Re: United Arab Emirates company to take over major U.S. ports

Ok I changed my mind again on this after hearing some more facts (below). I guess im a flip-flopper. :lol:

Newly learned facts: [LIST] []UAE is one of three countries that has assisted and supported both the Taliban and Al Qaeda. Other two were Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. []UAE government has assisted in transport of nuclear weapons to rouge nations previously. []93% of containers shipped to the US are not inspected. []Of the 6 mentioned ports only 1 has the capability of checking for nuclear weapons. []In addition to the 6 ports we have heard about in the news there are 2 additional military ports in Texas that will come under management of this company. []In the 9/11 comission report, the UAE was reported as having ties to Bin Laden. [*]And finally this company is royal family owned, not publicly traded.[/LIST]

Re: United Arab Emirates company to take over major U.S. ports

I just see it as creating a new vulerability. Are the Saudis officially our enemy? No. How many of the 9/11 hijackers were Saudi? About 2/3's, IIRC. Dubai is great, the have a friggen PGA Tour event, how much of a thread are they? As a government not much, but they are too close to those that are and the scale of the damage is so great to ignore the possibily.

Is it racial profiling? Hellz yes. Just like the Muslim prayer circle at the football game and the five gang bangers driving a low rider down my block in the middle of the night-- shake 'em down. Have we forgetten everything?

Re: United Arab Emirates company to take over major U.S. ports

[quote=thesightless]seriously, someone tell me how the operation actually changed outside of the stock ownership of the parent corp? some news site i was on b4 said that no one has changed employment, it is still actually the same employees. so if its that bad, why havent we been bitching? im serious, why all of a sudden, all this over a stock transaction. NOTHING ELSE CHANGED[/quote]

read this son! [url]http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0602/22/ldt.01.html[/url]

Re: United Arab Emirates company to take over major U.S. ports

[QUOTE=FM]But agreed; shit was said when the British ran this company, but now everyone's fucking trying to be PC and/or afraid because the word 'Arab' is associated with running the company now...[/QUOTE]

IMO, Bush brought this mess on himself. He's spent the last few years trying to convince us that Arab nations who don't practice democracy are the enemy and are a threat to freedom everywhere -- is it really that shocking that people's knee-jerk reaction upon hearing that an Arab monarchy is taking over over ports was, "holy shit?"

Bush has always said that he doesn't do nuance. In fact, he's been very successful painting things as black or white, good or bad -- you're either with us, or you're with the terrorists -- if you don't support the war, you must not support the troops -- that shit has gotten him far. It's pretty clear to me that had Bush not chosen to paint with such a broad brush early on and had engaged in some "nuanced" discussion of the lay of the land in the middle east rather than just talking in sound bites, this UAE thing might have been an easier sell.

Re: United Arab Emirates company to take over major U.S. ports

How is it that news of this UAE deal was published first in London October 23, 2005, and the next day in the NY Times, and neither side so much as even chirped about it? But all of the sudden..a deal that has been in the works for 5 months is immediately a really big situation? I guess the Cheney gunshot story is dead now, so, it's time for the UAE story. Fucking politics and news media.

[quote=deepdarkandtribal][COLOR=White][FONT=Arial]This Port story is horse shit and knee jerk politics.[/FONT][/COLOR][/quote]

Amen.

:Bingo:

Re: United Arab Emirates company to take over major U.S. ports

[quote]Just like the Muslim prayer circle at the football game[/quote]

i was at that game and i swear the place went apeshit. they were dummies anyway.

the real fucked up thing about this is bush wins either way in the end. if he goes against his party, the repubs can make him look bad and set themselves for the elections, if he allows them to beat him, they look even better. and the democrats are still looking like crybabies in the end.

we really need a whole new government and politcal party system. just ban all current politicians and re organize it with people who actually have expertise in economics, budgeting, taxation, finance, military, and PR. no more old fucking white people who have nothing better to do than try to exert thier persnal will upon us. i swear if i see bush trying to go nuts over this, or schumer and clinton at a podium again, im throwing my TV out the window. between those 3, and kerry and rove, i think we need to simply bitch slap the whole lot over and over again until they begin bleeding, THEN put rubbing alchohol on our hands and bitch slap til they pass out. then cut hillary clintons throat. cuz that bitch is only in office b/c of NYC and the massive amount of democratic support therein. CUNT.

Re: United Arab Emirates company to take over major U.S. ports

Catch 22's all over this deal.

1.) Muslim group with not so nice ties run U.S. ports. -> Bad public opinion 2.) 6 Billion tied into the deal to run the war over in the middle east. -> Bush's party is swayed. 3.) Possible leaks of WMD into ports (don't gimme that bullshit that they won't try it...). -> Shame on us

Bad public opinion + bush party = shame on us.

Someone see the tautology of this?

Re: United Arab Emirates company to take over major U.S. ports

[quote=thesightless] we really need a whole new government and politcal party system. just ban all current politicians and re organize it with people who actually have expertise in economics, budgeting, taxation, finance, military, and PR. no more old fucking white people who have nothing better to do than try to exert thier persnal will upon us.[/quote]

Now you're making sense!

Re: United Arab Emirates company to take over major U.S. ports

from AICPA figures...

of all the senate and house members who have sat on the tax regulation releated commitees, only 3% have had an accounting backround in the history of this country............

why are civil rights lawyers who go on to become representatives via house or senate sitting on comitees related to drafting the statutes related to violent crime?? thats like sitting hitler on the comittee for jewish relations.

Re: United Arab Emirates company to take over major U.S. ports

It's a bad time to be an average American. This issue is proving to the world that we don't do our homework on current events but instead let the media ask run-on questions in a negative fashion that skew the context of the original meaning. shakes head

Re: United Arab Emirates company to take over major U.S. ports

[SIZE=4][SIZE=2]:goodevil: [/SIZE][/SIZE]

[quote] [SIZE=4]Bi[B]ll Clinton helped Dubai on ports deal[/B] [/SIZE]By Stephanie Kirchgaessner in Washington Published: March 1 2006 23:50 | Last updated: March 1 2006 23:50 [IMG]http://news.ft.com/c.gif[/IMG] [IMG]http://news.ft.com/cms/ade68ed0-d5b6-11d8-98b0-00000e2511c8.jpg[/IMG]

Bill Clinton, former US president, advised top officials from Dubai two weeks ago on how to address growing US concerns over the acquisition of five US container terminals by DP World.

It came even as his wife, Senator Hillary Clinton, was leading efforts to derail the deal.

Mr Clinton, who this week called the United Arab Emirates a “good ally to America”, advised Dubai’s leaders to propose a 45-day delay to allow for an intensive investigation of the acquisition, according to his spokesman.

On Sunday, DP World agreed with the White House to undertake the lengthy review, a move which has assuaged some of the opposition from the US Congress. However, Mrs Clinton remains a leading voice against the deal, and this week proposed legislation to block it, arguing that the US could not afford to “surrender our port operations to foreign governments”.

Mr Clinton’s spokesman said: “President Clinton is the former president of the US and as such receives many calls from world leaders and leading figures every week.

About two weeks ago, the Dubai leaders called him and he suggested that they submit to the full and regular scrutiny process and that they should put maximum safeguards and security into any port proposal.”

He added that Mr Clinton supported his wife’s position on the deal and that “ideally” state-owned companies would not own US port operations.

Mr Clinton’s contact with Dubai on the issue underscores the relationship he has developed with the United Arab Emirates since leaving office. In 2002, he was paid $300,000 (€252,000) to address a summit in Dubai.

The backlash against Dubai’s takeover has seen some lawmakers in Washington highlight the UAE’s alleged role in helping to finance September 11.[/quote]

Re: United Arab Emirates company to take over major U.S. ports

^^^Lesson learned: doesn't matter if you vote Democrat or Republican, fucked you are either way...

Re: United Arab Emirates company to take over major U.S. ports

[QUOTE=KinKyJ]fucked you are either way...[/QUOTE]

[IMG]http://www.dafyd.me.uk/blog/docs/yoda.jpg[/IMG]

Re: United Arab Emirates company to take over major U.S. ports

^^^ Exactly ;)

Yoda 4 president!

Re: United Arab Emirates company to take over major U.S. ports

forgive me if this is a repost

[url]http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2006-02-23-uae-katrina_x.htm[/url]

but this is interesting UAE gave $100 million for Katrina relief

"The United Arab Emirates sent its $100 million Katrina donation on Sept. 21 using an electronic transfer to an account at the State Department"

Re: United Arab Emirates company to take over major U.S. ports

[QUOTE=superdave]I think this is a horrible idea and the ports should be under American control in light of terrorism and UAE's reputation for having Al-Qaeda in their country involved with 9/11. Sure, UAE and Dubai are well known for being the most western styled middle eastern country, but I'd feel more comfortable having an American or European company running major ports here.

Here's a link for more information: [URL="http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nation/3664484.html"]http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nation/3664484.html[/URL][/QUOTE]

I feel your pain and I live in Canada. I find it a really bad move on your government part. As I can see from most of the posts here. I can see how you can really be upset.

I do hope it does not fall through for the safety of your country. If it does happen, we are all screwed.

Re: United Arab Emirates company to take over major U.S. ports

well, it just did

Re: United Arab Emirates company to take over major U.S. ports

I wonder who the U.S. company will be that will partner to take over the ports. Halliburton?

Re: United Arab Emirates company to take over major U.S. ports

So something else I heard today is that this company is already running some of our ports.

Re: United Arab Emirates company to take over major U.S. ports

[quote=superdave]I wonder who the U.S. company will be that will partner to take over the ports. Halliburton?[/quote]

Without a single shred of doubt yeah :Naughty: