Thread: White House Defends Port Sale to Arab Co.

White House Defends Port Sale to Arab Co.
Feb 16 3:48 PM US/Eastern
http://www.breitbart.com/news/2006/02/16/D8FQEAHO8.html

By TED BRIDIS and DEVLIN BARRETT
Associated Press Writers

WASHINGTON

The Bush administration on Thursday rebuffed criticism about potential security risks of a $6.8 billion sale that gives a company in the United Arab Emirates control over significant operations at six major American ports.

Lawmakers asked the White House to reconsider its earlier approval of the deal.

The sale to state-owned Dubai Ports World was "rigorously reviewed" by a U.S. committee that considers security threats when foreign companies seek to buy or invest in American industry, National Security Council spokesman Frederick Jones said.

The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, run by the Treasury Department, reviewed an assessment from U.S. intelligence agencies. The committee's 12 members agreed unanimously the sale did not present any problems, the department said.

"We wanted to look at this one quite closely because it relates to ports," Stewart Baker, an assistant secretary in the Homeland Security Department, told The Associated Press. "It is important to focus on this partner as opposed to just what part of the world they come from. We came to the conclusion that the transaction should not be halted."

The unusual defense of the secretive committee, which reviews hundreds of such deals each year, came in response to criticism about the purchase of London-based Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Co.

The world's fourth-largest ports company runs commercial operations at shipping terminals in New York, New Jersey, Baltimore, New Orleans, Miami and Philadelphia.

Four senators and three House members asked the administration Thursday to reconsider its approval. The lawmakers contended the UAE is not consistent in its support of U.S. terrorism-fighting efforts.

"The potential threat to our country is not imagined, it is real," Rep. Mark Foley, R-Fla., said in a House speech.

The Homeland Security Department said it was legally impossible under the committee's rules to reconsider its approval without evidence DP World gave false information or withheld vital details from U.S. officials. The 30-day window for the committee to voice objections has ended.

DP World said it had received all regulatory approvals.

"We intend to maintain and, where appropriate, enhance current security arrangements," the company said in a statement. "It is very much business as usual for the P&O terminals" in the United States.

In Dubai, the UAE's foreign minister described his country as an important U.S. ally but declined to respond directly to the concerns expressed in Washington.

"We have worked very closely with the United States on a number of issues relating to the combat of terrorism, prior to and post Sept. 11," Sheik Abdullah Bin Zayed al-Nahyan told The Associated Press.

U.S. lawmakers said the UAE was an important transfer point for shipments of smuggled nuclear components sent to Iran, North Korea and Libya by a Pakistani scientist, Abdul Qadeer Khan. They also said the UAE was one of only three countries to recognize the now-toppled Taliban as Afghanistan's legitimate government.

The State Department describes the UAE as a vital partner in the fight against terrorism. Dubai's own ports have participated since last year in U.S. efforts to detect illegal shipments of nuclear materials.

Rep. Vito Fossella, R-N.Y., urged congressional hearings on the deal.

"At a time when America is leading the world in the war on terrorism and spending billions of dollars to secure our homeland, we cannot cede control of strategic assets to foreign nations with spotty records on terrorism," Fossella said.

Critics also have cited the UAE's history as an operational and financial base for the hijackers who carried out the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

"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," said Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y. "The administration needs to take another look at this deal."

Separately, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said Thursday it will conduct its own review of the deal and urged the government to defend its decision.

In a letter to the Treasury Department, Port Authority chairman Anthony Coscia said the independent review by his agency was necessary "to protect its interests."

The lawmakers pressing the White House to reconsider included Sens. Schumer, Tom Coburn, R-Okla., Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J., and Chris Dodd, D-Conn., and Reps. Foley, Fossella and Chris Shays, R-Conn.

This really ticks me off! What about what WE think?

We need to get in touch with the senators that are against this and let them know we are with them. We also need to contact every representative and tell them in NO uncertain terms that if they don't fight this they are traitors and if anything happens they will have the blood of innocent Americans on their hands.

White House Defends Port Sale to Arab Co.

Yeah, like no one could see that coming.

Future headlines:

"Bush Administration outsources Department of Homeland Security to bin Laden Family"

"Bush Administration outsources US Border Patrol to Mexico"

"Bush Administration agrees 'in principle' to transfer of the FAA to mainland China"

"Bush Administration approves sale of nuclear technology company Westinghouse to Japanese"

Oops. Scratch that last one. They already did that.

That is #%%#@%& ridiculous! How could it possibly NOT be a National security threat?

... secretive committee... hundreds of such deals each year...criticism about the purchase of London-based Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Co."

You know, maybe Karl Rove ain't cornered THIS market yet

...New York, New Jersey, Baltimore, New Orleans, Miami and Philadelphia...

That's the ENTIRE East coast, folks, AND the Gulf. Militarily speaking that seems a little risky to me, especially with Aztlan on the Pacific. Terroristically speaking I can barely imagine the result of a coordinated attack on all 6 ports SIMULTANEOUSLY.

The more I read that piece the bigger this pit in my stomach. I can't even finish my diatribe. This is ABSOLUTELY High Treason and MUST BE STOPPED. Welcome to the 2nd American Revolution, folks.

Four senators and three House members asked the administration Thursday to reconsider its approval.

Only 7 congressmen see anything wrong with this???

"It is important to focus on this partner as opposed to just what part of the world they come from

And now Homeland Security (Die ReichSicherheitHauptamt) is going to give us PC malarky about not noticing what part of the world they come from?

The Homeland Security Department said it was legally impossible under the committee's rules to reconsider its approval without evidence DP World gave false information or withheld vital details from U.S. officials. The 30-day window for the committee to voice objections has ended.

We hear about this and Congressmen oppose this AFTER the window of oopportunity to voice objections has ended? Did the congressmen know about this in time to voice objections, or were they broadsided too?

The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, run by the Treasury Department

,

Do I understand this correctly - does a committee formed under a person appointed to his office MAKE LAWS when it creates its own rules. Is our Fuehrer trying to muddy the division of the branches again and substitute committe rules for LAWS?

"We intend to maintain and, where appropriate, enhance current security arrangements," the company said in a statement

And what security arrangements might those be? Are shipments going to be examined as well as they have always been? How are we going to be assured that nuclear arms are not being brought in to plant in every city in this nation? How about shipments of illegals coming into every port on the East Coast?

ONLY 7 CONGRESSMEN SEE ANYTHING WRONG WITH THIS?

We are in grave danger. I don't believe there will be anymore real elections.

I'm losing my patience now. What in the heck is GWB doing ?! What are those people doing approving this ?

GEORGE BUSH HAS TO KNOW THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE FREAKING OUT OVER THIS FOR THE MOST PART. A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT IT AND ARE NOT PLEASED.

What is he thinking ? What is he doing ??

A government of for and by an elite class.

All is well and as it should be.

Accept your elite masters ye commoners.

You are nothing.

You can not offer jobs to politicians when they leave office, accept your lowly position.

Love it or leave it.

Or vote.

The elites via their corporations can offer jobs that pay millions.

You, you can offer one vote.

And, the two party system combined with the brainwashing of the masses ensures that mainly only the proper people are possible candidates for higher offices, thus basically nullifying your vote.

Read "The Irony of Democracy" to understand how little your vote means, how little 100 million votes means.

America was created by an elite class with the intention to keep the government in control by the elites.

Once, the elite class did possess a modicum of concern for the country and the citizenry. That time is passed. Wealth and power is the only concern.

But, the masses have their sports on TV and sales at the mall. The masses are content. The masses do not read or send a stray thought beyond their narrow confined worlds.

The feds are ever-more intrusive into public education, ensuring the masses continue to be brainwashed.

Love it or leave it.

Send your letters, make your phone calls. How much good has it done the past 30 years as the average American worker continues the downward economic spiral into oblivion.

Smile as the elite class continues to spit upon you.

You are powerless.

If I am wrong..... prove it. Make a meaningful change in the "system."

I would revel if you could.

I will not hold my breath.

Obey your masters, peasents.

Play the game whose rules are written by the elite class.

Love it or leave it.

Welcome to the great furniture liquidation American yard sale! Everything must go! It's a going out of business bankruptcy sale!

We could try to sell Los Alamos nuclear laboratories to the Chinese, but I doubt they would pay much for it. They have already stolen all the valuables which is why they can now launch people into space and nuke the entire US instead of just the left coast now.

It's all for sale baby. Including the debts and ownership of the American consumer herd (aka American citizens).

W

It's all for sale baby. Including the debts and ownership of the American consumer herd (aka American citizens).

Don't forget, we're also starting to sell off public lands, as well.

It's like we'll soon be under new management, and the old management is having a "going out of business" sale.

The Homeland Security Department said it was legally impossible under the committee's rules to reconsider its approval without evidence DP World gave false information or withheld vital details from U.S. officials. The 30-day window for the committee to voice objections has ended.

Committee's rules? What, committees are making law now? What a bunch of nonsense. Bush could stop it if he wanted to, he just doesn't want to.

REMEMBER IN NOVEMBER!