UAE Port Deal

[zmacintyre]

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We can't just outsource our security to any country relying on that there is "ANY EVIDENCE that their proposed purchase is suspicious in any way." No, we need to be SURE--but we can't. So outsourcing our security to any foreign country is a bad idea, and outsourcing our security to an Arab Muslim country is a worse idea, and outsourcing our security to an Arab Muslim country that has a fair amount of terrorist activity going on is yet a worse idea.


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Hi MMMMMM,

Can you tell us exactly what is being outsourced. Apparently security of those ports has and will continue to remain the responsibility of the USCG. How much of an impact does this company's operation have on actual port security?

Stu

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The contract is for $6.5 billion...they are doing more than cleaning the toilets.

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Then since you oppose this deal, surely you can tell us what they'll be doing?

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I haven't made any opinions on this deal, I just heard about it yesterday, but it is silly to believe the Coast Guard handles all of the security at ports. The Coast Guard functions like the police, meaning they only come when they are called or when when someone does something illegal right in front of them.

So the question is, can we trust the company to call the police?

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This is not true at all, having been an offshore fisherman for 5 or so years (off of Cape cod) we as well as freighters and any other vessels are constantly boarded and inspected without notice. When there was not a CG Cutter around there were jets/helicopters flying over the shipping lanes. You may not see this from your 19' Boston Whaler or Catamaran, but when you get offshore you most certainly do !

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Cant Congress just review the findings of CFIUS? Do they need to launch some other investigation?

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CFIUS includes the following 12 members: the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy, Secretaries of Treasury (Chair), State, Defense, Homeland Security and Commerce, the Attorney General, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, the U.S. Trade Representative, and the Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers.

Yes, they need another investigation

If for no other reason then CFIUS had Tom "Duct Tape" Ridge on it.

[Nepa]

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Cant Congress just review the findings of CFIUS? Do they need to launch some other investigation?

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I think they need an investigation on some cabinet members here. I think Mr. Snow(The Treasure Secretary might have his hand in the cookie jar on this deal. They also should see if the UAE is funneling any money to terrorist groups or supporting them in any way shape or form.

This is a Post 9-11 world that some people on the right just don't seem to understand.

[MtSmalls]

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The formal CFIUS process was set into motion in December, and the Federal government conducted a thorough review to ensure that port security would in no way be compromised by the deal.


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This would be great except for a couple of things: By law Treas. Sec. Snow is required to chair all meetings of this committee, which in this case he didn't do Reuters

Donald Rumsfeld is also supposed to be a part of this committee, was also "informed AFTER the deal had been Okayed".

The pResident at first was vehemently for this deal passing, including threatening a veto, then backed off, saying it wasn't brought to his attention until after it had been approved.

So, just who in the hell on this CFIUS committee DID approve this?

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The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been a solid partner in the War on Terror.

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Then why did it need a "secret" deal not to keep records on US soil, and thus immune from US legal requests? And to cooperate with FUTURE investigations?

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Dubai was also the first Middle Eastern entity to join the Department of Energy's Megaports Initiative, a program aimed at stopping illicit shipments of nuclear and other radioactive material

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This is convienent and useless after having been the transshipment point for AQ Khan's sales to North Korea, Afghanistan and Pakistan...

This whole deal stinks from top (Bush/Snow/Rumsfeld) to bottom (James Baker/Carlyle)

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There is an agency that investigates deals like this and has done so for some time.

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You might look who is in that "agency" (it is a committee that Bush selects the members of) and some of the fiascos they have been involved in before.

[vulturesrow]

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Cant Congress just review the findings of CFIUS? Do they need to launch some other investigation?

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I think they need an investigation on some cabinet members here. I think Mr. Snow(The Treasure Secretary might have his hand in the cookie jar on this deal. They also should see if the UAE is funneling any money to terrorist groups or supporting them in any way shape or form.

This is a Post 9-11 world that some people on the right just don't seem to understand.

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I really hope you werent implying that I dont understand the implications of the "post 9-11 world". And as far that goes, Id there are far more people on the left than on the right that dont.

[Nepa]

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Cant Congress just review the findings of CFIUS? Do they need to launch some other investigation?

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I think they need an investigation on some cabinet members here. I think Mr. Snow(The Treasure Secretary might have his hand in the cookie jar on this deal. They also should see if the UAE is funneling any money to terrorist groups or supporting them in any way shape or form.

This is a Post 9-11 world that some people on the right just don't seem to understand.

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I really hope you werent implying that I dont understand the implications of the "post 9-11 world". And as far that goes, Id there are far more people on the left than on the right that dont.

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I wasn't implying anything but if you are for this port deal everyone know what you are.

[DVaut1]

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I wasn't implying anything but if you are for this port deal everyone know what you are.

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No, I doubt everyone know what he is.

I sure don't, anyway.

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A lot of Republicans are against this deal, however I am not one of them.

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Did you approve of the UAE supporting the Taliban?

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Hello non sequitir. But Ill humor you. First off, define support? Recognizing the Taliban as the legitimate government of Afghanistan (regardless of what you or I think of the Taliban), is much less egregious then outright support of terrorism. Which one was it? Cite your sources please and then tell me what this has to do with this port deal.

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By the way, UAE does NOT recognize the government of Israel.

And what was that figure someone cited? ~40% of the citizens in the UAE support OSAMA BIN LADEN?

I recently read that the Treasury Dept. part of that committee has virtually never met a foreign investment deal (outside--->U.S.) that they didn't like and approve. But does it really even matter how many committees "investigate" this deal? Isn't it still obvious that the chances of terrorist penetration or compromise of this privately held company from UAE, are far greater than the chances of the same with a British or US company? Why have so much trust in officialdom--why not just think for ourselves for a moment?

There is NO WAY a privately held company from the UAE...or from Pakistan...or from Saudi Arabia (all of which happen to be good U.S. "allies" in the war on terror, by the way...can possibly be considered as unlikely to be compromised or penetrated by terrorists as British or our own. No way in hell, in fact. A company from a country that has what, 40% popular support for bin Laden? Isn't that company more likely to be penetrated or compromised by terrorists? I mean really...this whole thing just seems surreal to me, and even beyond surreal. I don't care if Bush and Rummy and even Ronald Reagan's ghost were all to rubber-stamp the deal and say it's swell..it just isn't. Why this isn't more obvious to everyone is just beyond me.

[Nepa]

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I wasn't implying anything but if you are for this port deal everyone know what you are.

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No, I doubt everyone know what he is.

I sure don't, anyway.

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Money [greater than] Security