yes, security and inspections right now are terrible, and it would be very easy for them to bring in whatever illegal items they want...but that's exactly the same whether it's American owned or Arab owned.

 

[lark2004]

Re: Arabs owning Ports in the U.S.

How do think we feel in Australia? <br />The US Government owns "something" in central Australia (Pine Gap, google it if you want)..... <br />We don't know what.... you won't tell us. Is it a nuclear plant? Weapons development? Alien technology? <br /><br />We would like to know if what you have out there makes us a target....

 

[crab bait]

Re: Arabs owning Ports in the U.S.

they can buy an sell what an whom they want...<br /><br />what part of capitalizum do you fail to understand..??

 

[rwise]

Re: Arabs owning Ports in the U.S.

IMHO no none citizen should be allowed to own U. S. soil! period! ports whatever,,,,,,,,,,,

 

[Ron G]

Re: Arabs owning Ports in the U.S.

The company used to be owned by a UK company they sold it off to the UAE,most of the ports are on the east coast and gulf of mexico.There job is to run the port they dont own it,which causes a security problem because they can hire anybody they want,its not that hard to hide a nuclear device the size of a suuit case on cargo ship.Theres going to federal investigations into this.

 

[Mark42]

Re: Arabs owning Ports in the U.S.

Hey people! This is not about port ownership....<br /><br />From the A/P:<br />"Two Republican governors are threatening legal action to block an Arab company from taking over operations in major U.S. ports and some GOP lawmakers say the deal should be closely examined"<br /><br />Its about who owns the company that operates security at the port.

 

[KaGee]

Re: Arabs owning Ports in the U.S.

Mark is mostly correct. The British owned company that had a 30 year contract was sold to the company from the UAE.<br /><br />Port Security is ultimately enforced by the USCG.

 

[RPJS]

Re: Arabs owning Ports in the U.S.

The US Political machine and the media have gone to town on this one.<br /><br />The shareholders of P&O have approved an offer made by D.P.World for the purchase of it's container port intrests around the world. They have not sold any US soil (it was never thiers to sell, they only hold the lease), they have not sold the security opperations at the ports, this is controled by US port authorities. <br /><br />All the owners of D.P.World (UAE government) will be purchasing is the right to unload and load container ships at the ports. The same containers from the same ships that P&O would have unloaded and loaded.<br /><br />All unloaded cargo will have to go through US customs and all container movements will be subject to US security.<br /><br />The upshot of it all is that nothing will change, the same people will work on the dock, the same people will opperate the security, the same people will give customs clearance, the same "Tax Dollars" will be paid to the US government, the same US workers will be paid for doing thier jobs.<br /><br />The US government has approved the deal.

 

[KaGee]

Re: Arabs owning Ports in the U.S.

You are right RPJS. The political season is in full swing now, and this is all another opportunity for these blowhards (left and right) to stand up and pontificate.<br /><br />Personally, I feel there are far worse security situations that need addressed and these same loudmouths don't have the testicles to do what is right in those situations.<br /><br />* How is it that Hong Kong can scan 100% of all incoming containers, but the US can only manage 5%??<br /><br />* Irony... Some of the blowhards speaking against this, are also the ones saying how we need to find ways to "understand" and get closer to the Arab peoples. What message does this condemnation of a UAE company send to the Arab peoples of the world?? <br /><br />* Isn't this also a type of "profiling" that most of the Left is so vehemently against??

 

[bootle]

Re: Arabs owning Ports in the U.S.

Originally posted by KaGee:<br /> You are right RPJS. The political season is in full swing now, and this is all another opportunity for these blowhards (left and right) to stand up and pontificate.<br /><br />Personally, I feel there are far worse security situations that need addressed and these same loudmouths don't have the testicles to do what is right in those situations.<br /><br />* How is it that Hong Kong can scan 100% of all incoming containers, but the US can only manage 5%??<br /><br />* Irony... Some of the blowhards speaking against this, are also the ones saying how we need to find ways to "understand" and get closer to the Arab peoples. What message does this condemnation of a UAE company send to the Arab peoples of the world?? <br /><br />* Isn't this also a type of "profiling" that most of the Left is so vehemently against??

Well said KaGee, We need to take a good look at these blowhards and boot them out come the next elections, these are the folks that are ruining the country by creating all sorts of division solely for their personal benefit.

 

[Parrott_head]

Re: Arabs owning Ports in the U.S.

I am not comfortable with having the UAE involved with our economy any more than it is due to our demand for crude oil. Letting them this close to our security operations to me makes no sense. <br /><br />Granted, I am not at all familiar with how the inspection and processing of these cargo container works. It just seems to me a needless exposure.<br /><br />What surprises me most about all this is how the administration seems to have been caught unaware about how the American public would view this.<br /><br />Think about it. You are the president. Your country was attacked shortly after you took office by an extreme Arab faction. <br /><br />You have waged one war with decent success and find yourself in another where the outcome has yet to be determined.<br /><br />Muslims world wide are rioting in reaction to political cartoons published in another country.<br /><br />Now a company owned by a goverment that has ties to those that attacked us comes before you with a bid to run six large ports where tens of thousands of cargo container are off loaded every year.<br /><br />Do you bother to sound out influential members of your own party or the opposing party to see what their reaction would be if the green light was given to go ahead with the deal?<br /><br />Do you meet with your advisors to gauge what the public opinion might be to this proposal?<br /><br />Apparently not. Now you are getting flack from all sides and have again raised the hackles of many who are of the opinion that your administration is too secretive.<br /><br />Maybe what happend is the president was told, "Hey George, how about we let Dubai run our ports as a business venture so they can profit from our massive trade imbalance!" "The United Arab Emirates would love the job".<br /><br />President Bush hears, "Hey George, how about we let you (Dubai sounds kinda like "W") run our ports as a business venture so ya can profit from out massive trade imbalance!" "The United Arab Immigrants would love to have the jobs".<br /><br />So our President is confused. He thinks some company that he may own is going to run the ports and they will employ lots of immigrants that organized into a Union. Could be a win-win propsition.<br /><br /><br />Honestly,<br />The admin should have made contact with the other "Movers and Shakers" in their party to make sure this would fly. If the feedback was too negitive they could withdraw and later leak to the press how they had blocked the transfer as a security measure.<br /><br />Is management of the ports by UAE a security concern? I just don't think it is worth the risk.<br /><br />Remember, we had "Air America" to help us with the work of the CIA.

 

[PW2]

Re: Arabs owning Ports in the U.S.

I am all for foreign investment in this country.<br /><br />However, we impose limits on foreign ownership all the time...Airlines, media outlets, defense contractors, etc.<br /><br />What could have a more potential strategic impact than our ports?<br /><br />I don't what is involved, but we better study this deal very carefully, and make extra sure we have protected our interests in every imaginable way.