Arab Co., White House Had Secret Agreement

[CountAllVotes]

WASHINGTON - The Bush administration secretly required a company in the United Arab Emirates to cooperate with future U.S. investigations before approving its takeover of operations at six American ports, according to documents obtained by The Associated Press. It chose not to impose other, routine restrictions.

As part of the $6.8 billion purchase, state-owned Dubai Ports World agreed to reveal records on demand about "foreign operational direction" of its business at U.S. ports, the documents said. Those records broadly include details about the design, maintenance or operation of ports and equipment.

The administration did not require Dubai Ports to keep copies of business records on U.S. soil, where they would be subject to court orders. It also did not require the company to designate an American citizen to accommodate U.S. government requests. Outside legal experts said such obligations are routinely attached to U.S. approvals of foreign sales in other industries.

"They're not lax but they're not draconian," said James Lewis, a former U.S. official who worked on such agreements. If officials had predicted the firestorm of criticism over the deal, Lewis said, "they might have made them sound harder."

more ...


http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060223/ap_on_go_pr_wh/ports_security;_ylt=AlSwDpRZlY7DQpKOcuS6LEwGw_IE;_ylu=X3oDMTA3OXIzMDMzBHNlYwM3MDM-

:dem:

[BlueEyedSon]

1. And Bush didn't know about the port deal?

[saigon68]

11. The Chimpanzee doesn't know much about anything

He is a retarded Primate of the first order

[froshty1960]

38. He's confused about his "Us"

P&O Ports is a U.K. company. Dubai World is owned by the UAE. It's clear that Chimpy thought they were the same. ;)

[mom cat]

15. He always requires secret deals for things he doesn't know about.

:sarcasm:

[WePurrsevere]

27. Yup, just like Bush didn't know about NO flooding, didn't know there were

NOT WMDs in Iraq, doesn't know Jack, etc.

Sorry but I'm not buying anything this admin or the neo-CONs say w/o seeing it for myself or learning about it in more reliable sources.

[alcibiades_mystery]

2. D'oh

Double d'oh.

:rofl:

[wiley]

3. Unbelievable

This is real?

[CountAllVotes]

4. yes it is REAL

Found it accidentally via another Yahoo story I was reading. Shocked I'll tell ya, shocked! :sarcasm:

:dem: :kick:

[meganmonkey]

5. Oh boy

I didn't really think this port thing would have a real effect, I thought it would just get pushed off the pages by the next big story, until right now.

:wow:

[PhilipShore]

6. Can the White House legally make secret international corporate deals?

I am not a lawyer, but I thought all corporate International deals; are under some sort of merger and trading regulations?

[tocqueville]

21. and without bids ?????

OK they are used to Halliburton, but...

[Just Me]

40. and basically granting immunity from all US laws.

Incredible. Insane. Totally f-upped.

[JusticeForAll]

7. mmmm bushy is toast...

Dems gonna eats him alive, methinks!! :)

:popcorn:

[bigworld]

8. The REPUBS are gonna eat him alive.

... even better!

[whateveritis]

9. Eat him alive?

Shit the only thing any of them will do is hold a press conference and complain and not offer anything as a recourse. That has gone beyond boring :boring:

[HuffleClaw]

10. "The administration did not require...

...Dubai Ports to keep copies of business records on U.S. soil, where they would be subject to court orders." hmmmmmm.

iirc, there are two clear links to the white house in this deal.

[ConcernedCanuk]

20. Very handy for exporting arms to countries that may be suspect

.
.
.

doncha think?

Or import/export anything(or anybody) else that the Admin wants to avoid scrutiny on.

Makes a person go hmmmmmmm :freak:

[LiviaOlivia]

12. Why does Bush hate America?

Impeach the scum.

[MGKrebs]

13. Veto? Go ahead. Make my day.

Shrubbie's going to veto opposition to this train wreck? He is way more fucked up than even I thought.

They'll find him curled up in a closet in the fetal position beofre his term is up. Sucking his thumb with crap in his pants.

[CountAllVotes]

16. how does one "veto" their own lies?

Is this even possible or have we truly entered the Theatre of the Insane!

:dem: :kick:

[agingdem]

14. Doesn't mean squat. as far as

protecting our port from terrorism...only deals with the mechanics of operation.

[rodeodance]

17. this is rountine business transation--nothing more.

....The administration did not require Dubai Ports to keep copies of business records on U.S. soil, where they would be subject to court orders. It also did not require the company to designate an American citizen to accommodate U.S. government requests. Outside legal experts said such obligations are routinely attached to U.S. approvals of foreign sales in other industries.

[rodeodance]

18. Nothing in this says Bush knew. Recall that it is Snow who is the Chair

of committee--seems to me things were done-deal make and Bush only had to sign (which i do not think he has done yet).

[journalist3072]

19. Some kind of quid pro quo going on here???

And Idiot Son says he didn't know about the deal?

So I'm trying to understand: did the UAE have to agree to cooperate with any investigations into terrorist activity or attacks against the U.S.? Is that what happened?

[Just Me]

41. Aside from profits and kickbacks, military basing. eom

[leftchick]

22. kick

:grr:

[magellan]

23. By not requiring DP World's business records or an American designee

...BushCo have handed them carte blanche to do what they like with their operations at 6 US ports. ZERO ACCOUNTABILITY. In a SECRET agreement.

Why would Bush** secretly agree to hamstring the US legal system on behalf of this particular foreign-based company?

[trapper914]

50. Seems like this would be handy...

...for making illegal contributions to Rove-friendly politicians.

[truthisfreedom]

24. Arab Co., White House Had Secret Agent

and i want to know who it was.

[Massachusetts]

25. White House Had Secret Agreement

Treasonous Bastards! IMPEACH NOW!!!!!

[spinbaby]

26. It's on the yahoo front page

Vote it up.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060223/ap_on_go_pr_wh/ports_security

Right now the headline says:

Documents Reveal White House Deal on Ports

Earlier this morning, the headline said:

Documents Reveal White House Secret Deal on Ports


Looks like Rove's little editor has been at it.

[CountAllVotes]

42. you should see what it reads now!

Bush Says Ports Deal Not a Security Threat

Everything has changed 100% including the story itself! :grr:

What a lying sack o'shit!

LIAR! LIAR! LIAR! YOU ARE * and we caught YOU before the headline was CHANGED, ALONG WTIH THE STORY ITSELF!!! :grr: :grr:

:dem: :kick: :kick: :kick:

[AzDar]

28. Again, it's hard to believe Shrubby didn't know..since he threatened

to break-in his VETO stamp in order to thwart the deal from being halted.

[OKNancy]

29. kick

[TalkingDog]

30. Documents Reveal White House Deal on Ports

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060223/ap_on_go_pr_wh/ports_security;_ylt=AhcPrf02zBXF2ZopVVIhrk.s0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA3ODdxdHBhBHNlYwM5NjQ-

WASHINGTON - Under a secretive agreement with the Bush administration, a company in the United Arab Emirates promised to cooperate with U.S. investigations as a condition of its takeover of operations at six major American ports, according to documents obtained by The Associated Press.

The U.S. government chose not to impose other, routine restrictions.

In approving the $6.8 billion purchase, the administration chose not to require state-owned Dubai Ports World to keep copies of its business records on U.S. soil, where they would be subject to orders by American courts. It also did not require the company to designate an American citizen to accommodate requests by the government.

snip:
The disclosure of the negotiated conditions came as the White House acknowledged President Bush was unaware of the pending sale until the deal had been already approved by his administration.

[Captain Hilts]

31. No requirement to have ANY paperwork in the US. nt

[jimshoes]

32. Is it time to arrest these

crooks yet. What logical reason could there possibly be for not requiring documents located where they could be legally subpoenaed if need be. Why grand scale theft comes to mind, arms trafficking, money laundering, just pop right out. On edit, drug smuggling is another possibility too.

[Le Taz Hot]

33. And there's this . . .

In approving the $6.8 billion purchase, the administration chose not to require state-owned Dubai Ports World to keep copies of its business records on U.S. soil, where they would be subject to orders by American courts. It also did not require the company to designate an American citizen to accommodate requests by the government

And the MSM is spinning this as the "administration" made a deal wherein the UAE will narc on their neighbors.

Fascinating.

[screembloodymurder]

34. WTF is going on ?

He let's the foxes run the hen house and then tells them they don't have to account for the chickens???????????????

I think the military needs to step in and remove Bush. A special election should be held shortly thereafter..................... then again maybe that's what they want! Maybe their intent is to stir such unrest that we give our blessing to a military takeover. Martial law will be declared until the elections can be held. In the interim the dollar will be devalued and we will be trapped.
My head is exploding agggggghhhhhhhh.......boom.

[Captain Hilts]

35. Bush Admin doesn't believe in 'process'. Processes protect us.

From crooks and creeps.

[Just Me]

36. Aw shit!!! The administration basically granted them immunity!!!

That is so f-upped in SO MANY WAYS!!!

GAWD!!! We have freakin' crazies in charge!!! :eyes:

[sinkingfeeling]

39. And Condi said the deal 'had been fully vetted'...didn't she say the

same about the SOTU speech with th 'yellowcake' as well?

[Beetwasher]

37. There Is Only ONE CONCLUSION: They WANT US TO BE ATTACKED AGAIN

Seriously. What other fucking conclusion can you come to??? IF this was just about money, why allow a deal like this? This deal tells me they are PROACTIVELY making terrorism easier. There's really no other conclusion, otherwise they would never have allowed a deal like this? They are going out of their way to make it easier for terrorists to use our ports and get away w/ it. Why waive the most basic, routine requirements? Why choose not to require them?

[donkeyotay]

43. Wow. So if a nukular bomb blows up a major port, there will be a

second 9-11 whitewash. That's pretty tough.

"The Bush administration secretly required a company in the United Arab Emirates to cooperate with future U.S. investigations..."

It does sound like they're expecting a future investigation... if there's time before starting WWIII.

[twaddler01]

46. One conclusion

of which I would rather not believe right now. It is too horrid. :nuke:

[MADem]

44. When is John Warner up for reelection?? His stance could bite him in his

raggedy old ass:

The Republican head of the Senate Armed Services Committee, John Warner of Virginia, planned an oversight hearing Thursday. Warner has expressed support for the agreement, describing the UAE as an important ally against terrorism.

[twaddler01]

45. Not actually a surprise for me

nothing is surprise anymore from this administration except when they do something right...wait, they haven't yet!

[Rose Siding]

47. Were they promised they wouldn't be spyed on?

-since the govt is too busy spying on US citizens anyway?

[Career Prole]

48. Look, if an Arab country has no connection to al Qaeda

we have the right to occupy it.
If an Arab country does have al Qaeda connections they have the right to occupy us.
Black is white.
Up is down.

It's all so clear when seen through my new kaleidoscopic eyeglasses!
:banghead:

[DoYouEverWonder]

49. Apparently, the will of the people

no longer matters in this country.

Little Lord Pissypants doesn't give a shit what anyone says or thinks, he's going to do whatever he pleases.