Homeland Security. Edited to add.... Someone please explain this to me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[crazyme5kids]

Did anyone see the report last night about a company from the United Arab Emirates being close to getting awarded the contract to provide security to our nations ports? I can't remember which news channel I saw it on (MSNBC, CNN etc...). Can someone provide me with the link if you know what I am talking about? Thanks!

 

[momof2inPA]

April fools? This has to be a joke.

 

[crazyme5kids]

Nope not a joke. That's why I am trying to find the story, I want to see if I misunderstood it.

 

[lyeag]

I heard this also. I cannot believe anyone would be so stupid. This would be the the straw that breaks the camels back for me. My husband and I both said the same thing when we heard it on the news. Outrageous.

 

[crazyme5kids]

lyeag do you know what channel it was on? I have to statr searching again now that my cable is back on.

 

[Figment22]

I thought sure this was a mistake when I read your post but here it is:

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2002800202_ports12.html

Arab firm may run 6 U.S. ports
By TED BRIDIS

The Associated Press

WASHINGTON — A company in the United Arab Emirates is poised to take over significant operations at six U.S. ports as part of a corporate sale, leaving a country with ties to the Sept. 11, 2001, 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 (DP World) purchase of London-based Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation.

The $6.8 billion sale is expected to be approved Monday. 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.

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

The U.S. Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States "thoroughly reviewed the potential transaction and ... had no objection," the company said.

The committee earlier agreed to consider concerns about the deal as expressed by Miami-based Eller & Co., according to Eller's lawyer, Michael Kreitzer. Eller is a business partner with the British shipping giant but was not in the running to buy the ports company.

The committee includes representatives from the departments of Treasury, Defense, Justice, Commerce, State and Homeland Security.

The State Department describes the UAE as a vital partner in the fight against terrorism.

I find this positively unbelievable.

 

[momof2inPA]

I find this positively unbelievable.

Who voted for the idiots making these decisions?

 

[crazyme5kids]

Thanks Figment22! I didn't think I was going crazy. Scary stuff. I feel less safe now than I was feeling before. I wish someone could explain the logic behind the decision. Hopefully someone will stop it from happening.

 

[caero]

This is bothersome. Where is the logic?

 

[crazyme5kids]

Just thought I'd bump this to see if anyone can shed some more light on this.

 

[Puffy2]

Good GRIEF! This Bush / Republican-Puke Administration is absolutely HellBENT on destroying this country. ITheir corruption/incompetence is inexcusable.

 

[vivilasvegas]

Well, that is comforting. I feel safer already.

 

[Planogirl]

Isn't that amazing? It makes a person wonder how serious they are about national security and how much of their talk is just posturing.

 

[Bayshore Bandit]

So the neo-cons get in all an uproar when Democrats exercise their right
to free speech and criticize the way this administration has handled the
occupation of Iraq.....but handing the keys to some our nations most
important ports to a company in a country that had ties to the Sept. 11
hijackers is a good business deal

Unfortunately, this may actually be a good thing considering the
way the Dept of Homeland Security handled the Hurricane Katrina aftermath

 

[Free4Life11]

I thought UAE was just a tourists attraction? I remember seeing how they build these manmade luxury islands or something like that. I honestly didn't think it was a real, legitimate country!

That aside, the thought of putting SECURITY in the hands of a non-American firm BAFFLES my mind. Is our country really lacking in that area or what?

 

[zippeedee]

Maybe it was a trade for taking Michael Jackson off our hands?

Actually, I think the key is the phrase "trusted ally in the war on terror". Doesn't that translate to "oil business crony"? You know like our "friends" Saudi Arabia?

 

[jfulcer]

Let me guess... this is a Democratic thread right?

 

[eclectics]

Let me guess... this is a Democratic thread right?

Well, I'd love to hear from any Republicans that think this is a good thing, and their reasons why!

 

[Planogirl]

Let me guess... this is a Democratic thread right?

How so?

This is really happening so how does it become partisan?

 

[jfulcer]

Ok, I MUST be dumb...... but WHY is this a problem? It's a company that is based in UAE. It's not UAE. It's not an 'Axis of Evil'. It's not even UAE's choice in this or not.

It's a COMPANY. Remember, not EVERY Arab is out to kill Americans. What's to say there were not wackos working for the company that ran it before, based out of the UK. HEY - THEY ARE NON-AMERICANS. Why didn't we get our undies in a bundle over them? They're NON-AMERICANS and as we all know you just can't trust all those NON-AMERICANS.

Didn't our country already go through this sentiment at least ONCE in our past before, ON our OWN soil? Didn't we learn from that?

Sheeesh