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What a relief...

YogaMamaYogaMama
edited March 2006 in General Banter
was anyone else as concerned about this as I was? I am glad it looks like it is going to change.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060309/ap_on_go_co/ports_security_60;_ylt=AkWh5_wko0uWt4u4ZMXZEaBRNaQv;_ylu=X3oDMTBiMW04NW9mBHNlYwMlJVRPUCUl

Comments

  • zenmonk_genryuzenmonk_genryu
    edited March 2006
    I think it's a case of smoke and mirrors.
  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator
    edited March 2006
    zenmonk_genryu wrote:
    I think it's a case of smoke and mirrors.


    Funnily enough, this is one of Nick's favourite phrases....
    you and he are more alike than I'd care to think....!! :lol:
  • zenmonk_genryuzenmonk_genryu
    edited March 2006
    Yes, he's the centre of the universe and knows it. :)
  • AbrahamAbraham
    edited March 2006
    And your point being?........:)
  • YogaMamaYogaMama
    edited March 2006
    zenmonk_genryu wrote:
    I think it's a case of smoke and mirrors.

    Zenmonk...why do you say that? I'd love to hear your opinion on this matter! :)
  • YogaMamaYogaMama
    edited March 2006
    Oh, and Hi Federica and Abraham! :) Nice to see you on here!!
  • BrigidBrigid Veteran
    edited March 2006
    YogaMama wrote:
    Zenmonk...why do you say that? I'd love to hear your opinion on this matter! :)

    Me, too. I had been under the impression that it was some kind of weirdness going on with Bush and his financial ties to the Saudis and thought maybe he had some ties in Dubai, as well. I didn't do too much reading on the issue but I was relieved when it appeared to fall through.

    What did I miss?

    Brigid
  • YogaMamaYogaMama
    edited March 2006
    I agree completely that this deal was going to happen because of Bush's ties. Have you seen his approval ratings lately??

    Apparently, the deal is not going to go through because Dubai Ports World pulled out saying that it was too much of a hassle. Hmmmm.......
  • YogaMamaYogaMama
    edited March 2006
    It is sad to me that I was so afraid of Dubai Ports World taking over our ports. I wish I could say that I did not fear people form that country taking over our ports, but I really was scared. I know not everyone in that country is bad, but I was scared anyways.
  • zenmonk_genryuzenmonk_genryu
    edited March 2006
    At first it sounded nuts - giving a sensitive security related US business over to an Arab company. Then I wondered if my first reaction was in fact warranted at all on grounds of nationality or race. So would there really be a security issue because Dubai Ports is an Arab company? That's what I'm considering. I also wonder whether their apparant pull out is more sleight of hand, in that they may well end up farming the business off to a US owned subsidiary, rather than selling off their US assets, which is what the Republicans seem to think they'll do. I also wonder if this will draw attention to just how many companies in the US with interests that could affect national security are foreign owned and what financial incentives Bush and his cronies were offered for this deal initially. Then there are the financial repurcussions if the deal doesn't go through and Dubai takes punitive action by cancelling contracts and whatnot with the US, possibly with hundreds, if not thousands of jobs at stake in an economy that's in recession already but nobody will admit it.
  • NirvanaNirvana aka BUBBA   `     `   South Carolina, USA Veteran
    edited March 2006
    Well, I thought the whole thing was bad PR for the Bush administration. The American people are a little too jealous of their country's sovereignty and prestige, and so afraid of just the idea of outsourcing. The average American would be angered by the idea of a foreign country having a monopoly in an American port, security issues aside. I mean, probably about 30% of the American people are at present pretty strongly opposed to even the idea of the United Nations. Indeed, that was one reason that the idiots at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. were able to push their rhetoric about "going it alone, if necessary" against the "evil Saddam regime with its weapons of mass destruction." The USA has more integrity than the United Nations, they seem to claim, erroneously I think.

    In short, I think a lot of this Dubai Ports issue devolves to the Monroe Doctrine. Would the American People allow the Royal Navy to administer one of our ports, except in a case of military necessity during wartime with the British as our allies?

    I Don't Think So.
  • zenmonk_genryuzenmonk_genryu
    edited March 2006
    Well the ports are presently run by P & O which, at least until recently as far as I know, is a British company.
  • YogaMamaYogaMama
    edited March 2006
    zenmonk_genryu wrote:
    I also wonder whether their apparant pull out is more sleight of hand, in that they may well end up farming the business off to a US owned subsidiary, rather than selling off their US assets, which is what the Republicans seem to think they'll do.

    Interesting..I hadn't thought about that. I also have really been thinking about why I was so concerned with the fact that it was an Arab company. I felt really bad for immediatley being concerned. But, it seems that the entire political world was just as concerned as me, so I am not sure what that all means, but I'm thinking there must have been some security issues somewhere.
  • zenmonk_genryuzenmonk_genryu
    edited March 2006
    Which is part of what I meant by smoke and mirrors. Unfortunately Bush has created a climate of fear when the 'natural' response by many in the US has been exactly what you mentioned - that "there must have been a security issue somewhere." Thinking about this though, at present, if I remember correctly, less than %2 of all shipments through US ports are actually checked, so if there is such a security issue, it's not being addressed at the moment, regardless of who owns or runs the ports operation.
  • YogaMamaYogaMama
    edited March 2006
    Less than 2%??? Oh, that's comforting!
  • zenmonk_genryuzenmonk_genryu
    edited March 2006
    Ain't it just lol.
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