It is not racist to want Americans to guard our own ports!

[slor]

I am sorry if the UAE takes offense to this, but they need to get over it. It should be an American company doing this because that idiot claiming to be the president has done more, than any other administration, to get the people of the world PISSED off at us. And as a result, it is dangerous to allow this to take place.

[liberal N proud]

1. Race has absolutely nothing to do with it.

It is about National Security. It is about common sense.
A sense of nationalism maybe, but not race.

[katty]

2. ah,yeah, they need to get over it...that's obvious

[neverevergivein]

I totally agree. And those that makes this a race issue

are putting POLITICS ahead of national security. In other words, SHUT UP! People will always side on the issue of national security.

[seriousstan]

3. Really, then why no uproar when the UK owned them?

[Solon]

4. No one knew about it...

To be honest, I don't think any port operations should be in the hands of a for-profit outfit at all, it should be run by either local, state, or federal government agencies, from top to bottom.

[melody]

5. If it was an Arab-American owned country, this would not be a problem

There are many Arab-American owned businesses that do this sort of work on a national level (Dunai National, for one). It's not racial, it's a matter of keeping all the elements in country to make it accountable directly to the people.

[Solon]

7. We could have Kinko's run it...

OK I keed, I keed.

[TennesseeRain]

12. My understanding of this is that the British government did not

own the security companies, but they were owned by a private British company. In this instance, the government of UAE would own the companies. I see a huge difference.

http://edition.cnn.com/2006/BUSINESS/02/21/port.europe/

It's the takeover of a British-based company by the UAE.

[slor]

14. Sadly, I did not know that...

and I must admit, I am dissapointed that it did not come out, by anyone, when we discussed the lack of inspecting cargo coming in. We must provide our own port security, every country should.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

6. Sure it's not. Just like the Civil War was about states rights.

Race had nothing to do with that either. And, Jim Crow laws were humanitarian efforts to promote cultural identity.

Nothing like being stampeded by the "Bogeyman is gonna get you!" politicians.

[Solon]

11. Is it too much to ask that our ports be run by our government...

That is what I'm advocating, let a local, state, or federal agency run the damned ports. I'm pissed at the idea a fucking British COMPANY was running things. Why the fuck should we trust ANY private interest with national security in this way?

[951-Riverside]

8. It is when you talk about the Southern Border

[Canuckistanian]

9. I heard Rush saying opposition was racist

"They're allies with us in the war against terror" "The safeguards are in place"

Sounds like someone got his marching orders.

Meanwhile, Hannity's fax machine must be broken, becuase he's dead set against it, and even mentions the correct reasons for it - UAE's money laundering for 9/11, the two hijackers, UAE recognition of the Taliban, etc, etc.

[Fuzz]

10. Plus, the hypocrisy of the administration shows once again

It's not about terror at all, it's about power, money and control.

[Mr.Green93]

13. UAE will be in charge of Port Security?

Are you sure? That's unreal.

[Peace Patriot]

15. I know, it's mind-boggling, isn't it? It's not enough that Bush hangs out

with Prince Bandar, and saw that all the Saudi royals including the Bin Ladens got whisked out of the country after 9/11. It's not enough that rightwing Islamic sheiks and kings hold thumbs up/thumbs down power over our economy, as does China, and that all our best jobs are being outsourced to cheap labor markets in foreign lands. They have to start actually SELLING our territory to the sheiks of araby--and some of our most vulnerable territory at that, where security is a prime consideration--and to the very country that supposedly spawened two of the 9/11 hijackers, and where child slavery and torture, and second class citizenship for women, are tolerated. It's beyond belief.

[IsItJustMe]

16. Seems obvious to me.

[slampoet]

17. Some other countries i wouldn't want owning our ports

Canada
Ireland
Either Korea
India
Australia (and i hate that they own our news)
Estonia
Latvia
Ukrane
Russia
Fiji
The Soloman Islands
The Vatican
Taiwan or Mainland China
Mexico
Columbia
Peru
Britain
Germany
Greece
Italy
.
.
.
.
and about 150+ other countries
get the picture?