What's your opinion on the U.S. outsourcing Ports to the United Arab Emirates?
157366
Stupid Stupid Stupid!!!
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.
231116
Yes, currently the chinese govt manages a port on the West coast. Apprently its run quite efficiently.
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.
103350
Update: \n"He became aware of it over the last several days," McClellan said. Asked if Bush did not know about it until it was a done deal, McClellan said, "That's correct."\n\n\nFirst of all, I just want to say that it's obvious not "all Arabs are terrorists" and objection to this port deal is not suggesting in the least bit that they are.  You see a lot of the educated Congressmen, of both parties, objecting to the sale of these ports to a UAE company.  These are intelligent, educated people and you think that they are objecting to this deal because they believe that all Arabs are terrorists?  I think not.  The first perons who answered this question is the one who needs to get educated.\n\nIt is justifiable to say that giving control of these major US ports to a company in the UAE poses a threat to national security.  This situation is comparable to the notion of "probable cause."  If a police officer sees a person driving dangerously and erratically he has reason to believe that this person might be intoxicated.  If two of the September 11 hijackers came from the UAE and money used to fund those attacks went through UAE banks, we have reason to believe that giving control of major ports to a UAE company is an added threat to security.\n\nThere is no argument against the fact the UAE is located in a region of the world where anti-Western sentiment is strong.  UAE control of these ports gives people a greater opportunity to act of these feelings.\n\nSorry to say, but there is a difference between a British company operating these ports and a UAE company operating these ports.  I am a strong supporter of President Bush on 95% of the issues, but I do not know where his head is regarding this issue, if he really did know about this before the deal was made.
163344
Bigotry takes many forms and attempts to disguise itself behind issues that many people can support (i.e., law and order, national security, etc). The issue here has never been about national security. Many people would like us to think that this is the case but it isn't. The truth is that most people are bigoted when it comes to Arab companies owning companies that do business in the United States. Let's look at all of the issues here. First, national security is not threatened by the deal. The company would not control port security nor would it have access to any information that would allow it to bypass security measures which are in place that it couldn't already bypass without purchasing an interest in the port. Second, the company would do financial harm to itself and is very unlikely to risk a sizable investment in our ports to further some ideological agenda of others. Third, any ownership of an interests in ports could jeopardize our national security even if its an American company therefore it makes no sense to discriminate simply because the company is based out of the UAE.
204571
Probably not, why would so many senators and congressman in both political parties be against it if it were a good idea.  The real question should be why does President Bush want Dubai to own the ports so bad?
161372
I believe that the company from the UAE is probably a safe and legitimate company.  However, I do not have faith that terrorists wont find a way to infiltrate the company and turn the situation to their advantage.  A company from another nation making such a purchase should be a good thing in America, but how easy would it be for a few terrorists to get hired on and sneak things into our country?  The Coast Guard and Homeland Security dont have my trust so I dont think that we should be tempting fate.
133965
The UAE has had finacial links to certian terriost groups and that concerns the congress. I am in no way advocating that the UAE has close ties to terriost groups, but in time or war it wouldn't be the smartest idea to allow this to happen. The UAE already runs ports in the middle east & orient. If they had our ports, where is the check & balance? If we could ensure that every container was to be x-rayed and checked that arrived on our shores, then there would probably not be a huge issue. Unfortuantly, only about 10% of the containers are checked. It is better to be safe than sorry.
252327
i'VE GONE TO DUBAI so many times, it's a great place.\n\ni'm really sure that they do have them, there just going to be super expencive.
1130790
You are Qatari..Very good. I allow myself to say that I have plenty of knowledge about Qatar,the today's situation,the development,the inimitable policy of HH.Amir Al-Thani (I even an year ago sent HIm an official letter).I have my own opinion of Qatar. Fine,what you have in mind like doing business? Could you represent yourself in brief..
406244
Yes, I don't want to sell the American ports to OPEC. No way!
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.
86234
I think it illustrates the double standards of current popular sentiment, which, by the way, is simply Bush's fear-mongering blowing up in his face.  He'sold Arabs as the boogey-man too well for too long for Joe 6-Pack to feel OK with them as the local port authority.\n\nOur knee-jerk reaction to the UAE and the fact that in reality, US companies operate fewer than 10 US ports reveals the US population for the xenophobes that we actually are.\n\nToo bad we (as a culture) waste so much energy spitting and cussing about "them" and don't take the time to understand the REAL connections that are running this world.\n\nNot religion, skin color, border lines or flags, but banks and big business.
167057
Bush isn't selling the ports ... they already belong to a British company that is selling them to a company from the UAE.\n\nAnd US always has and will continue to be responsible for security at the ports, regardless of what company owns them
432750
Good point.  The jobs being outsourced overseas are better jobs than those left here, too.\n\n[ADDED] Lancelot (below) needs to do some research, as well as take his Econ 101 again.  He and the rest of the Bushie/right-wing ilk just LOVE simplistic explanations without substance.  Let's take Lancelot to school for a few moments....\n\nCorp tax rates in the US are among the lowest in the industrialized world - effective rate is 14% (that's net of tax break incentives, allowances, and subsidies provided by the government), which is lower than Lancelot's individual marginal rate.  Further, US corps, and many corps worldwide, WANT to do business inside the U.S. - we have the best intellectual property and copyright laws in the world as well as the greatest transparency in accounting standards (Enron notwithstanding and in fact making the point).  It's our TAXES that support the courts, SEC, Treasury, and other institutions that make our business climate so favorable to corporations.\n\nContrast this with the corruption and bribery that corporations have to put up with in many emerging overseas economies.  It's no wonder that the U.S. is THE country in which to launch a new business.\n\nTax rates have absolutely, positively nothing to do with the flight of jobs overseas.  Not that it isn't happening, and not that EVERYTHING is perfect about our economy.  Jobs really are going, and we have to face important issues about this.  But there are other factors - and not corporate tax rates - which are at play here.
249329
Too much money.Have you tried typing United Arab Emirates?\nI just did and was amazed at all the info. that was available.