Bashing McCain on security: the Dubai Ports deal

[eridani]

Either Clinton or Obama could use this, as their hands are clean.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/09/washington/09mccain.html?pagewanted=print

On a second front, after a famously rancorous primary battle with Mr. Bush in 2000, Mr. McCain has made a methodical effort to rebuild his standing with the Bush family. It started in 2004, when he latched himself to Mr. Bush's side, and has continued this year with his defense of an increasingly isolated Mr. Bush on the war in Iraq and the proposed Dubai ports deal.

http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2006/03/13/straw_poll/

McCain also went out of his way to bring up his support for the already scuttled Dubai ports deal in an almost perverse effort to demonstrate his loyalty to Bush on an issue over which virtually every other Republican jumped ship.

[bluestateguy]

1. Well, didn't Bill Clinton support that deal?

Correct me if I'm wrong.

[sandnsea]

2. Yes he did, he has financial connections to it

That's the Burkle fellow Bill had to distance himself from.

http://blog.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/01/22/bill_clinton_severs_burkle_bus.html

Wolfson also lobbied for it.

"The Glover Park Group, whose principals include Clinton insiders Howard Wolfson, Joe Lockhart and Gigi Georges, was paid about $100,000 to help the government-owned Dubai International Capital Corp. in its acquisition of the British engineering firm Doncasters Group Ltd."

http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/nation/ny-usclin144890633sep14,0,4200190.story?coll=ny-leadnationalnews-headlines

[eridani]

5. Hillary was very firmly against it as a senator, though n/t

[sandnsea]

6. She had no choice

The country went crazy over that deal. No way could she try to run for President and support it.

[eridani]

7. Then I guess there is no way McCain could run for president and support it, no? n/t

[sandnsea]

8. Uh, you might want to read your own OP

Where you suggested bashing McCain over the port deal.

:crazy:

[eridani]

10. Oopsie! Too many negatives

McCain supported the deal, he is running for president, and both candidates ought to be bashing him for it.

[sandnsea]

11. Hillary.Can't.

That's the point. They have so many financial connections with people who donated to the library or the foundation, that the appearnce of influence peddling really looks to be more than apperance. In addition, she can't bash him about hardly anything because she's either supported him, such as IWR and Kyl-Lieberman, or he's actually better than her, such as Guantanamo and torture.

[JCMach1]

3. Except for one thing: the deal was deep-sixed because of Xenophobia

and outright racism.

McCain was on the right side of this issue...






Oh, and ask yourself the question: EXACTLY HOW MUCH SAFER are our ports today?


0% because there are 0 funds to increase security measures.

[eridani]

4. Dubai being a major site for laundering money surely had nothing to do with it

Especially not bin Laden operatives.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2004-09-02-terror-dubai_x.htm

Osama bin Laden's operatives still use this freewheeling city as a logistical hub three years after more than half the Sept. 11 hijackers flew directly from Dubai to the United States in the final preparatory stages for the attack.

The recent arrest of an alleged top al-Qaeda combat coach is the latest sign that suspected members of the terrorist organization are among those who take advantage of travel rules that allow easy entry. Citizens of neighboring Gulf states such as Saudi Arabia can come to Dubai without visas, which other nationalities can get at the country's ports of entry.

Once here, it's easy to blend in to what has become a cosmopolitan crowd.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/1573090.stm

Cash transfers were made to Atta via a money service in Florida on 8 and 9 September from an account in Dubai, under the name of Mustafa Ahmad.

Atta is believed to have been the ringleader of the 19 hijackers.

Atta and two other hijackers - Waleed al-Shehri and Marwan al-Shehi - then each sent $5,000 from the US to an account in Dubai, also under the name of Mustafa Ahmad, two days before the attacks.

The money is believed to have been unused surplus from the fund for the attacks, which investigators say may have amounted to about $500,000.

http://www.villagevoice.com/news/0609,ridgeway,72286,2.html

The ties with bin Laden and the Taliban reach far back into the '90s. Prominent Persian Gulf officials, including members of the UAE royal family, and businessmen would fly to Kandahar on UAE and private jets for hunting expeditions, the Los Angeles Times reported in 2001. In addition to ranking UAE ministers, these parties included Saudi big wigs like Prince Turki, the former Saudi intelligence minister who now is ambassador to the U.S.

General Wayne Downing, Bush's former national director for combating terrorism, was quoted on MSNBC in September, 2003 saying, "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 bin Rashid al Maktum, United Arab Emirates Defense Minister and Crown Prince for the emirate of Dubai.''

Bin Laden and Taliban leader Mullah Omar joined the hunting parties, and there are suspicions Al Qaeda and Taliban personnel are smuggled out on returning flights.

[Sultana]

12. you only seem to show up...

when posts are about the UAE :eyes: (just sayin').

Anyways, as if the Dubai management would have made our ports safer, NOT. It would the same ol' old shit.

[cottonseed]

9. The Clintons are knee deep in this.