Do you approve of Dubai govt. buying out our (american) major ports? Why?
116356
Dubai, one of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is not buying out US ports.   The ports operation will be run by a company based in Dubai.  The company currently running the ports P&O ( Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Co )is a London based company that has recently been acquired by Dubai Ports World, the UAE company. \n\nThe purchase and takeover of the contract to run the ports has been approved by a US government agency that investigates security risks of outside control of US companies.  The U.S. Committee on Foreign Investment, the agency, found no security risks.  \n\nThe company will just manage the ports, it will still keep the same workers, the same managers and the same equiptment.  It will hire the same longshoremen - the guys who unload the boats and it will keep American paychecks in America.  \n\nI have linked below to an article about the sale of P&O to DP World as well as links to the companies' web sites. \n\nRemember too that ports deal with international cargo - most everything domestic is moved by truck- and that international companies are involved in international commerce.   The US produces airplanes for the Chinese and UAE,  Mexico assembles a lot of toilets used in the US.  We are truly a global economy.  When the deal finalizes it will be a UAE company running these US ports as opposed to a UK company as it was last week.
148253
Because he is just a tool of the Republican Party, and has no integrity. It may be interesting to note that Treasury Secretary Snow (who's dept approved this deal) used to be CEO of CSX Corp. CSX was bought by the same UAE Govt-owned company that now wants to control our ports. Hmmmm, there wouldn't be any connection there would there?\n\nAlso, the differences between letting a British COMPANY own our ports and a Government (UAE) own our ports is HUGE, especially when that Govt has a bad track record in direct support of terrorists -- two of whom were on the 9/11 terror squad. Wake up, people.
88133
It's not six, it's twenty-one!  Dubai is a GOVERNMENT RUN company.  And the government that owns it has allowed Al Queda to launder money through their country, in essence, funding terrorism against the United States of America.  They, Dubai, have also banned CNN from doing anymore interviews or to video tape their operations overseas.  They really want to silence Lou Dobbs.  Why, if they are on the up and up?  Please DON'T BE SO IGNORANT as to think Americans don't want Muslims controlling our ports (port authority).  We don't want terrorists or terrorist funders controlling our ports (port authority).\n***\nTwo of the 9/11 highjackers were from the UAE, the UAE continues to harbor arms dealers and terrorists, the UAE recognizes the Taliban as a legitimate governmet, the UAE refuses to accept Israel as anything but non-existent...I am glad and proud that this action is being questioned.  Listen to your radios, crack open some print, do the research, you will see that there are too many shady business deals and lying going on here for this deal to be legit.  First Bush says he'll veto (he has yet to use this power since he has been president) ANY act passed by Congress to halt these proceedings, then the VERY NEXT DAY he said he didn't even know about the deal until the American public knew about it...Why all the lies and secrecy if this deal is on the up and up?\n***\nLet's debate, not be mean to one and other.
141295
No one is selling our ports.  This is merely about a contract with a port operations company to continue with day to day port operations.  Security will continue to done by U.S. officials.
873936
You are correct. Instead of a foolish Middle East Adventure, we could have invested money to secure our ports and make sure that containers are properly searched, we could be investing in enough baggage screening machines to do the job at every major international airport in the country, we could have already built the wall between the US and Mexico, and we could install the new "sniffer" capable stoplights available from such companies as Optisoft.\n\nBut no...instead our government wants to spread freedom to people who singularly don't deserve it.\n\nSomeday our Administration will remember they represent the American people.
136060
Since we could never afford to inspect more than 5% of all inbound cargo what does it matter who schedules and unloads the shipments? Yes, I think its probably fine for the UAE to operate the 21 ports. We should NEVER reliquish security, and in fact we should step up investigations of new port workers.
217299
I quit years ago and see no value in it. The Dubai Ports deal has nothing to do with illegal domestic spying ( opposed ).\nThis question reads like a non sequitor.\n\nOn the Dubai ports deal, I find it deliciously ironic that after years of beating the drums about terrorism and 9/11 by the Bush Admin , the American public has a large number of rabid xenophobic folks that blokced this deal.\nWhat did he expect having had this thing happen in secret?
278106
Yes and no.  The question is whether to permanently dock the Battleship Iowa as a floating museum in San Francisco.  Several on the Board of Supervisors (and some in the city) object on the grounds that it would amount to supporting war and militarism and all that, and would be hypocritical to be calling for peace (as the city gov't often does) while making money off of a battleship tourist attraction.  Additionally, a member of the Board got lulled into saying on Fox's "Hannity & Colmes" that he thinks the US doesn't need a military at all--which was immediately repeated as proof that SF is nothing but insane liberals who would be served right if terrorists blew up Coit Tower...\n\nIn fact most people in the Bay Area have no problem with the battleship or the military or national defense.  The area has a long history of military connections (you can look at WW II alone), and at present is home to the Liberty Ship Jeremiah O'Brien, the submarine USS Pampanito, and the aircraft carrier Hornet (in Alameda).  Fleet Week every year brings the Navy into port and the Blue Angels over the bay.  More rational folks--and that includes many others in government--may legitimately oppose the current war while still respecting the military and its history, and would welcome the Iowa as a link to the city's own naval history.
290631
The United States government could compete for the contract, if it so chose.  But what generally happens is that the US government does not actually do the work, but subcontracts it out to private companies.  That is what happened in the UAE ports deal.  The US was subsidizing out security operations to a private company.  However, in the UAE, the government actually owns, operates and profits from certain companies (capitalistic societies, especially the US, try to minimize this).\n\nSo the US government is in charge of the port security. They hire a company to oversee it on behalf of the government.  That company is bought by a company that is owned by the UAE government.  Since the late 1990s, a good number of US ports on the West Coast have been operated by China in the same manner, and the UAE actually oversees a number of other ports from late 2002 that they were given in another contract.\n\nCompetition of any type is good in a free-market, as long as it is done fairly and ethically.
406244
Yes, I don't want to sell the American ports to OPEC. No way!
239249
Emirates is a very westernized place, half of population are expats. It is essentially a model of how US wants to see the rest of Arabian world. Turning them down says "no matter how civilized you are, we still do not trust you b/c you are arabs"\n\nNot to mention that they will not run the terminals, just own a share in a British company that owns a share in US company that runs the terminals. And that "runs" means paying electricity bill for a warehouse; the security is still maintained by Coast Guard, INS, Customs.
101067
They are not. UAE is not taking over port management.  Dubai Ports World a company based out of UAE is taking over ports management. P&O based out of Britain(Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation) was managing the ports. P&O was bought by Dubai Ports World.
84080
It seems that even some of the republicans are starting to question the ideas of the bush administration. I was at my mechanic yesterday and overheard rush limbaugh (on the radio, of course) even criticizing bush's plan. It seems like selling the ports to the arab company is like asking the fox to gaurd the hen house. \nI think the Congress will try and stop Bush from going through with the sale since republicans and democrats are against it. Bush says he'll veto any act by Congress concerning the matter, but i would not be shocked to see the veto overridden. That would certainly be exciting and representative of our nation's growing disatisfaction with our president.
186096
The company in Dubai that wanted to buy the ports from Great Britain own ports around the world. They are a reputable company, and I am sure it all boiled down to the all mighty dollar, or pound sterling as the case may be. You have to remember that it was not the government of Great Britain selling the ports, but a company based in Great Britain. I am sure we have many corporations and business in America that do business that the government would not approve of.
170539
The sale is to the Country of Dubai, not the above. It could effect the American public's safety. Especially in the Port of Houston,Texas USA. The water way is over 18 miles long. Terrorism is not over, it's just on break until the next incident. Wishing will not make evil go away.
222585
have you seen a neighborhood jiffy store owned by middle eastern people. well think of it that way these ports are still watched and secured by us and worked by us they own paper i believe in free trade however if a country has acsess to our business then we should be alloowed the same.\nif we slam our doors then we are doing the same thime the terrorists are trying to do it means they have won a battle
683374
Yes we should. It would take a lot less space than the liberals would have you believe that it would. And, it would be nice not to be so dependent on foreign oil.