UAE ports would get advanced warning on military shipments:

[The Backlash Cometh]

UAE Would Also Control Shipments of Military Equipment For The U.S. Army


There is bipartisan concern about the Bush administration’s decision to outsource the operation of six of the nation’s largest ports to a company controlled by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) because of that nation’s troubling ties to international terrorism. The sale of P&O to Dubai World Ports would give the state-owned company control of “the ports of New York, New Jersey, Baltimore, New Orleans, Miami and Philadelphia.”

A major part of the story, however, has been mostly overlooked. The company, Dubai Ports World, would also control the movement of military equipment on behalf of the U.S. Army through two other ports. From today’s edition of the British paper Lloyd’s List:

has just renewed a contract with the United States Surface Deployment and Distribution Command to provide stevedoring of military equipment at the Texan ports of Beaumont and Corpus Christi through 2010.

According to the journal Army Logistician “Almost 40 percent of the Army cargo deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom flows through these two ports.”


http://thinkprogress.org/2006/02/20/uae-military-equipment/

[Rabrrrrrr]

1. What the fuck? Seriously. What the fuck? Is that criminal asshole

selling the country off?

What the fuck?

Oh, good, so now the country harboring the most terrorists in the world gets advance notice of where all our military shit is going.

And these assholes keeping bringing up the US Cole as an example (even though it's fucking ignorant of them) of how democrats hate defending the US.

SO now Osama can know with some good advance notice of where our most valuable nuclear/whatever assets are gonna be, and when, and how to take 'em out.

Yeah, republicans fucking LOVE the american people.

The criminal asshole in the white house has constantly engaged in impeachable offenses since his inaugaration, but even this is out of his normal range.

He. Has. To. Go.

Any legislator that does not immediately call for impeachment or resignation or a trial at the Hague deserves to go straight to hell without benefit of grace.

[acmavm]

3. We've come to an amazing point in the history of our country when

the one refrain you hear constantly about the policies and practices of our government bring on one big nationwide cry of WHAT THE F*CK?

I know, as does everyone here, that there has been a continual pattern of criminal activity against our country by this administration. They has been a continual pattern of lies used to manipulate this country into wara and bankruptcy. There has been a continual violation of the Constitution that the Clown pRince swore to uphold at the time he and his boss Dick were 'sworn' into office. And there has been a continual pattern of installing corrupt and/or incompetent crony members of their crime family into sensitive positions of our government.

What the f*ck is wrong with this picture? Why cannot something be done?

[twaddler01]

9. NO KIDDING

and why can't everyone see this is a bad idea? Why can't we seem to do anything about it!!!???

[katty]

50. well at least ass licking Fristy is hollering a bit.-we are so f*****

[flyarm]

53. Frist is giving * time to put lipstick on *'s pig!!

Frist's reference to "until the administration conducts a more extensive review" is only a stall tactic to permit * additional time to put lipstick on this pig. Frist had no alternative, once * realized that the Governors in some states were getting involved in this sale by suing the Federal government on behalf of their State's rights. Why would the Administration conduct another review when they were already instrumental in blessing this deal? Frist is only carrying the water for this criminal regime until they have time to smooth some feathers.

fly

[annabanana]

2. sweet jumping jesus... THIS aspect has to get bumped

up to primetime.. Heads exploding will be audible on the MOOM fer christ's sake....

nominated

[Canuckistanian]

4. And they would know which ports are vulnerable

Or, could MAKE it vulnerable in so many subtle ways.

Create a disturbance on Pier 29, unload an unregistered container on Pier 7.

The cops? Hell, they HIRE the cops.

[wtmusic]

5. Can we get advanced warning on hidden nukes too?

Then everything is okee-dokey.

[spindrifter]

6. This is an even bigger travesty

than putting the regular ports into DP World's control. Why did the military contract not go out for competitive bid, instead of being "renewed."

[madrchsod]

7. sum of all fears---

bad movie

they control the routing of containers

[johnaries]

8. What? I always assumed they went through Military ports.

Jeebus! Email this to fricking EVERYBODY!!!

[twaddler01]

10. I'm on it

I am not letting this pass by me easily....

[The Backlash Cometh]

12. I wonder when this began? Part of Bush's privatization plan?

[uppityperson]

11. Real life parodies the Onion.

What are they thinking? (aha, the question is the answer). Too wrong on so many levels.

[wherewingstakedream]

13. This is total insanity

and treason. They have no shame.

[SammyBlue]

14. Wow. . .and to think I thought the Chimp was stupid, weak and moronic

Add idiotic and traitorous to that!

[BattyDem]

15. This is no longer ...

incompetence ... or a "bad idea" ... or even insanity ... THIS IS DELIBERATE AND CRIMINAL! There's no other explanation for it. Not only do they NOT care about our National Security, they are doing everything in their power - war; manipulation of intelligence; elimination of dissent (and truth) within the government, Pentagon and intelligence agencies; exposure of an undercover agent who specialized in WMDs; hostility and aggression toward every other country in the world; violation and abandonment of international treaties and laws - the list goes on and on. This regime is deliberately trying to destroy this country from within, while opening the door for anyone who wishes to destroy it from the outside. For what? Money?? HOW MUCH FUCKING MONEY DO THEY NEED?!?!? :grr:

[twaddler01]

16. There is always rooom for money

I share your anger as I hope most here at DU do as well!

[CottonBear]

17. This is why "Homeland Security" never wanted to protect the ports...

Bush-Cheney-Carlyle-Halliburton were saving the ports for themselves. F''ing assholes. Bastards. :(

[libhill]

22. This is proof positive

that the "war on terrorism" is a crock of fucking shit. Can any thinking person now have serious doubts, that these fuckers were behind 9/11?

[BattyDem]

26. I said the exact same thing to someone earlier tonight!

The whole thing is a lie! We've been manipulated since the day the decision was made to bring those towers down! :grr:

[libhill]

32. And the scary part is

that God only knows how far in advance that had been planned. Maybe that's why Bush HAD to "win" the 2000 election, by fair means or foul. And who the hell can begin to imagine what kind of atrocity they have in the planning stages now?

[Dem2theMax]

18. ~snip from the article~

~~~Thus, the sale would give a country that has been “a key transfer point for illegal shipments of nuclear components to Iran, North Korea and Lybia” direct control over substantial quantities U.S. military equipment.~~~

In other words, * and company are setting us up for WWIII. One little thing goes 'missing' and the next thing you know, * is blaming -put any country above in here- for stealing it and bingo, he has another *reason* for invading a country.

God, just let it be a direct hit when it's my turn to go. That's all I ask.

[FreedomAngel82]

21. Bingo

Truly scary. :\

[pinklefoot]

27. I don't know...

if we were under a different leadership you would sound like a conspiracy nut. Arg! I just realized were living under a deranged psychopath! You are now the most credible person alive.

[Dem2theMax]

33. Darn.

And here I almost made it to :tinfoilhat: status! LOL.

How can I laugh? I want to cry. I want my country back. What's left of it anyway. Sigh.

[libhill]

34. By the time

Bush gets through with it, there won't be anything left to get back.

[FreedomAngel82]

19. This is very scary to think about

:\

[Marie26]

20. What is going ON HERE?

Seriously.

[libhill]

23. Simple -

selling us down the river to further their fucking agenda. And their only agenda is $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

[Divine Discontent]

24. america able to wake up and call their representatives and complain??/

or just too busy watching american "idle"....





www.cafepress.com/deadeyerichard

[libhill]

25. We can only hope -

even the mainsteam media is picking up on this. It made the 10: o'clock news in my area tonight, and got my wife extremely upset. And she ordinarily has no interest in political issues. Maybe the Bushies have shot themselves in the foot with this one -?

[Marie26]

40. How are they making money off this?

It's a $6 Billion Dollar sale, but that money flows from Dubai Ports to P&O. All the US does is approve the sale. Yeah, there could be some kickbacks to the US, but even a billion dollars is a drop in the bucket to this Administration (and less than most Halliburon contracts). I don't think this is about the money, somehow.

[nebula]

28. What is the motive for handing over such crucial national security

operations over to an foreign company with such questionable origins?

I'd say $6 billion is plenty of motive.

Republicans will do anything (and I do mean anything) for money. They're nothing but gangsters.

[libhill]

30. Yup -

let's not forget that a certain prominent Repuke, related to a certain current Repuke president, had dealings with Nazi Germany during World War Two. They don't give damn about anything other than making a buck. All of their patriotic rhetoric about "fightin' for our freedom" is nothing but meaningless b.s. for consumption of the simple minded American public.

[flyarm]

54. pay back..for cover up of 9/11?????????? yep! n/t

[autorank]

29. DU was first with this story!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=2454971#2456339

[HsiKang]

31. Cronyism at work here

http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1161466,00.html

"Dubai Ports World has been taken by surprise over the furor, and is reportedly sending its Chief Operating Officer, the widely respected American shipping executive Edward "Ted" H. Bilkey to Washington for talks. Indeed, the Bush administration needn't wait for Bilkey to arrive; it could get a good assessment of the workings of Dubai Ports World from its own current nominee for the post of U.S. Maritime Administrator — Dave Sanborn, previously a top executive at Dubai Ports World."

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,185107,00.html

"WASHINGTON — Questioning the United Arab Emirates' track record in the War on Terror, seven U.S. lawmakers said Thursday they want a committee led by Treasury Secretary John Snow to thoroughly review a deal that would let a UAE-based firm run six major U.S. ports."

http://uk.biz.yahoo.com/16022006/325/lawmakers-urge-review-dubai-ports-deal.html

"Snow is a former chairman of freight rail company CSX Corp (NYSE: CSX - news) ., which sold its global port assets to Dubai Ports World for $1.15 billion in 2004 -- the year after Snow had left the company for the Bush administration."

[liberal N proud]

35. So we will tell the fox when we are bringing the chickens in to the hen

house?

This gets more absurd with each passing day!

[w8liftinglady]

36. email to Lou Dobbs,Cafferty etc

[e-mail]
[e-mail]
[e-mail]
[e-mail]
are the emails I have in front of me...

[Arkham House]

37. Am I the only one who feels--

--that this sounds like something out of "24"? WTF is really going on?

[The Backlash Cometh]

42. Corporatism. Capitalist anarchists are in control of the government

and they are going to make sure they get the best contracts while chaos reigns. That's what Iraq was all about. Halliburton got billions of dollars, and the oil companies had time to steal the contracts from the French and Russians.

We're like a bunch of fools being taken advantage of and there is little we can do about it.

[IsItJustMe]

38. Proof positive that all this administration cares about is $$$$$$$$

How clear does it have to be? It seems to me that people of average intelligence can see through this administration and know they don't give a damn about this country. It's all about lining their pockets or some theoretical economic dogma or something else from hell. Who knows? It's scary as hell.

Maybee this is this administration's attempt to start the NEW WORLD ORDER that his daddy talked about so much. Destroy our country within.

Gobalize, Globalize.

I just don't comprehend the motives. But whatever they are, they are not good, honorable, or with the interest of the USA in mind. This I know with all my heart. There is absolutly no good that can come out of this event.

This is just beyond me and it should be to all American's that care.

I also heard on CSPAN that this might be connected with lobbying through a cabinet member named Snow. I just don't know.

[Marie26]

39. posted wrong place. nt

[IsItJustMe]

41. It just don't make any sense if you consider it logically.

It seems to me (look at the Abermoff scandal) that we have people in our government that would sell their soul for a pocket full of change. I have heard something about the Secratary of, I believe commerce (Snow), of having some vested interest in this deal. More research obviosly needs to be done. But there is a rat somewhere in this story. Believe me now or believe me later, but I know you are going to believe me.

[Marie26]

43. Oh, I believe there's a rat

(Sorry to move my post on you!) I believe that the US has a huge vested interest in this deal going through. The Bush Ad. has been telling us to be afraid of terrorism & the Arab world for five years now. They had to know how the American public would react to this. So what was worth risking Bush's political standing, alienating Republicans, & giving Democrats a wedge issue for 2006? The Abramoff kickbacks were done in secret, where presumably it wouldn't reach the public. They knew this would reach the public, and possibly sink the Bush Adm. Was some money worth that? I do believe there was a payback, but I don't believe it involved money. Instead, I think the Bush Ad. weaseled something out of UAE to support the "War On Terror" - bases, launch sites, airspace crossings, etc. But none of really know, so this is just speculation.

[rd_kent]

44. This is more reason to believe * was in on the attack!

I'm no conspiracy guy, but stories like these lead creedence to the idea that the administration was in on 9/11 in order to seize control. Or am I nuts?

[IsItJustMe]

51. It has been said "Sometimes truth is stranger than reality".

No. I don't think in all honesty it is out of the realm of possibilities.

A sad commentary on the times that we live.

[IronLionZion]

45. WOW!!!

I don't know what to say. Just :wow: :banghead:

I just HATE these bastards! Traitors! All of them! God help us.

:kick: and Rec.

[Beelzebud]

46. Anyone still want to claim this is about "racism"?

If anyone still does not "get it", they need to start thinking long and hard about the issue.

The people saying we are being racist for not wanting this deal shoved down our throats are the very reason we progressives are labeled, by the right-wing freaks, as 'weak on defense'.

This is a no-brainer issue folks.

This is about the Bush Crime Family making more money. And they are willing to sell out our national security to do it!

[IsItJustMe]

52. Interesting thought. PsyOps for the 2006 Election.

Think about it. This president is very unpopular. I think it is interesting that the Repuke leadership is strongly going against this. It will help them in the next election and what does the president have to loose. Absolutly nothing. He can help the Repukes in the next election by setting up a straw man. You know this white house has the capability to pull such crap.

[FormerRepublican]

47. My email to my revolting Bush suck up, Senator Hatch, on this issue:

"Let me point out the serious stupidity of the Senate Intelligence Committee:

"Since the Port of Beaumont is a commercial port, all cargo at the port must be handled by union labor. Stevedores employed by P&O Ports of Texas provide labor and stevedoring services. Their innovative ramp extension not only speeds loading of equipment such as helicopters but also significantly reduces risk of damage."

http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0PAI/is_4_36/ai_n6130212

Read the article! Your beloved leader, whom you kiss on the *rse 20 million times a day, is busy selling P&O Ports - the same ports where big chunks of our military materiel is being shipped - to the United Arab Emirates! You know, the same United Arab Emirates who was one of only 4 countries to support the Taliban in Afghanistan, who were the conduit for MAJOR terrorist $$$ prior to 9/11, and who have happily housed terrorists on their soil while they plan their next attacks. Now, der dumpkoff Fuehrer is selling a front row seat to military movements to his hand holding pals in the UAE, and their terrorist pals. Ask yourself - why does Bush want terrorists to have a heads up about where and when our military equipment is being shipped? Because he's a FREAKING TRAITOR!!!

Now you, sir, sit on the Senate Intelligence Committee, who have happily overlooked the multitude of ways Bush has demonstrated that he doesn't give a sheet about Americans or the United States, and is more than willing to destroy us all to make a few $$$. The ONLY thing der dumpkoff Fuerher cares about is $$$ and his "other" brother, the Saudi Prince. He is yet again demonstrating his preference for his Middle East buddies over the interests of the United States. And YOU, you useless SOB, sit on the Intelligence Committee putting your rubber stamp on his TREASON!!

This is totally UNACCEPTABLE!!! If you think THIS story is going to fade away to nothing, you are out of your freaking, Bush *rse kissing MIND!

FIX IT, NOW!!! And you might tell your pals there in Washington that they don't have to worry about the Fifth Column out here - all the Fifth Columnists INHABIT WASHINGTON!"

[FormerRepublican]

48. My email to my other revolting suck up, Senator Bennett:

"I am very, VERY, VERY ANGRY with you and your pal Bush. Read THIS:

"Since the Port of Beaumont is a commercial port, all cargo at the port must be handled by union labor. Stevedores employed by P&O Ports of Texas provide labor and stevedoring services. Their innovative ramp extension not only speeds loading of equipment such as helicopters but also significantly reduces risk of damage."

http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0PAI/is_4_36/ai_n6130212

READ the article!! You might recall that P&O Ports - who control the very ports where a big chunk of US military materiel is being shipped - is being sold to a state owned company in the United Arab Emirates. The same UAE who was one of only 4 countries to support the Taliban, who served as a conduit for 9/11 cash, and who happily host terrorists on their soil while they plan their next attack on America. I'd put this at an ethical equivalent of Roosevelt putting the Nazis in charge of our ports in the middle of World War II!! YOU ARE INSANE!! BUSH IS A TRAITOR!!

I've watched you and our other revolting Senator, Hatch, kiss up and rubber stamp everything that little weasel in the White House has wanted to do. Now you will no doubt endorse his TREASON and get hundreds, or maybe even thousands, of our soldiers killed. And you have the GALL to say that you represent the United States of America!!!

Who do you think you're kidding? YOU represent the terrorists and everything they long to do to our great country. Republicans are better at security? What a FREAKING JOKE! Republicans ARE TRAITORS!!! And now you don't even bother to hide it - your treason is blatant and open.

FIX THIS TREASON! NOW!"

[msanthrope]

49. Here's the Hook for the Red States--We have to

Hammer it home that this affects TEXAS and TEXAS WORKERS and the MILITARY.

Challenge these bastards to support the troops, now.

[hiley]

55. of course

:argh: