Since UAE is so invested in the US, wouldn't security be a priority?

[Mika]

I really don't agree with the selling of a port management contract to any foreign owned entity, but who here thinks that a US company would have any greater ability than a foreign owned one? Seeing the level of investment and profits to be made by UAE in the US just why wouldn't they be interested in a high level of security? After all, it is ALL about business in this brave new Orwellian world isn't it?

Isn't buying crap made in China from Walmart/Target/Radio Shack/etc an even greater threat to our long term "security"?

[CJCRANE]

1. It's the cronyism.

With Bushco cronies in charge of the ports they could bring anything in and out of the country.

[ingac70]

2. Don't think about it....

Just rub it in and stir up the freepers. This is how we will end the repub reign, trust me.

:evilgrin:

[file83]

3. The UAE was already heavily invested in the USA before their terrorists

attacked us on 9/11 - and nothing happened to their country. So your assumption that the UAE would suffer financially from a terrorist attack on US soil is wrong. Quite the contrary, especially if they now own the ports.

Think about it - they buy the ports that currently only have 5% of the containers currently being inspected. Then a terrorist attack occurs in one of the harbors (dirty bomb - whatever). Guess what happens next!

The UAE contracts out security inspections (sweetheart deal for some Halliburton subsidiary) for 100% of the containers and charges premium prices for this new service which is ultimately paid for by the American consumers.

So, quite the opposite - the UAE would profit quite nicely from a terrorist attack on US soil if they own the ports. And I'm sure they would have no problem arranging that since they know/fund so many terrorists.

[HereSince1628]

4. The problem is there is no port security 95% of containers don't

get inspected. That's damned good odds for someone trying to smuggle anything.

We OUGHT to sacrifice the low consumer prices at Wal-Mart by charging importers sufficient tarrifs to pay for inspecting closer to 95% of the containers imported into the country.

There have to sacrifices in the long global war against terror. Higher prices for imported goods seems like a reasonable trade.

[FormerRepublican]

5. Tell it to the Saudis, who fund the madrassas at the same time they...

...invest big $$$ in the US. And don't forget that despite those heavy Saudi investments, 17 of the 9/11 hijackers were Saudi, as is Bin Laden - who is also heavily funded by the Saudis.

Sometimes people can act in counter-intuitive ways.