That’s the choice in this decision.
Approval of a $6.8 billion sale that gives a United Arab Emirates company control over operations at six major American ports – including Baltimore’s – was an “outrageous, reckless and irresponsible decision,” Mayor Martin O’Malley said Saturday.
O’Malley, who co-chairs the U.S. Conference of Mayors’ Task Force on Homeland Security, called on President Bush to reverse the decision “to surrender already vulnerable American port operations to a foreign government.”
O’Malley said the federal government already has failed to invest in port security.
“Now, that failure is being compounded by this outrageous decision to turn over the operations of our port to a foreign government,” O’Malley said.
Even many Republican politicians, along with Democrats, are realizing that we can’t allow our port security to be outsourced to a nation with terror ties. A bomb exploding in downtown Baltimore is not worth any price.
Reminds me of something going on in my area of interest: the DoD is allowing its contractors who are building the new fighter aircraft and missile defense systems to outsource some of the software overseas. This includes avionics and fire control software. Given that the DoD and major defense contractors have an almost pathological inability to deal with software (and I speak with some expertise) — doing things like finding back doors and trojan horses, this can’t be a good idea.
“Please intercept that incoming missile, Hal.”
“I can’t do that, Dave.”
Boom.
I am waiting for all the neocons to come out and support Bush on this.
I don’t think this is as simple as either opposed Rs or Ds are claiming. My understanding is that the same entity already owns several port facilities. Are they unsafe, infiltrated with Ts? If Baltimore is a problem why not the other major ports?
Dugger
This is one situation where I say better safe than sorry. Ditch the UAE corp and find someone else.
With the exception of Dugger, I hear a lot of republican crickets
chirping on this subject. A lot more cmmentary goin’ on a thread up where
the air is a little easier to breathe.
Maybe this is just a reward by the Carlyle group to the UAE for helping to finance the bombing of the Twin Towers which helped Carlyle head, Geo. BUsh, get his son re elected.
I mean, those people have to stick together..they have to reward each other for helping each other. Next, the Saudi GOvernment is going to see if they can buy the US AIr FOrce. Hey, what the hell….it just is good business and in the world of free trade, are you trying to nix a good deal? Dirty Commies.
It may interest you to know that foreign firms already manage lots of ports. What’s wrong with a UAE firm, which has a strong portfolio? It’s not a government agency of the UAE. It’s a firm. Also the UAE does not have a “cozy relationship” with Al Qaeda. Why do you say thingsl ike this? Cozy relationship how exactly? Al Qaeda people used to live there? They lived in florida too. Do you boycott Florida firms? This whole argument sounds racist to me.
If you want more info about the Dubai firm and about foreign ownership of ports in general the expert blog on the Middle East and North Africa called “Aqoul” has a lot of info on the issue and how stupid American arguments against the UAE firm on the basis of ‘they are scary Arabs” are racist at their core and just silly. It is amazing to me how insular Americans are on issues like this.
People in the UAE were rioting? Really? Name a UAE street demonstration and show me an embassy that was burnt there.
I don’t “watch the middle east”. I live in it.
Americans are just unbelievable.
Of course its racist..but, hey,
how many people knew that the Bin Laden construction company would finance Al Qaida? It was a legitimate private firm and still is. But it didnt stop factions within from using funds against the west.
And, face it Annie, the cartoon riots make Muslim look like real, I dont know..is lunatic a racist word? How about goof ball?
America has the right to secure its ports however they wish. HOw long before some faction within the company sees another cartoon and goes ballistic? Even the slight possibility of sabotage will only add paranoia and anti Arab sentiment.
Realistically and economically, it probably is not a bad idea. IN another time and another place, perhaps.
BUt politically, it is incredibly stupid. And Americans are insular? …have you been watching the Middle East on TV Lately? IN INdonesia and Pakistan, the Cartoon Muslims are attacking Aid workers there to help with the aftermath of the Tsunami and the earthquake. Talk about short sighted.
ANy efforts to portray Arab states as ’safe and sane’ runs up against a lot of evidence. Even though most AMericans know that the rioters dont represent Islam or Arab culture, it is still a difficult picture to wipe from one’s mind.
Anna;
Seriously. You have no compunction about the tendency to violence
as a first option, rather than peacful demonstrations by Muslims
worldwide?
“The Bush Administration supposedly vetted this sale, and found nothing wrong.”
I can’t tell which side this argument is intended to support. The Bushies vetted Haliburton, Enron, and Custer Battles.
It’s not “anti-Arab” for me; I don’t think our ports should be controlled by any foreign country or company. I’d object if it were the Norwegians.
The amount of anti Arab sentiment we see today in the US did not exist with this fervor until 9-11. The fixation that all Arabs and all Muslims are the same has been perpetrated by this Administration as part of their program to use Terrrorism as a political tool.
It is just a bad idea, politically, and, from most recent non-scientific polls on web sites…ABC, MSNBC, the votes are running 10 to 1 against this. So far as having Haliburton do the same job, I have even less faith in them than in the UAE company.
Fear of all Muslims and all Arabs and non-Arab muslims is the fault of Bin Laden and not the everyday follower of Islam. BUt, in a world of seemingly instant terrorism, the actions of the most vocal…the insanity of the mobs…makes Americans fear all Muslims as irrational beings driven by incomprehensible anger.
Anna, how do you think Muslims would react if Enron bought a piece of Saudi Arabia? Can you hold Americans to a higher standard?
So far as the Bush adminstration vetting this sale….are you kidding me? That is no guarantee. I guess Dana doesnt read news that contradicts his devoutly held beliefs.
FOr this Administration, the GOP, Wall Street, the US CHamber of COmmerce, it is all about money and it is not about safety, security or America.
Oh, yeah…how much did Abramoff get paid for this gem?
Shorter Dana
Just trust Bush…….again.
The Bush Administration supposedly vetted this sale, and found nothing wrong. What we are seeing is people assuming that it’s unsafe, because the company who is buying the contracts is owned by Arabs.
So, is this a war against Islamic Fascism, or is it a war against Arabs? Were I to listen to Senator Schumer or Senatrix Clinton, I’d have to assume it’s a war against Arabs.
Semant,
Jimmy Carter also supports the sale. As I said, this issue is more complex than the conservative/liberal opponents are pretending.
Dugger