UAE taking over U.S. Port Management
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1,043 Posts
Well Dick Cheney is the anti-christ.
Karl Marx was right....
We are selling our enemies the rope to hang us with.
Karl Marx was right....
We are selling our enemies the rope to hang us with.
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621 Posts
It ain't like that. Arabs are NOT going to show up and start working the ports. No jobs are going to change hands, in fact, nothing is going to change. There are no U.S. companies that do this kind of work at all and we haven't heard anyone complain yet, have we? This is all just political B.S. Do a little research on the UAE and you'll see they are trying to make their way in this world like no other Middle Eastern country, they're just smart businessmen. They already own most of the major ports around the rest of the world, why WOULDN'T they make this move? It's just business.
I agree they have been an ally since 9/11. But this whole deal still makes me a little fidgity. It could have the possibility for the wrong people to figure out some loophole to get something bad into this country. I'm not saying it should or should not happen, but I would hope they look into this further. Its a scary deal for another country to run our ports...
Funny deal on Leno tonight...
Cheney is put in charge of nations gun control...
Mexico is put in charge of Nations border control...
crap, there were a few other funny ones but my brain is fried and I can't remember any...
Funny deal on Leno tonight...
Cheney is put in charge of nations gun control...
Mexico is put in charge of Nations border control...
crap, there were a few other funny ones but my brain is fried and I can't remember any...
Joined
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621 Posts
But that's the thing, nobody else IS going to be running our ports, that's the Port Authority's jurisdiction. Someone else is just going to own the company that loads and unloads ships, pure and simple. Apparently, and all the different sources I've seen or heard seem to have the same figure so I guess it's fairly accurate, only 5% of all the containers unloaded off the ships are inspected now. Does that make anyone feel safe? As far as I'm concerned, those ports are virtually unprotected under present management, so what's the diff?
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10,498 Posts
The procedures don't change. Just where the profits are going and reported. Though it makes some uncomfortable, the threat doesn't change.
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3,363 Posts
I was a little leery of the deal till I got some education on the subject. Security is still, and always will be, handled by the Coast Guard and other US organizations. The Unions still do the work, same employees, same containers, same everything...just some paper gets shuffled.
The best way to get the middle east on our side is to show that cooperation leads to cooperation for those that behave. In general....you don't blow up shiit that you own. We HAVE to win over some of the big players in the middle east. I think it works the opposite of what most people think....if a middle east company operates a port....it's going to ask the terrorist not to go blowing up my port, go blow up something else.
I give it my tenative go ahead....we gotta throw a bone now and then to see who picks it up.
JohnnyB
The best way to get the middle east on our side is to show that cooperation leads to cooperation for those that behave. In general....you don't blow up shiit that you own. We HAVE to win over some of the big players in the middle east. I think it works the opposite of what most people think....if a middle east company operates a port....it's going to ask the terrorist not to go blowing up my port, go blow up something else.
I give it my tenative go ahead....we gotta throw a bone now and then to see who picks it up.
JohnnyB
On its own merits, fiscally-structurally-operational no big deal. But the Optics and Politics are ugly no getting around same, more of an emotional issue , and in that sense a tough one to win but for a second term President perhaps it is irrelevant.
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1,246 Posts
I can see why people are uneasy (and I normally avoid politics with friends and family) but working in business and dealing with importing products regularly, there is no real threat as others have stated.
Most the ships coming into the US are owned by comapnies that are not American.
Most the ships coming into the US are owned by comapnies that are not American.
You know what pisses me off?
How sheeplike this country has become, I mean it always was to an extent but its gotten worse in the past 10 yrs EASILY. If all business people made a habit of forming an opinion before doing any research in the matter, I can pretty much guarantee you they'd all fail.
The bottom line is this country is supposed to be the best place to live and work in, in the whole world. Where bigotry and discrimination is frowned upon and downright illegal. But yet, we have an ENTIRE party (and quite a few on the other side on this topic) who is clueless on how bad it makes US look when you discriminate against a group of people for their race or religion.
The group of @ssholes that call themselves 'unbiased' media once again jumped the gun and went with the huge headlines just to make waves for this Administration, doesnt surprise me much its been happening for 5 yrs now.
For yrs, Ive always voiced my opinion that I dont like the fact that foreign companies are buying OUR businesses and/or landmarks. Low and behold, it was always a liberal telling me how wrong that rationale is.....now look at where we are.
Last month, that former douchebag VP Al Sore continues to bash this Administration in Saudi Arabia, no less, on how poorly this Admin has handled their people since the start of the war. CLEARLY trying to make Bush & Co. look bad and basically fell short of calling him a racist. NOW these very same people are trying to stop this sale from happening. The funny thing about this speech is he was paid to go there by none other than the BinLaden family. Hmmmm where are all the conspiracy theorists spewing all their fudged up "look look he has ties to the BinLaden family" remarks that we had to listen to about Bush's relationship with them???
Help me understand how you can justify such an action and what message are we sending to the rest of the world with this fight?
+1 on JB's post btw.
How sheeplike this country has become, I mean it always was to an extent but its gotten worse in the past 10 yrs EASILY. If all business people made a habit of forming an opinion before doing any research in the matter, I can pretty much guarantee you they'd all fail.
The bottom line is this country is supposed to be the best place to live and work in, in the whole world. Where bigotry and discrimination is frowned upon and downright illegal. But yet, we have an ENTIRE party (and quite a few on the other side on this topic) who is clueless on how bad it makes US look when you discriminate against a group of people for their race or religion.
The group of @ssholes that call themselves 'unbiased' media once again jumped the gun and went with the huge headlines just to make waves for this Administration, doesnt surprise me much its been happening for 5 yrs now.
For yrs, Ive always voiced my opinion that I dont like the fact that foreign companies are buying OUR businesses and/or landmarks. Low and behold, it was always a liberal telling me how wrong that rationale is.....now look at where we are.
Last month, that former douchebag VP Al Sore continues to bash this Administration in Saudi Arabia, no less, on how poorly this Admin has handled their people since the start of the war. CLEARLY trying to make Bush & Co. look bad and basically fell short of calling him a racist. NOW these very same people are trying to stop this sale from happening. The funny thing about this speech is he was paid to go there by none other than the BinLaden family. Hmmmm where are all the conspiracy theorists spewing all their fudged up "look look he has ties to the BinLaden family" remarks that we had to listen to about Bush's relationship with them???
Help me understand how you can justify such an action and what message are we sending to the rest of the world with this fight?
+1 on JB's post btw.
Joined
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366 Posts
Have kinda the same deal going down her in Indiana. foreign company wanting to lease the Toll Road. 3.8 billion dollar lease for 75 years. 3.8 billion would fund our transprotation buget for the next 10 years. Indiana has a lot of project that could be done with this money. But lot of people are uneasy untill they read the details. Should know more about the deal if it goes thru next week I think. Alot of people are against it because a foreign company would own it.
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720 Posts
Dubai company agrees to postpone US port takeover
Photo: AFP
WASHINGTON (AFP) - A United Arab Emirates company has agreed to postpone its plans to take over management of six US ports after the proposed deal ignited harsh criticism from both Democrats and Republicans on national security grounds.
In a written statement released late Thursday, the state-owned Dubai Ports World said it will not assume control of the terminals until US lawmakers have time to study the deal.
"The reaction in the United States has occurred in no other country in the world," DP World chief operating officer Ted Bilkey said in the statement. "We need to understand the concerns of the people in the US who are worried about this transaction and make sure that they are address to the benefit of all parties. Security is everybody's business."
The company statement came hours after Deputy White House Chief of Staff Karl Rove said in a radio interview that President George W. Bush, who has vowed to veto any move by lawmakers to block the deal, might consider a postponement after all.
"Look, there are some hurdles, regulatory hurdles ... that are going to be concluded next week. There's no requirement that it close, you know, immediately after that," Rove told Fox News Radio.
The conciliatory words came as officials from a dozen federal agencies took part in a US Senate briefing on plans for DP World to acquire the British firm P and O which currently manages the six US ports.
US Senator Chuck Schumer welcomed he Bush administration's olive branch.
"A small delay is an excellent idea and would give a chance for a solution amiable to all sides to follow," the New York Democrat said in a statement.
The parade of officials on Capitol Hill sought to allay lawmakers' outrage at not having been notified in advance about the plan, which they said could leave America exposed to future acts of terror.
The administration has found few congressional allies in the controversy which analysts said could lead not only to the first veto of the Bush presidency, but to an almost certain override by Congress -- potentially a major setback for the president.
Administration officials testified that the UAE has been a stalwart ally in the US-led war on terror, and was worthy of being trusted to manage US seaports, but Senator Carl Levin, the top Democrat on the committee, deemed Dubai's record to be lacking.
"The UAE was apparently one of only a handful of countries in the world to recognize the Taliban regime in Afghanistan, whose support of Osama bin Laden and Al-Qaeda led to the events of 9/11," Levin said, referring to the September 11, 2001 terror attacks.
"Millions of dollars in Al-Qaeda funds went through UAE financial institutions," Levin said.
Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon England told lawmakers however that the fears have been overblown, assuring them the UAE is "a friend and an ally of the United States."
He added that the vetting process for the deal "was not cursory and was not casual," but rather was "in-depth and comprehensive" and expressed concern that the outcry over the sale would be perceived as "paranoid and isolationist."
President Bush said Thursday that an improved flow of information with members of Congress likely would help to dispel doubts.
"The more people learn about the transaction that has been scrutinized and approved by my government, the more they'll be comforted that our ports will be secure," Bush told reporters as he met with his cabinet.
"We will continue to talk to people in Congress and explain clearly why the decision was made," said Bush.
The White House also stressed that security at the ports will still fall to the US Coast Guard, US Customs, and US Border Patrol.
Unless delayed or blocked, the transaction is to be finalized on March 2, and the ports affected are in New York; Miami; Newark, New Jersey; Baltimore, Maryland; New Orleans, Louisiana; and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Meanwhile, Dubai Ports World has undertaken its own public relations offensive, hiring former US Senator Bob Dole to help salvage the 6.8 billion dollar deal, according to media reports.
Analysts think a delay in implementing the deal is necessary to defuse a political confrontation between Bush and Congress and permit the administration time to allay public fears.
A delay of up to 60 days would "get people to back off the ledge here and give everybody a chance to back down," said Republican consultant Rich Galen.
http://asia.news.yahoo.com/060224/afp/060224210209top.html
Photo: AFP
WASHINGTON (AFP) - A United Arab Emirates company has agreed to postpone its plans to take over management of six US ports after the proposed deal ignited harsh criticism from both Democrats and Republicans on national security grounds.
In a written statement released late Thursday, the state-owned Dubai Ports World said it will not assume control of the terminals until US lawmakers have time to study the deal.
"The reaction in the United States has occurred in no other country in the world," DP World chief operating officer Ted Bilkey said in the statement. "We need to understand the concerns of the people in the US who are worried about this transaction and make sure that they are address to the benefit of all parties. Security is everybody's business."
The company statement came hours after Deputy White House Chief of Staff Karl Rove said in a radio interview that President George W. Bush, who has vowed to veto any move by lawmakers to block the deal, might consider a postponement after all.
"Look, there are some hurdles, regulatory hurdles ... that are going to be concluded next week. There's no requirement that it close, you know, immediately after that," Rove told Fox News Radio.
The conciliatory words came as officials from a dozen federal agencies took part in a US Senate briefing on plans for DP World to acquire the British firm P and O which currently manages the six US ports.
US Senator Chuck Schumer welcomed he Bush administration's olive branch.
"A small delay is an excellent idea and would give a chance for a solution amiable to all sides to follow," the New York Democrat said in a statement.
The parade of officials on Capitol Hill sought to allay lawmakers' outrage at not having been notified in advance about the plan, which they said could leave America exposed to future acts of terror.
The administration has found few congressional allies in the controversy which analysts said could lead not only to the first veto of the Bush presidency, but to an almost certain override by Congress -- potentially a major setback for the president.
Administration officials testified that the UAE has been a stalwart ally in the US-led war on terror, and was worthy of being trusted to manage US seaports, but Senator Carl Levin, the top Democrat on the committee, deemed Dubai's record to be lacking.
"The UAE was apparently one of only a handful of countries in the world to recognize the Taliban regime in Afghanistan, whose support of Osama bin Laden and Al-Qaeda led to the events of 9/11," Levin said, referring to the September 11, 2001 terror attacks.
"Millions of dollars in Al-Qaeda funds went through UAE financial institutions," Levin said.
Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon England told lawmakers however that the fears have been overblown, assuring them the UAE is "a friend and an ally of the United States."
He added that the vetting process for the deal "was not cursory and was not casual," but rather was "in-depth and comprehensive" and expressed concern that the outcry over the sale would be perceived as "paranoid and isolationist."
President Bush said Thursday that an improved flow of information with members of Congress likely would help to dispel doubts.
"The more people learn about the transaction that has been scrutinized and approved by my government, the more they'll be comforted that our ports will be secure," Bush told reporters as he met with his cabinet.
"We will continue to talk to people in Congress and explain clearly why the decision was made," said Bush.
The White House also stressed that security at the ports will still fall to the US Coast Guard, US Customs, and US Border Patrol.
Unless delayed or blocked, the transaction is to be finalized on March 2, and the ports affected are in New York; Miami; Newark, New Jersey; Baltimore, Maryland; New Orleans, Louisiana; and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Meanwhile, Dubai Ports World has undertaken its own public relations offensive, hiring former US Senator Bob Dole to help salvage the 6.8 billion dollar deal, according to media reports.
Analysts think a delay in implementing the deal is necessary to defuse a political confrontation between Bush and Congress and permit the administration time to allay public fears.
A delay of up to 60 days would "get people to back off the ledge here and give everybody a chance to back down," said Republican consultant Rich Galen.
http://asia.news.yahoo.com/060224/afp/060224210209top.html
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17,732 Posts
I don't like selling America to foreign interests. Makes me-shootin' finger kinda nervous. I don't like assssholes behind the counter who barely speak English giving my nephew a hard time cause he is a little slow on putting his cash on the counter because he can't understand the price coming out of their alien pie hole. I don't like paying thousands of dollars a year for service contracts only to find that when I need the help, I am routed to some 8 dollar an hour jerk off in India whom I can't understand 3/4 of the mush coming out of his wind cave just so some stock holding jagoff can realize another God Damn 20¢ increase in his shiiteating dividend!!!!!!!!!!!! It's a pain in the asss these days not knowing if the things we buy are making profits for people and countries who can't stand the very existance of our country! The sellouts are performed by groups of people that have no interest in maintaining our Soverinity, no, they are interested in making the big bucks in their pitifully short lifetime. Fuk em in the ass for not looking at the greater picture.
On a personal note, I pitty the foreign asswipe that looks down his nose to me in my country. This is my soil. And I'll pick a bit of it up, with a few rocks included and bury it in his pimply beaked overseas facial profile with my own bare hands.
There is iron in the words of Chief Ten Bears......................................
"When at all possible, buy American (Indian, too)"
On a personal note, I pitty the foreign asswipe that looks down his nose to me in my country. This is my soil. And I'll pick a bit of it up, with a few rocks included and bury it in his pimply beaked overseas facial profile with my own bare hands.
There is iron in the words of Chief Ten Bears......................................
"When at all possible, buy American (Indian, too)"
Joined
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17,732 Posts
Well, uhhhhhh, I think this type of uhhhhh anger? is kinda healthy. Mmmmmm don't you guysdadogs said:Now about those anger management pillls we discussed
You know, the staff is always late with my med cup. But it's OK. It gives me extra time to chew on these checkers.
G
Guest
·Land of the free, and guardians of a free market economy?
haha, funniest thing all year
Land of the paranoid and fearful, and guardians of the protectionist economy more like.
Now I've made the hot-heads angry enough to click reply and rant at me, without reading on - I shall continue!
UAE, a federation of states (sound familiar?) made up of free, peace loving peoples (sound familiar) who like their guns, big engines, motorsport and making money (still sound familiar?).
They're a nation who control about 80% of the world's crude oil at some point or another anyway as it passed through them either in (dwindling) production or as a safe harbour for the super-tankers to dock before going underway, or actually loading from the pipelines.
So for those who get fidgety, they have your collective gonads in their hands anyway. If they wanted to squeeze and cause pain for some underhanded devious reason they'd not do it by letting some dodgy mangos in, or importing foreign workers through ports.
The ports are already foreign-owned anyway - dontcha know - so where's the fear?
The UAE is a stable progressive westernising Arab federation that invests billions in businesses and other pursuits in our countries already and will continue to do so. Their very survival relies on our good relationships since their oil reserves are running out in the next 15 years and they'll have to survive on foreign trade, and tourism. An example of how free and westernised they are - The head honcho Sheikh Makhtoum (snr, now late) was a racing stable owner and amassed his pocket money from winnings in international horse-racing. Not a particularly devout pass-time for someone you may suspect of being on Osama's IM buddy list eh.
If you want to meet any nice friendly UAE type chaps, pop along to Laguna Seca in the next few weeks for the A1 GP - an international race series owned and run by Sheikh Makhtoum al Makhtoum (jnr).
They're safe, your ports are safe, get over yourselves!
Besides, if an American firm ran it, it'd only go bust or get shut down for some illegal practice or another At least this way it'll be above board and legit!
haha, funniest thing all year
Land of the paranoid and fearful, and guardians of the protectionist economy more like.
Now I've made the hot-heads angry enough to click reply and rant at me, without reading on - I shall continue!
UAE, a federation of states (sound familiar?) made up of free, peace loving peoples (sound familiar) who like their guns, big engines, motorsport and making money (still sound familiar?).
They're a nation who control about 80% of the world's crude oil at some point or another anyway as it passed through them either in (dwindling) production or as a safe harbour for the super-tankers to dock before going underway, or actually loading from the pipelines.
So for those who get fidgety, they have your collective gonads in their hands anyway. If they wanted to squeeze and cause pain for some underhanded devious reason they'd not do it by letting some dodgy mangos in, or importing foreign workers through ports.
The ports are already foreign-owned anyway - dontcha know - so where's the fear?
The UAE is a stable progressive westernising Arab federation that invests billions in businesses and other pursuits in our countries already and will continue to do so. Their very survival relies on our good relationships since their oil reserves are running out in the next 15 years and they'll have to survive on foreign trade, and tourism. An example of how free and westernised they are - The head honcho Sheikh Makhtoum (snr, now late) was a racing stable owner and amassed his pocket money from winnings in international horse-racing. Not a particularly devout pass-time for someone you may suspect of being on Osama's IM buddy list eh.
If you want to meet any nice friendly UAE type chaps, pop along to Laguna Seca in the next few weeks for the A1 GP - an international race series owned and run by Sheikh Makhtoum al Makhtoum (jnr).
They're safe, your ports are safe, get over yourselves!
Besides, if an American firm ran it, it'd only go bust or get shut down for some illegal practice or another
At least this way it'll be above board and legit! G
Guest
·hello, btw
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