"Shotgun-gate" is diverting attention from a HUGE story

[BushOut06]

Several people on this forum have already posted this, but Bush is giving control of some of our busiest ports to a United Arab Emirates company. We're talking about ports in New York City, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Miami, and New Orleans. We're also talking about a country where much of the planning & financing for 9-11 took place. THIS is what the media should be focusing on!

I almost wonder if Cheney did this deliberately. Maybe he's like "You know, if I wing somebody just a little bit, it will generate a firestorm of coverage, taking attention away from all this other shit."

[panader0]

1. Control how?

[TheDebbieDee]

3. I read on this site yesterday that SECURITY for these

ports has been contracted out to a UAE company.

[BushOut06]

11. Security, not control - that's what I meant

Still, it's rather unsettling.

[ashling]

2. do you have a link on this?

[leftchick]

7. here....IT is the UAE

Arab firm to operate six ports in U.S.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bush administration is not objecting

By TED BRIDIS
Associated Press
2/13/2006

WASHINGTON - 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.
The Bush administration considers the UAE an important ally in the fight against terrorism since the suicide hijackings and is not objecting to Dubai Ports World's purchase of London-based Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Co.

The $6.8 billion sale is expected to be approved today. The British company is the fourth largest ports company in the world and its sale would affect commercial U.S. port operations in New York, New Jersey, Baltimore, New Orleans, Miami and Philadelphia.

Dubai Ports World said it won approval from a secretive U.S. government panel that considers security risks of foreign companies buying or investing in American industry.

The U.S. Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States "thoroughly reviewed the potential transaction and concluded they had no objection," the company said in a statement to the Associated Press.

http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20060213/1045736.asp?PFVer=Story

[waiting for hope]

4. Here's a link to NPR's story from

Tuesday...http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5205334

[papau]

5. Link to Wash Po's AP story on this

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/11/AR2006021101112.html

The six ports this Arab company would oversee would be America's six major ports: New York, New Jersey, Baltimore, New Orleans, Miami and Philadelphia. the United Arab Emirates is/are our friend and that we should nevermind that some of the terrorists were from there right? The fact that the UAE is a loose federation of seven emirates on the Saudi peninsula, and that it was an important operational and financial base for the HIJACKERS who carried out the attacks against the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, as reported by the FBI, is not a concern. After all, as Stephen E. Flynn, the New York-based Council on Foreign Relations expert on maritime security said we will still be PROTECTED BY THE UNIONS -"You're not going to have a bunch of UAE citizens working the docks -They're longshoremen, vested in high-paying jobs."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

*United Arab Emirates Firm May Oversee 6 U.S. Ports*
by Ted Bridis
Associated Press
February 12, 2006

A company in the United Arab Emirates is poised to TAKE OVER SIGNIFICANT OPERATIONS at SIX American PORTS as part of a corporate sale (Dubai Ports World's purchase of London-based Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Co.), leaving a country with ties to the Sept. 11, 2001, HIJACKERS with INFLUENCE over a maritime industry considered vulnerable to terrorism.

<snip>Sen. Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) urged the administration to consider the sale carefully. "America's busiest ports are vital to our economy and to the international economy, and that is why they remain top terrorist targets," Schumer said. "Just as we would not outsource military operations or law enforcement duties, we should be very careful before we outsource such sensitive homeland security duties."

Shipping experts noted that many of the world's largest port companies are not based in the United States, and they pointed to DP World's strong economic interest in operating ports securely and efficiently.

"It's in Dubai's interest to make sure this runs well," said James Lewis, who worked with the U.S. committee at the State and Commerce departments.
<snip>

[ret5hd]

9. Attn: Sen. Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.)...

we DO outsource military operations and law enforcement duties. Where the fuck have you been?

[Binka]

6. What Did The UAE Have To Do With September 11?

The people claiming this are the same ones who made the Iraq September 11 connection. The fucking hijackers were from Saudi Arabia and THAT is where they got their dosh. Sheesh.

[Swamp Rat]

8. I'm screaming about it from the rooftops here in New Orleans!

Though, I am quite happy that Cheney's getting a lot of negative attention for shooting someone in the face.

[babylonsister]

17. Oh my; he SHOT SOMEONE IN THE FACE??? NT

[threadkillaz]

29. Yes, its true.

The VP SHOT SOMEBODY IN THE FACE (and HEART)!

[Name removed]

10. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[AzDar]

12. Even if these 'contracting' companies are thorougly competent, and

legitimate, it just seems very risky,if not downright STUPID to turn anything as vital as this over to the control of ANY foreign nation.

[rman]

13. kick

[smoogatz]

14. Sorry, but when a sitting VP shoots a man in the face

the media tend to take notice. It's the metaphor, after all.

[Swede]

15. Progressives are known for walking AND chewing gum.

Unlike the other side.

[rpgamerd00d]

16. HEY BUSH YOU FUCKHEAD - AMERICANS NEED JOBS - STOP OUTSOURCING

[The Backlash Cometh]

18. We already knew about it, sent out the usual phlegms, but I thought

there was someone in Congress who was bringing attention to this? What happened?

[BushOut06]

19. Schumer is pretty pissed about it

But the story does seem to be getting buried in the general media. Ironically, the RW radio nuts are howling mad over this also.

Maybe Bush IS a uniter after all ;)

[The Backlash Cometh]

21. What I meant was, that we did send off the usual PLEWDS, but

unless someone takes our anxiety and transfers it to the mainstream, we are just going to get bogged down on the next Bush revelation. We're getting peppered by all of them.

[cascadiance]

20. We should try calling James Zogby's show on Friday...

It's on Link TV (and is called "Viewpoint with James Zogby". I think it's around 5:00 PM EST. A bit too early for me to do so while at work, but it would be worthwhile to see how he would handle a call on such a topic. Not sure who his guests and topics are for this week, but have to believe at least one of them might have someone who could answer this.

The reason for this being a place to answer this question is that his show is funded by Abu Dhabi TV (United Arab Emirates), and perhaps the very same corporations that are trying to buy out these ports. It would be interesting to see how much this show is about bringing middle east perspectives to American audiences in an objective way, and how much of it is to protect those funding it's special interests.

http://www.aaiusa.org/zogby/Viewpoint/viewpoint.htm

http://www.linktv.org/programming/programDescription.php4?tz=0&code=viewpoint

This is a LIVE call-in show and can be reached from anywhere in the world with the numbers they list.

[Dr. Jones]

22. Holy CRAP...

this is HUGE! The ramifications of this are staggering. How much easier would it be for terrorists to get into our country and wreak havoc. And THEN Bush turns around and brags about how he's protecting us? What a JOKE!!

Lihop to the resuce...

God help us.

[BushOut06]

23. Bush is a fucking joke when it comes to securing this country

Bush has done nothing whatsoever to secure the borders (and not just with Mexico either). And you don't have to put up a friggin wall to secure the borders, there are other much more effective means to do so.

Bush talks a fair game about keeping us safe, but what has he really done? The real reason we haven't been hit again yet is they haven't wanted to yet.

[TexasLawyer]

24. You're doing a heck of a job, Georgie!

After the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the U.S., the UAE was identified as a major financial center used by al-Qaeda in transferring money to the hijackers.

[opihimoimoi]

25. It will soon involve cheap labor outsourced by the UAE with them

reaping the profits...we are the best when it comes to teaching shit like that....

[Earth_First]

26. Unbelievable!

K&R

[Auntie Bush]

27. Actually I was wondering the same thing.

Only, like 9/11 it went a little further/worse than anticipated...just like Iraq. It seems to be a pattern. The guy is so evil...I wouldn't anything. How else do you explain some big news comes out whenever needed and 100% of the time it benefits the administration. It defies all statistics.

[yellowdogmi]

28. This makes my mind wobble

I remember Kerry talking about how we only inspected something like 2% of the shipping containers entering the country. Now we are selling these ports to nations that supported the 911 attacks. Again I am left almost completely speechless. :wtf:

I'll bring the torches. Who has the pitchforks?

[Justice Is Comin]

30. Boy is payola flowing through the

pipeline on this one.

We had to rush our Patriot missiles to Saudi Arabia to protect their ass from Saddam's scud missiles. Now they run the controls at the least protected things we have in the country.

This has got to be a effing dream.