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Unbelievable, this has been an option for some weeks now, this is the first criticism I read in the U.S. Media.
As I have repeatedly made clear, the next attack on the U.S. is being planned and success depends on American foreign policy to quell anti-American hatred across the globe. Now the U.S. is permitting Arab control of US port facilities. I know Dubai fairly well and have enough personal adventures to fill a book.
To be clear, the 911 attacks were perpetrated by Al Qaeda and facilitated by nationals from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The UAE made possible the illegal sale of Saddam’s oil during the nineties and made hundreds of millions in profits.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) Feb. 19 — The Bush administration has failed to put adequate security conditions on a deal for a state-owned Dubai company to manage major U.S. ports, and it should not go forward pending a full investigation, a key Republican congressman said on Sunday.
Rep. Peter King, chairman of the House of Representatives Homeland Security Committee, said that before the administration approved the sale of British firm P&O, which manages six U.S. ports, to Dubai Ports World of the United Arab Emirates, it failed to determine whether the company could be trusted.
“The administration should freeze the contract … until a full and thorough investigation is carried out,” King told Reuters.
Michael Chertoff defended the U.S. security review of DP World in various television interviews Sunday.
“You can be assured that before a deal is approved we put safeguards in place, assurances in place, that make everybody comfortable that we are where we need to be from a national security viewpoint,” Chertoff said on ABC’s “This Week with George Stephanopoulos.”
King said the safeguards did not go far enough, but that he could not disclose classified details about them.
Last week, Sens. Robert Menendez of New Jersey and Hillary Clinton of New York, both Democrats, said they would offer legislation to ban companies owned or controlled by foreign governments from acquiring U.S. port operations.
“No matter what steps the administration claims it has secretly taken, it is an unacceptable risk to turn control of our ports over to a foreign government,” Menendez said in a statement.
Some in Congress have expressed fears that the UAE was used as a conduit for parts used for nuclear proliferation and that the local banking system had been abused by financiers with possible links to terrorist organizations.
The Bush administration, however, considers Dubai and the UAE a solid ally in its campaign against terrorism.
The UAE company would control management of major ports in New York and New Jersey, Baltimore, Philadelphia, New Orleans and Miami.
An United Arab Emirates company's takeover of six American ports has officials at odd over U.S. security concerns. AP Photo
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Reagan’s Period 1980 thru 1988 —
Created George W. Bush as leader and savior with theme —
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Nothing but the sound of crickets coming from the Tough on Terror GoPhuckers.
Surely, this cannot, will not stand.
Peace
It has never been anything but an artificially created US client state. This has to do with solidifying that in light of increased crackdown costs in various client states.
It will have no effect on US policy, US activities in the Middle East, or the Resistance.
It still doesn’t make sense.
The opportunities for ‘infiltration’ of a UAE company are just too great, imo. It looks very much like more ‘courting disaster’ to me.
Another ‘accident’ waiting to happen. Ooops. There goes the Port of NY. Oops. There goes Baltimore. New Orleans? Not a problem anymore, the ter’ists just took care of that for us.
First of all, if the US felt that domestic support for Operation Iranian Freedom is so soft that they need a second Unity Operation, first they need their heads examined. The US mainstream is already about a bushbrainwidth away from rising up to demand that Iran be invaded posthaste, and even if that were not so, and they did feel the need to enhance Unity, they would not need to have UAE slaves run the ports to achieve it.
All they need to do is have their new boytoy in Teheran say absolutely anything and release some sideways from Tuesday translation of one sentence or something. Plus they’ve got the Holocaust cartoonfest coming up. You’ll see Americans booking commercial flights over there to form their own unofficial MinuteMan style brigades to spread democracy all over the place
If the threat really was that say, then this deal couldn’t be considered. It lends weight to the theories that the threat is controlled and orchestrated from inside the government.
element. After carefully cultivating and nurturing the American mainstream into a trembling, paralyzing Arabphobia, it is unquestionably an odd political move.
But they who fear the people of the sand can take comfort in knowing that only the most docile, hand-picked, bent over farther than Abdullah Arabs will be allowed to touch even the hem of the garment of Amrika’s sacred ports.
Not that I think what stark suggests is so out of the question. With the success achieved in New Orleans, it is only natural that some eyes in Washington cast around to see where else might need a good cleaning.
But hopefully they will be stopped before they have the opportunity to effect that, with or without the helpo of the tame Arabs.
Oh yeah, this is a disaster waiting to happen. It’s just so damn obvious to be either a set-up for the future or more accepted incompetence.
client state model has run its course. It is no longer either feasible or functional, something Washington is not unaware of, hence the emphasis in recent years on more overt slash ‘n bomb occuvasions. And a port concession isn’t going to fix that.
There is no amount of money that will ever be enough to keep virtually the entire population of a whole basketfull of countries under “crackdown” in light of even overt US activities in the region, and remember that what may be “covert” to CNN watchers in Arkansas or Oregon is not so covert to those who live near the operation, and become victims of it.
If citizens, not elites who are receiving a benefit, but ordinary people of the UAE or anywhere else, for that matter, manage to obtain the wherewithal to launch a Resistance operation on a US port, it will not matter whether the port is run by Arabs or Albino Finns.
How would you know whether it is a US covert operation or a legitimate Resistance act? Well, it is hoped that you would not. And there was a diary this morning with some reports that this distinction has become something of a headscratcher for whichever department is charged with totalling up the number of “terst” attacks in Occupied Iraq, presumably such a tally is needed for She Who Speaks Into Mr. Danger’s Earpiece when all loyal and right-thinking Americans gather round to bask in a bleat, and hear what, through Bush, God has to say to them.
Whatever happens will be whatever we are told it is and that could change from now until then. What was not then, is not now either, but the reassurance of it not being what it was not, is no reassurance at all. To know that it will be whatever it is, whenever it is, makes whatever is happening now, easier to understand. Simply, I don’t matter and I work hard to make not mattering happen.
All this time I thought “rumi” was in honor of the famous poet.
You just outed youself Donnie boy, no use denying it now, you snake in the unknown unknowns you.
And didn’t some college students set your poems to music? Oh, clever clever lad, you!
Whatever happens will be
whatever we are told it is
Intricacies could change
bending from discrepencies.
What was not then,
is not now either,
but the reassurance
of it not being
what it was not,
is unsettling circumstance.
To know that it will be,
whatever it is,
whenever it is,
absorbs whatever is happening now,
in bridging from reality
to vaguely understanding.
Simply, I don’t matter
and I work hard to ensure
not mattering matters.
I suspect the ‘next’ terror attack is aready in the pipeline. The arabs will be there only to take the blame. Why do you think P&O are checking out/cashing in right now?
It’s about money, corporatism and good buddies trumping national security.
Patriot Daily
This is so insane it’s tinfoil time. Looking at the east coast ports they’ve just handed over to UAE, it looked like they were mostly democratic strongholds. Thought to myself, “holy shit, is this a LiHOP set up to start wiping more blue cities off the map?”
No that’s not a serious ‘theory’, but you just gotta wonder b/c it makes absolutely NO SENSE!
How anyone with half as much brain function as Terry Schiavo can seriously believe that this admin has the best interests of the country and its people in mind, I know not.
Maybe they’re planning to blame the next event on normal mainstream political activists who couldn’t take the world’s injustice any longer.
certainly look s like a LIHOP
I’m reposting what I wrote on the other thread on this topic…just because…the tinfoil hat line inspired me!
I agree. We shouldn’t be outsourcing these jobs, and port security in general has been abysmal. Here in Los Angeles we are supposed to be getting additional radiation detectors by the end of the year. The end of the year! Hello, it’s 2006! Weren’t we supposed to be “safer” already?
Without making any judgments as to the security or lack thereof associating with having a UAE-based company handling US port operations, I think Republican Senator Lindsay Graham put it best – he made reference to “the utter tone-deaf” nature of the Bush Administration’s decision here. It’s such a huge political miscalculation, at least as far as his American audience is concerned (maybe it’s a pay-off to somebody in the UAE, who knows?), that it’s oddly laughable. I mean, really. I watched some of the network news coverage of this Sunday night, and honestly, I laughed outloud watching Chertoff try to spin this.
OT, they had another great story – this was, er, ABC? With a reporter interviewing Karen Hughes – the reporter (a woman, I don’t know her name) was really good. She basically just said to Hughes, “but isn’t all this PR useless when so many people in the Middle East dislike American policies?”
Al Queda….what is AL Queda?
I don{t beleive any such organization exists as described by the Bush administration.
America is instituting more terror than any other nation. TO focus on the mythical Al Queda…probably a bunch of buffoons stumbling around in the dark…I mean what is this Al Queda that uses bombs in back packs in England and Spain. Any fool could have done that. I don{t think that was Al Queda. 911 sounds like it of course was more sophisticated with the help of elements of intelligence agencies…perhaps foreign, perhaps domestic.
911 was an effort by a stateless group. If there are terrorist attacks every 5 years on the United States, I think it will survive. I´m sorry but I don{t think the 911 attack or the attacks in Europe are that big of a deal. The reaction has been bizzarre to the deaths of 3.000 people. I think the shock of seeing the buildings fall had more impact than the deaths of 3,000 people on the American people.
If Al Queda had any power, if it really existed, they would have to have the capacity to institute “attacks” at will. THey don{t.
THere is nothing substantial to be afraid of. I think your diary promotes the kind of fear that Bush promotes.
Bush has killed through terrorism, far more people than Al Queda Clown Company.
Clowns really are scary, you know.
I´m sorry but I don{t think the 911 attack or the attacks in Europe are that big of a deal.
Tell that to the family and friends of the victims.
Well, it’s a big deal for those people who were close to the victims or near the victims. But that doesn’t make it a big deal for the whole world. And the whole world cannot and will not react as a whole to every victim, We don’t have the capacity to do that, but those nearby can and they can to the degree they were affected.
People Die everyday. Some people are victims. It simply isn’t a big deal for everyone. It’s a big deal for those who, those victims were close to. That’s just the way it is.
I think you know what I mean. I don’t mean to minimize the importance to
those who were close to any victim of any event anywhere.
You cannot overreact with war because someone was shot or some people were shot or made victim. It has to be proportional and the war on terror is not proportional. 100,000 killed in Iraq…who had nothing to do with 3,000 killed on 911. It isn’t proportional. The war in Iraq is a bigger deal in terms of victims than 911.
Well, it’s a big deal for those people who were close to the victims or near the victims. But that doesn’t make it a big deal for the whole world. And the whole world cannot and will not react as a whole to every victim, We don’t have the capacity to do that, but those nearby can and they can to the degree they were affected.
Well, do you think that the Tsunami in Asia was a big deal? or, what about the genocide in Rwanda? after all it was not more than a few countries involved and it was a regional conflict not concerning the whole world? What about the killings in Iraq these days it is not a big deal for the world because after all it is not effecting us directly so, I say look the other way, well that is what the world are doing now so then they seem to be in accordance with your views. A logical deduction of what you are saying would be; don’t send relief packages or money to the third world because it is not our responsibility they’d better take care of themselves, since those nearby can and they can to the degree they were affected. It is possible for the countries to focus on more than a few places when conducting their foreign policy, after all that is what international politics is all about.
People Die everyday. Some people are victims. It simply isn’t a big deal for everyone. It’s a big deal for those who, those victims were close to. That’s just the way it is.
Yes, people do die everyday, but when people die because of political reasons then it is of concern for the international community whether the victims are Black or White, Arab or Jew, Muslim or Christian. This kind of relativization of human rights and human value, depending on where you live and where you come from, I can not accept, whether it is done in the West or in Third World countries.
You cannot overreact with war because someone was shot or some people were shot or made victim.
Well since you are talking about going to war I presume you are talking about the 9/11 incident and not the bombings in Madrid and London, since no one has gone to war over those attacks.
9/11 was an act of War. This was confirmed by the fact that NATO invoked its article 5 for the first time ever, since it was an attack on a NATO member. At first the Taliban regime was asked to extradite the al-Qaeda perpetrators, but their denial to do so made them co-sponsors of the terrorist attack and thus a legitimate target.
It has to be proportional and the war on terror is not proportional. 100,000 killed in Iraq…who had nothing to do with 3,000 killed on 911. It isn’t proportional. The war in Iraq is a bigger deal in terms of victims than 911.
You seem to have accepted the notion that the War in Iraq is a legitimate part on the “War on Terror”, have I misunderstood you? If not, I for one is not of that opinion, the war in Iraq is about regime change and hegemonic control, period.
Yes you have misunderstood everything I wrote, but my writing isn’t necessarily the best.
I just saying we are overreacting to 911 all the time with the war in Iraq. I am for the immediate pullout of troops, without any strings.
I think helping people in need is great, and going to war is bad.
Great, now the Democrats are in on the game of xenophobia and jingoism. A company from Abu Dhabi is now equal to “Al-Qaeda”? The US should not do business with swarthy ay-rabs? Does that include oil? Or is it bad only when they buy something in the US?
Gimme a break.
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Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and UAE are the only three states that recognized the Taliban as a legitimate government in Afghanistan pre-911. Pakistan created the Taliban to provide a certain stability in the country and Islamist extremism in Pakistan provides the madarassas to further their cause.
Saudi Arabia is a natural ally of Osama Bin Laden due to the same roots, powerful and wealthy family and the funding and export of Wahabism.
The UAE is not a state, has no stable regime and has no justice system with national judges. Dubai and Abu Dhabi are mostly known for its past history of contraband, money laundering and gateway of illegal (arms) deals. Not much has changed in the past decade of building an extravagant front for the super wealthy. Compare to the BCCI bank in the form of a state called UAE.
Hotel Burj al Arab - 321MeterIt’s not about Arabs, I would have no major concern if the buyer was Egyptian, Moroccan or Persian (Iranian).
The neocons and Bush cabal should worry about democracy in UAE, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. The focus on Iraq to wage war was illegitimate and counterprocuctive and on Iran is shortsighted and foolish foreign policy. Similar to the position taken on Venezuela and the coup e’tat attempt. Has Bush-Rice “solved” the rogue state North-Korea yet?
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Anti-Slavery International claims UAE still uses child slaves as camel jockeys
In 2004, Anti-Slavery International sent a photographer to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to photograph children racing and training in the Gulf state. The photographs prove that, despite the Government’s repeated statements that this practice has stopped, it is still a problem. Two years ago, the Government announced that using children under 15 and lighter than 45 kilograms to race camels would be banned from 1 September 2002 and offenders punished.
Ansar Burney Welfare TrustSee our submission to the UN.
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to document the children working in the agricultural fields?
It might be interesting to some readers to check out the regulations regarding migrant child labor in this industry.
As a client state, UAE is not in a position to conduct such an investigation, maybe a European country, or Canada, might be interested.
Child labor, child slavery, sexual and otherwise, is a thriving business around the world.
About half the world’s children do not have a childhood.
This atrocity should be ended around the world, not used as a political football or handy tool to make sure anti-Arab sentiment in the US is kept at the desired level of frothiness.
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I lived in the UAE (Sharjah & Dubai) for over 16 years, from the 1980s until the late 90s. As a child it was a very safe and luxurious place to grow up in and I have very fond memories there. The underbelly which not many people see is the unbelievable discrepancies and discrimination the UAE treats its labourers & large Arab expat communities. As a British citizen or holder of any western country travel document you are automatically eligible to receive up to four times the salary or package offered to an Arab national, regardless of experience or merit. Dubai & the UAE’s treatment of manual labourers is deplorable.
DM, London -UK
Dubai is indeed an amazing place. Mega-Structures appear out of nowhere in what seems like hours and England could learn a lesson or two in this respect. On closer inspection however, I’m sure even we could build Wembley Stadium on time if we virtually forced 10,000 migrant workers to work 15-16 hours a day 7 days a week for a pittance in unbearable heat.
Chris Gilbert, London, UK
● United Nations Convention on Migrants Rights
● Migrants’ Woes in Dubai Worker Camps
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It’s a little more complicated than that, I think.
See also here.
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Would one be suspicious of a ports deal secured by the UAE, when this serie orders was signed with Boeing recently?
George W. Bush said:
“I want those who are questioning it to step up and explain why all of a sudden a Middle Eastern company is held to a different standard than a Great British company, I am trying to conduct foreign policy now by saying to the people of the world, ‘We’ll treat you fairly.'”
CORAL GABLES, Fla. (Local10TV) Feb. 21 — Gov. Jeb Bush said he has faith in his brother’s administration over its decision to allow an Arab-owned company to operate major U.S. ports, including in Miami.
Dubai Ports World, a state-owned business in the United Arab Emirates, is expected to take over a British company that has been running six U.S. ports.
Several South Florida Congress members and politicians believe the deal should be closely examined.
U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen said she has no specific concerns about the company, although the fact that UAE was where a number of the Sept. 11 hijackers were being harbored warrants further examination.
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MM&P-contracted CSX Lines, the US-flag container shipping subsidiary of CSX Inc., will be sold to the Carlyle Group, a private equity firm based in Washington, DC for $300M. The acquisition will give Carlyle control over the nation’s largest Jones Act container fleet and will add to the company’s growing transportation portfolio.
● Carlyle Group Bid for U.S. DataMining Ownership VNU – LexisNexis – Seisint Inc – MATRIX
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In all fairness, there has never been credible evidence or proof that there were 19 hijackers, from anywhere
Our battles are with our own demons, and they dwell within. Predjudice for each and every one of us, in one form or another.
Too often we cannot see the forest for the trees, for it is all about greed, and their control over our lives in every aspect, alas, they lead the blind. As the people walk freely into their pitfalls to wallow in.
These traps are everywhere, (there are a greed controlled media device ; ) Orwell’s big brother?
If you want to help, go to the public, in the streets, in their homes, at their jobs, and talk to them. Show them the FACTS You can truly be their seeing eye dog ; )
ps. (it feels great)
peace
Long before oil money, Dubai and Abu Dhabi were wealthy smuggling ports, with close ties to the ports of what’s now Pakistan.
The player behind Dubai Ports World, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahayan is the son of the guy behind Bank of Commrce and Credit International, which expedited the heroin shipments, and return money flows of the US first Afghan War in the ’80s, as exposed by Sentor Kerry’s investigations in the Kerry Committee BCCI report issued in 1992.
It’s never been about Holy War for the Emirates. Piety has always been a way to keep the heat off from the poor of the Arab world, while the priority has been business.
(Sure, I always figure it’s about dope, but how often have I turned out to be wrong? $100 billion a year in hidden flows pops out everywhere.)
What’s to stop the prez from invoking his executive authority and claiming state secret to approve this deal? What if he says it’s a part of ongoing secret surveillance and there can be no questioning of the deal?
I’m surprised this hasn’t come up in the discussion
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SECURITY MATTERS!
Port of Rotterdam - Europe's largestWorld’s Largest Port of Rotterdam is owned and operated by the City of Rotterdam. Security is enhanced in cooperation with US Homeland Security. Investments in computer aided security checks and necessary equipment for screening and check of radioactive materials are all in place.
Forgery of freight documents will make any security impossible.
Don’t trust the Israelis, but certainly don’t trust the UAE government with a bad track record.
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Free Trade – Restrictions are Minimal
In the late 80s to mid 90s, Mr. Bilkey served as the Executive Director of Dubai Ports Authority and Jebel Ali Free Zone Authority and was involved in establishing the foundation for its rapid growth both domestically and internationally.
Created by a Dubai Government decree on 9 February 1985, the Jebel Ali Free Zone is now host to over 1,125 companies from 72 countries. Many of these are leaders in their industries.
R&W International is establishing an inventory stocking facility and warehouse operation to bring the benefits of duty free operations to our customers. With no currency restrictions, excellent port facilities, and a tremendous commitment to tax-free operations, we believe the Jebel Ali Free Zone brings important features to our customers.
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These companies also own an alarming amount of our data. Combine that with waivers of ownership in dual countries and that’s where you’ll find the world’s datamining storage and nobody from the outside will be able to touch it.
I wonder if they’re hiring?
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WASHINGTON (CBS/AP) — President Bush sought to calm an uproar over an Arab company taking over operations at six major American ports saying: “people don’t need to worry about security.”
Under a secretive agreement with the administration, a company in the United Arab Emirates promised to cooperate with U.S. investigations as a condition of its takeover of operations at six major American ports, according to documents obtained by The Associated Press.
The U.S. government chose not to impose other, routine restrictions.
President Bush at his Cabinet meeting AP“The more people learn about the transaction,” Mr. Bush said, “the more they’ll be comforted that the ports will be secure.” He spoke to reporters at the end of a Cabinet meeting.
In approving the $6.8 billion purchase, the administration chose not to require state-owned Dubai Ports World to keep copies of its business records on U.S. soil, where they would be subject to orders by American courts. It also did not require the company to designate an American citizen to accommodate requests by the government.
● Dubai Ports, Customs & Free Zone Corporation Joins US Container Security Initiative (CSI)
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