In article <Xns9773AE9CED333fstone69@81.174.50.80>, fstone69
@earthling.com says...

Yes, and the WTC were only "a few" buildings.

Emotional overreaction noted.

Repug double standard noted. Bush can get hysterical about the WTC,
but apparently nobody else can even mention it.

It still effectively
means control through management powers.

Yes, control of the leases of a few port terminals.

It now turns out that it's 8 ports, not the original 6.

Just like China manages a few terminals at some of
our ports. I don't hear you whining about that "threat".

I've complained about it, but you jackasses don't actually give a
damn about homeland security.

Not the sort of strawman "security" that you complain about.

It's about as much of a "strawman security" threat as allowing
potential hijackers to bring their shaving kits on the planes.

They don't specifically handle security because this has
been federalized. Of course, you will recall that repugs,
including bush and therefore necessarily lapdogs like yourself,
opposed the federalization of the TSA.

Yawn.

However, the fact is that Dubai Ports will
have the "sovereign right" to inspect any container and they
will keep records offshore, where they cannot be subpoenaed.

That will still be the job of our own Customs service.

No, the custom service will not have jurisdiction to go into
business records in Dubai.

Guess again. That's part of the deal with the White House.

Nope, DPW can't give jurisdiction to our Customs agenda to suspend
the laws of the UAE.

They might agree to cooperate, but customs
does not have the same recourse to access and subpoena records that
it would have in the United States.

More importantly,
the level of actual "security" from the TSA is so inadequate
that al quaeda sleeper agents in Dubai Ports World could easily
manipulate procedures to smuggle munitions.

Oh, right, the UAE needs to spend *billions* of dollars in order
to smuggle shipping containers into the US. Riiiiiiiight.

They're investing in a profitable business and indeed they probably
have plenty of money to burn. Furthermore, it depends upon what
kinds of things they're trying to smuggle. If the volume is high
enough then buying the shipping companies might be the easiest
route.

If they're shipping that sort of volume we're fucked anyway.

It doesn't have to be weapons. It might be drugs or other smuggled
items without tax being paid.

I'm glad that you finally figured that out.

Duuuuuhhhh. I was wondering if *YOU* had figured it out. It's *YOUR*
side that's been lying about that.

We've figured out that you haven't got a clue how to protect
homeland ports.

But the problem is that
the managers can forge documents and use their knowledge of
procedures to manipulate security loopholes among other things.

Gee, I wonder how many Longshoremen there are named Mohammed.

A lot more than there used to be if this thing goes through. It
might be easier to count the longshoremen *not* named Mohammed.

They can help terrorists with inside information which allows them
plan attacks that exploit vulnerabilities. Even if they don't do
this intentionally, this information may more easily fall into the
hands of people hostile to US interests than it would if it were a
british firm.

Really? The brits have a worse problem with Muzzie terrorists than
the UAE does at the moment.

False. The brits were subject to an attack, just like the US was.

Since the United Al Quaeda Emirates is in bed with the terrorists,
we don't expect them to be attacked as much by their buddies.

The
United Al Quaeda Emirates, OTOH, serves as a major staging area and
money laundering hub for terrorism.

Cites, please.

Do your own homework, please.

They're defeated.

Then where's Osama?

Non sequitur.

Nope. Osama was an integral part of the taliban government.

He
basically kept them operating. If the taliban has been defeated,
how is it that super influential people like bin laden haven't been
apprehended.

Why don't you worry about something real, like the Iranian
nuclear threat

That threat would be lessened if Dubai Ports, which transferred
nuclear materials to Iran in the past, wasn't in a position to help
smuggle munitions into the US.

Too late. We already *receive* container ships from their terminals.

But the threat is increased if they have control over operations at
both ends, dipshit.

Sure, let's stiffarm them and alienate *ALL* of the Muslim nations,
even those who have made some slight progress in our direction.

As if we haven't already, you mean?

quibbler <quibbler247@yahoo.com> wrote in
news:MPG.1e67c10843bd1d1d989710@news.readfreenews.net:

In article <Xns977369DA540FDfstone69@66.150.105.47>, fstone69
@earthling.com says...

quibbler <quibbler247@yahoo.com> wrote in
news:MPG.1e677f6138d2185d9897b4@news.readfreenews.net:

In article <Xns97735FDBE6CA3fstone69@66.150.105.47>,
fstone69@earthling.com says...

It was a perfectly ordinary business deal

No, it's far from ordinary. Many standard requirements, like
keeping records onshore, have not been pursued.

Hogwash. The present firm already meets the standards and they're
just being acquired by the new guys.

Horseshit, the standards are being changed in the deal, since
records will now be kept in Dubai and

The White House put that in the deal.

Also, the mandated statutory review period was not observed.

Cites, please? Legal refs too?

"Section 5021 of the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 1988"
It requires a mandatory 45 day investigation period which the bush
administration did not observe.

Yes quibbler, the CFIUS committee did review the deal within the 45 day
investigation period.

The deal was reviewed.

Not sufficiently as required by law. Ever heard of the Exon-Florio
provision, *****?

Why, yes, I did. What's the problem, sugar?

http://www.ustreas.gov/offices/international-affairs/exon-florio/

{begin quote}
"The Statute. Section 5021 of the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act
of 1988 amended Section 721 of the Defense Production Act of 1950 to
provide authority to the President to suspend or prohibit any foreign
acquisition, merger or takeover of a U.S. corporation that is determined
to threaten the national security of the United States...
{end quote}

This is not a US corporation being taken over by a foreign corporation.

It's a *foreign* corporation being taken over by another foreign
corporation.

You should talk, Mr. "Let's vilify mexicans" as our repug midterm
wedge issue.

Huh? You sure you got the right Fred?

Yep, the repug, jackass, fake-atheist name Fred.

No, you got the wrong Fred. Sorry, no vilification of Mexicans from me.

Maybe some other Fred who lives on your planet.