Bill would stop sale of port operations to Arabs

[annabanana]

WASHINGTON - Democratic Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York and Robert Menendez of New Jersey have introduced legislation to prohibit companies owned or controlled by foreign governments from buying U.S. port operations.
The measure is intended to block the $6.8 billion sale of a company that operates six U.S. ports to a firm controlled by the United Arab Emirates.

"Our port security is too important to place in the hands of foreign governments," Clinton said in a statement Friday.

A bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers on Thursday called for hearings on the purchase of London-based Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Co., the U.K.'s largest port operator, by DP World, Dubai's port company. With the acquisition, DP World would gain control over most operations at ports in New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Miami, Baltimore and New Orleans.

- more -

http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20060218/1054738.asp

Surely we can get some Repubicans on board here, no?

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. I'd think that any Republican would want to sign on

but especially those up for election this year.

[annabanana]

2. We should ride this story clear up the media pole. . n/t

[adriennui]

3. bush defended the sale during his radio address

the chimp is determined to see the sale completed. in my opinion this is worthy of impeachement. he's beginning to scare the hell out of me. he's irrational.

[Frances]

4. Glad you posted this.

Weren't some DUers on another thread saying that the Dems should do something like this?

[spindrifter]

5. But wait a minute!

DP World is buying P & O. P & O is British and already is doing the port ops. We need to be clear that this has brought to public attention the fact that port ops have been handled by companies that are not U.S.-owned. Otherwise, they will throw P & O back in our faces. My question is why is P & O selling off? I thought, based on its website, that it was doing pretty well in port operations, especially container ops, and real estate. I may be wrong, but I think the real estate holdings are port-related.

[MaraJade]

6. Britain is friendly to US Interests.

UAE is NOT.

We are literally selling the ports to terrorists and terrorist supporters. that is the emphasis we must
maintain.

[pitohui]

9. UAE is not friendly to usa interests?

this is not saudi arabia or pakistan we're talking abt ya know?

yeah, clinton is yanking a chain, she knows damn well it was foreign owned to begin with, this is playing to the mob but if not why not, the GOP does it and we'll have to do it too to catch up

doesn't mean we the sheeple have to pretend to believe that every single arab nation is saudi arabia paying off hijackers and suicide bombers

my impression of UAE -- and if it's completely wrong correct me -- is all they care about is the dollar bill or the euro bill, they're not out to convert anybody

hell, you really think they believe whacko jacko is a muslim or nation of islam or what have you, i do not think so!

[AntiFascist]

18. That's much of the problem, if all they're interested is dollars....

then all it will take is some money waved at them and who knows what gets transported to or from the UAE ports? Also, with the kind of money Arab sheiks possess, some may even be able to bribe the strichtest of regulators. I know this would be possible even if a British company owned the ports, but the fact that the UAE government, which has a stake in this company, also is directly linked to banks which have laundered money for Osama bin Ladin, makes the issue much worse because they already have known links to the terrorists.

[Zorro]

7. Time for some Democratic fear-mongering

Take a page from the Republican playbook and flog it for what its worth. "Bush and Republicans approve major port operations to be controlled by an Arab company" will really resonate with middle America and will force even the most jingoistic Bush lover to either condemn the action or defend it and sound like a fool to his neighbors.

It's time for the Democrats to appeal to the sheeple's emotions. Question Republican patriotism -- if they really cared about defending the US, why would Bush allow this to happen? Promote the corruption theme -- Republicans are the party that will sell out the security of Americans to the highest bidder; just look at Randy Cunningham, a traitor to his country.

This issue can be made into a real winner for the Democrats, if they aren't too afraid to play the emotional card.

[7MM]

10. But what about Long Beach Naval Shipyard?

Way back when (not that long ago, it just seems like it) when Clinton was President there was talk from his Administration concerning plans to sell the old military, L.B. shipyard--to the Chinese!
I'm glad that got stopped, and now this? This might be worse. Yes, the Democrats should pursue this, but not by "fear mongering",
but calm reason. Certain things need to stay in trusted hands---hands that also are under this nations laws, not some foreign
agency or agent, with perhaps other competing agendas.

Instead of politicizing (read "polarizing") it overly much, this could be one of those "reach across the aisle", issues, where
individuals from both Democrat & Republican parties could find agreement.

On so many things, what we, this Nation needs, is bi-partisan agreement.

[pitohui]

11. bi-partisan agreement to be racist?

it's OK to be owned by brits, they're white folks, but it's bad to be owned by UAE, they're arabs

i dunno, i understand why clinton has to pursue this for the greater good of getting the dickheads out of office but jeebus, i'm awfully queasy abt this one, it's awfully close to race baiting for my taste

[7MM]

12. not racism, but security

Regardless, we should also take pains to "be polite" to those based in the UAE, if we find it in this nations's best interest to block the sale, or control of our own port assests. Surely a way can be found...

[NobleCynic]

15. Not sure...

Welcome to DU by the way

[paulthompson]

21. Not racist

Because the leaders of the UAE have had long standing connections to al-Qaeda. Check out for instance this entry in my 9/11 timeline:

February 1999: Bin Laden Missile Strike Called Off for Fear of Hitting Persian Gulf Royalty
Intelligence reports foresee the presence of bin Laden at a desert hunting camp in Afghanistan for about a week. Information on his presence appears reliable, so preparations are made to target his location with cruise missiles. However, intelligence also puts an official aircraft of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and members of the royal family from that country in the same location. Bin Laden is hunting with the Emirati royals, as he did with leaders from the UAE and Saudi Arabia on other occasions (see 1995-2001). Policy makers are concerned that a strike might kill a prince or other senior officials, so the strike never happens. A top UAE official at the time denies that high-level officials are there, but evidence subsequently confirms their presence. (9/11 Commission Report, 3/24/04 (B))

Note that this takes place AFTER the 1998 US embassy bombings, when Osama becomes a household name as the world's most wanted terrorist.

This part of a pattern that goes very deep. For instance, this:

1995-2001: Persian Gulf Elite Go Hunting with bin Laden in Afghanistan
After the Taliban takes control of the area around Kandahar, Afghanistan, in September 1994, prominent Persian Gulf state officials and businessmen, including high-ranking United Arab Emirates and Saudi government ministers, such as Saudi intelligence minister Prince Turki al-Faisal, frequently secretly fly into Kandahar on state and private jets for hunting expeditions. (Los Angeles Times, 11/18/01) General Wayne Downing, Bush's former national director for combating terrorism, says: “They would go out and see Osama, spend some time with him, talk with him, you know, live out in the tents, eat the simple food, engage in falconing, some other pursuits, ride horses. One noted visitor is Sheik Mohammed ibn Rashid al Maktum, United Arab Emirates Defense Minister and Crown Prince for the emirate of Dubai.” (MSNBC, 9/5/03) While there, some develop ties to the Taliban and al-Qaeda and give them money. Both bin Laden and Taliban leader Mullah Omar sometimes participate in these hunting trips. Former US and Afghan officials suspect that the dignitaries' outbound jets may also have smuggled out al-Qaeda and Taliban personnel. (Los Angeles Times, 11/18/01)

Much of the 9/11 plot was implemented from the United Arab Emirates, particularly the emirate of Sharjah, which is a mini-Taliban type entity that not many people know about. I could go on and on, but suffice to say there are some very real reasons to worry about any UAE company owning any US ports.

[ljm2002]

25. Don't politicize it?

Hogwash.

"reach across the aisle"?

The day this current administration and the rest of the corrupt conservative crew in Congress is kicked out on its collective ass, is the day I'll ask my party to operate in a bipartisan fashion. Until then, I expect them to do whatever is necessary to oppose, obstruct and otherwise get in the way of the destructive juggernaut that is the current Republican party and in particular, the Bush administration.

"...both Democrat & Republican parties"???

A little friendly advice: try using the name that the Democrats use for their own party, which is, the "Democratic" party.

If you forget, just look at the top of the page, where the name of this site is printed plain as day, the "Democratic Underground".

Oh, and welcome to DU!

[AndyA]

34. What ljm2002 said... n/m

[uppityperson]

8. Good for them. Do your job legislators. nt

[BenDavid]

13. Another freebie handed

to the Democrats. Oh how the gifts just keep on coming, but the Dems are too damn lazy to take advantage of them. This time all the Dems in Congress should all come together and ram this bill down the throat of president warhardon bush.....This is the Dems chance to show they are tough on security of America, and force the repugs to sign on to this....bush however believes this is veto proof. Well, all I can say is time to show him that is time of running over the Dems is gone.... If you going to be a bear....BE A DAMN GRIZZLEY......

[sandnsea]

22. This is Dem legislation

What the fuck are you talking about? This story just broke and they're already on it. Why don't you do something to get this story into your local news and onto the teevee and help instead of just piss whine and moan.

[BenDavid]

24. Excuse me but

what part of" This time all the Dems in Congress should all come together and ram this bill down the throat of president warhardon bush.....This is the Dems chance to show they are tough on security of America, and force the repugs to sign on to this....bush however believes this is veto proof. Well, all I can say is time to show him that is time of running over the Dems is gone...

and you going to write me and tell me the Dems in congress have not let many things pass them over and not lifted a hand. Hell fella, we can do all the writing, calling emailing to our Senators, congress folks, but unless the dems grow a pair and take on the repugs how in the world are they ever going to recapture the congress.....

[Nothing Without Hope]

14. Here is a compilation of threads I've seen on the Dubai sale - LINKS:

You'll see some that also mention the Clinton/Menendez bill. Personally, I think we're lucky that in this situation Hillary's ambitious calculations coincide with the national interest and wish her and Sen. Menendez well. I also think it's likely that many GOP senators would rather be pickled in brine than agree with Hillary Clinton about ANYTHING. I expect somebody else may also introduce a bill.

My unofficial Dubai sale thread compilation:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x2454971
thread title (2-12-06 GD-P): 911 Bankers to Run SIX Major U.S. Ports—Dubai(UAE). IMPEACH NOW!!!
Comment/excerpt: “Six ports will be run and protected by a Dubai based port management company (DP World): New York, New Jersey, Baltimore, New Orleans, Miami and Philadelphia. The deal was approved by a “U.S. government panel coordinated out of the White House. Just prior to the deal, David C. Sanborn of Virginia was appointed as administrator of the Maritime Administration of the Transportation Department. Sanborn worked as DP World's director of operations for Europe and Latin America.…. A company in the United Arab Emirates is poised to take over significant operations at six American ports as part of a corporate sale, leaving a country with ties to the Sept. 11 hijackers with influence over a maritime industry considered vulnerable to terrorism.“
Also gives info on Dubai’s links to suspected terrorist financing and money laundering.

Even the freepers are upset about this outrage:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x446111
thread title (2-16-06 GD): Freepers JUST AS MAD About the Port Control Issue... Common Ground?
Comment/excerpt: Free Republic posts expressing concern/outrage over Dubai operating 6 major US ports.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x446003
thread title (2-16-06 GD): OK!!! I think the Pres. just cut his own throat!!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2113537
thread title (2-16-06 LBN): White House Defends Port Operations Sale
Comment/excerpt: Yahoo News/AP. “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 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….”

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x453502
thread title (2-17-06 GD): Freeper and neocon websites unable to put a spin on the UAE port takeover
Comment/excerpt: COMPILATION post with many links and good explanation, for example of the role played by GOLD in the money trail to al Qaeda. Also that the United Arab Emirates were one of the THREE COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD THAT RECOGNIZED THE TALIBAN AS THE LEGITIMATE GOVERNMENT OF AFGHANISTAN. Much more on the obvious security disaster this deal would be and why.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x452192
thread title (2-17-06 GD): Excellent! "Democrats plan bill to block Dubai-US port deal"
Comment/excerpt: Reuters: “Two U.S. Democratic senators said on Friday they would introduce legislation aimed at blocking Dubai Ports World from buying a company that operates several U.S. shipping ports because of security concerns. Robert Menendez of New Jersey and Hillary Clinton of New York said they would offer a measure to ban companies owned or controlled by foreign governments from acquiring U.S. port operations.” Hillary is calculating that the GOPs and Dems will like this position and it will boost her presidential chances, but I wouldn’t care WHO was calling for sanity in this.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2115471
thread title (2-17-06 LBN): US Democrats plan bill to block Dubai-US port deal
Comment/excerpt: Cites same Reuters article as the preceding thread in GD.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x460075
thread title (2-18-06 GD): Please tell me why every other thread is not about the sale of the ports?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x461270#462457
thread title (2-18-06 GD): In light of the sale of 6 US ports to the United Arab Emirates, PNAC VIDEO
Comment/excerpt: Links to two Dutch VIDEOS, one 20 min and one 48 min. They are in English about the PNAC, the Carlyle group, and the greedy corporate network ruling the world today.. Reply #8 has a summary. Excerpt: “No civilised country would tolerate the close relationship Carlyle and, by practical extension, United States' president George W. Bush, enjoy with the Saudi royal family and its cohorts in terror, repression and murder. The behaviour of those setting the agenda of our global future is unconscionable at best and downright evil when taken at face value. The documentary is thoroughly researched, well presented, and carries no trace of the conspiratorial. The facts speak for themselves. Sowing death, destruction and terror about the globe, George W. Bush and his power-crazed sidekicks, supporters and collaborators are everything they pretend others to be; namely, global terrorists bent on furthering selfish interests.”

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2118357
thread title (2-18-06 LBN): Firm Sues to Block Foreign Port Takeover
Comment/excerpt: AP at Yahoo News and CBS – link in Reply #1. Excerpt: …“The Miami company, a subsidiary of Eller & Company Inc., presently is a business partner with London-based Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Co., which Dubai Ports World purchased last week. In a lawsuit in Florida circuit court, the Miami subsidiary said that under the sale it will become an "involuntary partner" with Dubai's government and it may seek more than $10 million in damages. The Miami subsidiary, Continental Stevedoring & Terminals Inc., said the sale to Dubai was prohibited under its partnership agreement with the British firm and "may endanger the national security of the United States." It asked a judge to block the takeover and said it does not believe the company, Florida or the U.S. government can ensure Dubai Ports World's compliance with American security rules.” …
Reply #4 Cites and excerpts an important article on the Dubai sale in the Feb 12 Washington Post that describes the secretive process by which a government panel raised no objection to the sale:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/11/AR2006021101112.html

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2118356
thread title (2-18-06 LBN): Bill would stop sale of port operations to Arabs
Comment/excerpt: An editorial from Buffalo. Excerpt: “Democratic Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York and Robert Menendez of New Jersey have introduced legislation to prohibit companies owned or controlled by foreign governments from buying U.S. port operations. The measure is intended to block the $6.8 billion sale of a company that operates six U.S. ports to a firm controlled by the United Arab Emirates.“

[fooj]

16. Once again...you come through with the goods.

Thanks for all that you do.:hug:

Peace.

[Nothing Without Hope]

17. Thank you, Fooj. Have a good night.

:hug: Your appreciation is very much appreciated, if you know what I mean. It's good to know that people find posts helpful, especially when they're old DU friends.

edited to add - BTW, any time you (or anyone else) see one of my unofficial compilations and want it reposted in plain text format so the URLs are not truncated, post to let me know. Or if you know of an important thread I've overlooked, please give me a link to it so I can add it.

I keep my running compilations in monthly Word documents - very easy automatic formatting/typing and searching that way - and I can paste into a DU thread when I want. At the moment, my February file (with small type and very wide margins) is 40 pages long. Maybe I should get a life...

[annabanana]

19. kickin' in the am! . . . . . .n/t

[Nothing Without Hope]

20. Two more threads to add to the COMPILATION - LINKS:

I'm sure there are many more that I have missed, but "some" is better than none.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2118060
thread title (2-18-06 LBN): Fear Escalates on Foreign Control of Ports
Comment/excerpt: Washington Post, same title. Excerpt: “WASHINGTON -- A New Jersey congressman said Saturday he wants to require that security officials at U.S. ports be American citizens to prevent overseas companies operating shipping facilities here from hiring foreigners in such sensitive positions. Republican Frank A. LoBiondo, chairman of the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee, cited "significant" security concerns over a $6.8 billion sale that gives a company in the United Arab Emirates control over operations at six major American ports. LoBiondo said he wants the new mandatory citizenship requirements approved by Congress and President Bush before state-owned Dubai Ports World completes its pending purchase of London-based Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Co. … Caught by surprise over the breadth of concerns expressed in the United States, Dubai Ports World is cautiously organizing its response. The company quietly dispatched advisers to reassure port officials along the East Coast, and its chief operating officer _ internationally respected American shipping executive Edward "Ted" H. Bilkey _ was expected to travel to Washington soon for meetings on Capitol Hill and elsewhere.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x463914
thread title (2-19-06 GD): Arab Takeover of US Ports Seen as Security 'Insanity'
Comment/excerpt: Worldnetdaily link. Excerpt: UAE has known ties to terrorists and 9/11 hijackers, raising concerns at the ports involved: New York, Baltimore, New Jersey, New Orleans, Miami and Philadelphia. … "On the face of it, this looks like fucking insanity to me", said a Republican member of the New York City council, James Oddo. "This shouldn't happen. It really boggles the mind", Rachel Ehrenfeld, director of the American Center for Democracy said. "The UAE is a hub for all kinds of terrorist activities." "Should we be outsourcing our own security?"...Senator Chuck Schumer said on Fox News.

[IDemo]

31. Adding one (self kick) --

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...
thread title (2-19-06 GD): If one of the six ports were to be attacked before '08
Comment/excerpt: "Especially if it is revealed that the attack was facilitated by the sale of port authority to a company from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), would this not be the final railroad spike in the coffin of the present administration? Would it not also eliminate any chances the repubs may have had otherwise in the 2008 election? (Let's pretend for the purposes of this topic that our elections will be fair and transparent)."

[Nothing Without Hope]

32. Great! I'll add it to my list too. Thanks for including the same info I

do in mine.  In case it would be useful to you, I'll give the
HTML-formatted tamplate I use.  (It's why this is in Plain
Text Format).  Note that there are only TWO lines to the
format:

(first line not counted) - the pasted URL of the thread
(Second line of entry - FIRST LINE OF TEMPLATE) - The thread
title, date, forum
(Third line of entry - SECOND LINE OF TEMPLATE) - optional -
comments and/or exerpt in small print so as to take little
room in a long list (my February thread list is over 40 pages
already, even with very wide margins).  I also use a type face
(Palitino) and italics to further set it off.  But it's true
that if it is quoted alone, it's better to do what you did and
use a larger type.

Here is the format of th second and third lines, beginning
after the line with the URL.  If the short lines at DU break
it into more than two text lines, you'll need to remove
carriage returns to get back to two lines:

 * * * * * * * * * * * 

thread title (2-0-06 GD):  [b] TITLE [/b]
[font size="2"
face="Palatino"][i]Comment/excerpt: COMMENT
[/font][/i] 


 * * * * * * * * * * 

[Nothing Without Hope]

33. Hmmmm - I clicked on the link and got a "not found" - was it scrubbed? n/t

[IDemo]

35. Too late to edit, try this link ->

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=468976&mesg_id=468976

[crispini]

23. Good.

I think it's time to start an activist alert about this, yes? I think I'll PM Skinner.

[annabanana]

26. cubester kick. . . n/t

[1932]

27. Remember: we couldn't sell an oil company to the Chinese for security

reasons.

What's the logic that makes selling a port OK?

[DoYouEverWonder]

28. Problem is we don't have control of these ports

since we sold them to the Brits and now the Brits are bailing out and selling them to the Arabs.

I don't see how we can pass legislation now to control the business deals of a foreign entity who is apparently is the rightful owner?

[1932]

29. Just asking what the logic is for not allowing a foreign country to

own a private american oil company but not a port. If it makes sense for the port, maybe it makes sense for the oil company too.

I don't know how ports operated, but nationalization is always an option too. Just because something is foreign owned today doesn't mean it should be foreign or privately owned forever.

Hey, I do know something about ports. I remember reading in the paper about the Port of Oakland. Apparently, decades ago the city allowed the port to be separted out from the city. Billions of dollars of business goes through that port, but, since it is its own couple-square mile political entity, none of that business is taxed, so the city sees no revenues, thus denying the city desperately needed money which could go towards the schools and hospitals and other infrastructure.

That's crazy.

[KittyWampus]

36. Ah, but to use a standard GOP phrase "9/11 changed everything"

:)

[VirginiaDem]

30. Big political blunder

by Bush and they can't get out of it and Dems are jumping on it and Repubs can't afford to back Bush on this and Bush never backs down. It may not be the Perfect Political Storm but it's close enough for government work.

Bush will continue to slide. This gives Repubs running for reelection a chance to put some room between themselves and the President (which is offset by Dems making up some of their security/terror poll deficit). That's the only grey lining to this golden cloud.