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Should the U.S. Turn control of 6 shipping ports over to the Arabs?

Should the U.S. give control of 6 ports to Arabs?

  • What? Are you crazy? Heck NO!

    Votes: 3 100.0%

  • Anything the President wants he should get because he's the President.

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Yes we should sell control of the ports, I like taking risks.

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • No one will attack the U.S. through ports that aren't controlled or secured.

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Total voters
    3

Saboteur

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Currently, President Bush intends to sell control of 6 U.S. ports for Arab control. Congress, including many house republicans, are concerned that doing so would be a threat to national security as our shipping ports are already our weakest link in the chain of defence. They are currently working to block the sale of the port but President Bush says he will veto anything that comes to him that is against selling the ports.

I for one don't think that this is a very good idea. We might as well invite Osama and freinds over to visit one of our water resivoirs and let Iran have nuclear weapons. I say this because I know that Saudi Arabia has, as recently as 2004, harbored terrorists and their government has, in the past, granted them amnisty.
 
I'm hoping this is all just a sick dream that I will eventually wake up from.

Someone please pinch me.
 
SixStringHero said:
I'm hoping this is all just a sick dream that I will eventually wake up from.

Someone please pinch me.
Click to expand...

Not sure how to take that. But I hope that your not for selling the ports.:smile:
 
I have oft said that we are trading our land for Toyotas; our buildings for Chinese coffee makers; our sanity for Indian computer software..
IMO, these people can be "trusted", I guess...

But I would not trust an Islamic Arab, even to my toilet portal.

BTW, President Bush cannot sell anything expect his book on wisdom(to be published after he leaves office)
 
Saboteur said:
Not sure how to take that. But I hope that your not for selling the ports.:smile:
Click to expand...

I admit I have to read more about this, but this just seems like a really bad idea.

How is this going to affect homeland security?
 
SixStringHero said:
I admit I have to read more about this, but this just seems like a really bad idea.

How is this going to affect homeland security?
Click to expand...

Well, Homeland Security expects the Arab Co. Dubai Ports World to participate in the government security programs and will still be responsible for the ports. But Homeland Security Inspectors still think it's a bad idea. here's a couple articles;

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2006-02-21-port-questions_x.htm

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060222...3QTv5UB;_ylu=X3oDMTBiMW04NW9mBHNlYwMlJVRPUCUl

Not a lot of people are very happy about this. Appearantly President Bush didn't even know about this until a few days ago but he still supports it. here's a quote from the republican chariman of the Homeland Security committe;

"I will fight harder than ever for this legislation, and if it is vetoed I will fight as hard as I can to override it," said Rep. Pete King, R-N.Y., chairman of the Homeland Security Committee."

I don't think the administration has really thought this through. I would have expected them to bring this to the Presidents attention before approving the sale.
 
earthworm said:
BTW, President Bush cannot sell anything expect his book on wisdom(to be published after he leaves office)
Click to expand...

You're right he can't sell the ports but his administration approved the sale while he didn't even know about it. I call this bad communication. I would have thought that cabinet members knowing that Arabs are the biggest monitary contributers to terrorism would have at least run it past the Pres. first.
 
If I could modify the poll choices I would.

(rather -edit)
 
1. It is not ours to sell, they're owned by British companies.
2. The poll is biased..
 
Synch said:
1. It is not ours to sell, they're owned by British companies.
2. The poll is biased..
Click to expand...

Yes but it is for our government to approve. It is not biased.
 
Synch said:
1. It is not ours to sell, they're owned by British companies.
2. The poll is biased..
Click to expand...

I could not answer the poll becasue as usual its biased.......

Of course we should be able to do this......Security will be controlled 100 percent by the Home land Security Office as well as the Coast Guard...........
 
Considering the astronomical number of cargo shipments that aren't inspected at present by non Arab controlled ports, I don't see how this is a good idea.
 
Navy Pride said:
I could not answer the poll becasue as usual its biased.......

Of course we should be able to do this......Security will be controlled 100 percent by the Home land Security Office as well as the Coast Guard...........
Click to expand...

Hey don't call it biased because you don't want to admit that you'd choose 'whatever the president wants he should get because he's the president'.

This guy and his administration can do no wrong in your eyes huh?

And the quote from Peter King R-NY, chairman of Homeland Security didn't phase you?

I have been accused by some here of hating the president and supporting terrorism I don't think this sale should have been approved and I think that the shoe of supporting terrorism is on somebody elses foot. We're not arguing about your favorite quarterback here, it's okay to admit your president isn't making a good decision. Here I'll start.... It was a bad decision for President Clinton to cheat on his wife and then lie about it to a grand jury. Wow! This feels great! I've never thought that admitting that people even presidents make bad decisions!
 
This poll is stupid. Are you afraid of the poll results if you make the answers reasonable instead of idiotic?

Yes, we should allow it. Dubai taking over the commercial aspect of the ports has nothing to do with the security aspect. Nothing at all.
 
Kandahar said:
This poll is stupid. Are you afraid of the poll results if you make the answers reasonable instead of idiotic?

Yes, we should allow it. Dubai taking over the commercial aspect of the ports has nothing to do with the security aspect. Nothing at all.
Click to expand...


No I am not afraid of the results and I said if I could I would change the options.
 
30% of our sea ports are currently owned/operated by a foreign company. The ports in question were owned by a British company. I say "were"because from what I've read/seen the sale/acquisition has already taken place. It's the formality of our government allowing DWP to operate them. The big difference in the ownership of the ports is that DWP is actually owned by the UAE government itself. It's not a private company in the same manner as we see private business here. It's a shame when domestic companies have no interest in investing in American ports.
 

All your choices are biased.........

I would answer let them have adminsitrative control of the ports as long as we have full security control or something to that affect.............
 
Imagine the astronomical cost if all imports were "checked out" 100 % ...
China would NOT want this nor allow it, and I can see no reason at this point in time.
Yes, I think something is seriously wrong when foreign companies "own" 30% of our ports.
Something is strange - more explanation is needed.
We need input from those at the ports, those who have a better idea of what is going on...

Also, the word "control" - this needs much more definition.
And I trust NO Islamic individual nor nation...
 
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