The UAE getting open access to our ports?
The Bush Administration finds no problems with a company from the United Arab Emirates taking over significant operation in six major U.S. ports, including shipping terminals in New Jersey, New York, Philadelphia and Baltimore. I think it's particularly frightening, as the UAE served as the operational and financial base for the Sept. 11 hijackers, and that nuclear components smuggled to Iran, North Korea and Libya were transferred through there.
A UAE company having open access to our ports, combined with the continued vulnerability of our maritime industry, sounds to me like we're opening the henhouse door for the fox and lighting the way. Is the government taking too light of an attitude on this one -- citing the UAE leaders as allies -- or am I overreacting because of post-911 paranoia?
A UAE company having open access to our ports, combined with the continued vulnerability of our maritime industry, sounds to me like we're opening the henhouse door for the fox and lighting the way. Is the government taking too light of an attitude on this one -- citing the UAE leaders as allies -- or am I overreacting because of post-911 paranoia?
7 Comments:
No, your not over reacting. The maritime industry is a big challange. Big improvements have been made, but big improvements need to be done. No foreign country should ever have control of of our ports. No other country would ever let this happen.Only here. Where's our President Bush on this issue. If this goes thru, we will have compromised our security of this country and every american in this country. I am a maritime Captain. Contact me @ RNARUSZEWICZ@aol.com
I agree with you Clare, the government has to take another look at this deal.The Bush administration says we are at war but they don't seem to enforce that idea with half measures that they have taken.Letting illegals come over the border is like putting a bolt on your front door and leaving the back door wide open.Mr. Chernoff where are you?
Do not allow an Arab entity take over control of even one US port. A knife,(worse) will be in our back and twisted with a smile on their face.
It is not unusual for foreign companies to run port operations at US ports. Some of the opposition to the company from UAE is undoubtedly rooted in anti-Arab prejudice. However, we have to err on the side of caution. We cannot sacrifice national security just to avoid offending Arabs.
It really is too bad that there are no US Companies that are in the Port Management Business. This delema gives the US some unatractive choices. Among them are:
1. Create a new government Agency.
2. Back a large US based management company without Port management experience.
3. Put the contract on hold while we seek bids from all nations.
4. Go with the UAE contract.
Of the 4 options, the last is the only option where the management company has experience in Port Management, but I would choose option 2.
Port Management is not an art or technology that Americans cannot comprehend. I bet if we got to the bottom of this issue, we would find that the risk of liability is the key factor that keeps US firms out of the business. We need to start protecting us from these huge liability risks to induce good companies to apply.
Did you also know that Dubai Ports World would also control the movement of our military equipment? Check out today's edition of the British paper Lloyd's list.
P & O has renewed a U.S. contract to provide the loading/unloading of militery equipment at Texan ports of Beaumont and Corpus Christi.
This sale of our ports would give a country direct control over big quantities of this equipment.
Good one, Bush! Does this guy even have a brain?!
why not contract out port operations to a company like sealand or other American company in the shipping business. they seem to know how to run a port.
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