| Topic: |
Politics > Politics-USA |
| User: |
"Captain Compassion" |
| Date: |
10 Mar 2006 02:58:14 PM |
| Object: |
Facts after the fact on the Dubai Ports deal |
Facts after the fact on the Dubai Ports deal
American Thinker ^ | 3-10-06 | John B. Dwyer
Facts after the fact on the Dubai Ports deal
John B. Dwyer
March 10, 2006
After the fact of the demise of the US terminals deal – yes, I said
terminals not ports; nobody was going to be controlling those ports –
let's take a look at an excerpt of the Fact Sheet that's been posted
at the Homeland Security website for a while now. Of course,
arrogant, Bush-hating, manipulative, re-election obsessed congressmen
& senators could not be bothered with these facts. The CPB acronym
means "Customs Border Protection."
Coast Guard: The Coast Guard routinely inspects and assesses the
security of U.S. ports in accordance with the Maritime Transportation
and Security Act and the Ports and Waterways Security Act. Every
regulated U.S. port facility is required to establish and implement a
comprehensive security plan that outlines procedures for controlling
access to the facility, verifying credentials of port workers,
inspecting cargo for tampering, designating security responsibilities,
training, and reporting of all breaches of security or suspicious
activity, among other security measures. Working closely with local
port authorities and law enforcement agencies, the Coast Guard
regularly reviews, approves, assesses and inspects these plans and
facilities to ensure compliance.
Terminal Operator: Whether a person or a corporation, the terminal
operator is responsible for operating its particular terminal within
the port. The terminal operator is responsible for the area within the
port that serves as a loading, unloading, or transfer point for the
cargo. This includes storage and repair facilities and management
offices. The cranes they use may be their own, or they may lease them
from the port authority.
Port Authority: An entity of a local, state or national government
that owns, manages and maintains the physical infrastructure of a port
(seaport, airport or bus terminal) to include wharf, docks, piers,
transit sheds, loading equipment and warehouses.
Ports often provide additional security for their facilities.
The role of the Port Authority is to facilitate and expand the
movement of cargo through the port, provide facilities and services
that are competitive, safe and commercially viable. The Port manages
marine navigation and safety issues within port boundaries and
develops marine-related businesses on the lands that it owns or
manages.
A Layered Defense:
Screening and Inspection: CBP screens 100% of all cargo before it
arrives in the U.S.- using intelligence and cutting edge technologies.
CBP inspects all high-risk cargo.
CSI (Container Security Initiative): Enables CBP, in working with
host government Customs Services, to examine high-risk maritime
containerized cargo at foreign seaports, before they are loaded on
board vessels destined for the United States. In addition to the
current 42 foreign ports participating in CSI, many more ports are in
the planning stages. By the end of 2006, the number is expected to
grow to 50 ports, covering 90% of transpacific maritime containerized
cargo shipped to the U.S.
24-Hour Rule: Under this requirement, manifest information must be
provided 24 hours prior to the sea container being loaded onto the
vessel in the foreign port. CBP may deny the loading of high-risk
cargo while the vessel is still overseas.
C-TPAT (Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism): CBP created a
public-private and international partnership with nearly 5,800
businesses (over 10,000 have applied) including most of the largest
U.S. importers—the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism
(C-TPAT). C-TPAT, CBP and partner companies are working together to
improve baseline security standards for supply chain and container
security. (We review the security practices of not only the company
shipping the goods, but also the companies that provided them with any
services.)
Use of Cutting-Edge Technology: CBP is currently utilizing large-scale
X-ray and gamma ray machines and radiation detection devices to screen
cargo. Presently, CBP operates over 680 radiation portal monitors at
our nation's ports (including 181 radiation portal monitors at
seaports), utilizes over 170 large scale non-intrusive inspection
devices to examine cargo, and has issued 12,400 hand-held radiation
detection devices. The President's FY 2007 budget requests $157
million to secure next-generation detection equipment at our ports of
entry. Also, over 600 canine detection teams, who are capable of
identifying narcotics, bulk currency, human beings, explosives,
agricultural pests, and chemical weapons are deployed at our ports of
entry.
UAE/Dubai Ports World Acquisition
DP World will not, nor will any other terminal operator, control,
operate or manage any United States port. DP World will only operate
and manage specific, individual terminals located within six ports.
The recent business transaction taken by DP World, a United Arab
Emirates based company, to acquire British company Peninsular and
Oriental Steam Navigation Company (P&O) does not change the operations
or security of keeping our nation's ports safe. The people working on
the docks also will not change as a result of this transaction. This
transaction is not an issue of controlling United States' ports. It is
an issue of operating some terminals within U.S. ports.
DP World will operate at the following terminals within the six United
States' ports currently operated by the United Kingdom company, P&O:
o Baltimore – 2 of 14 total
o Philadelphia – 1 of 5 (does not include the 1 cruise vessel
terminal)
o Miami – 1 of 3 (does not include the 7 cruise vessel terminals)
o New Orleans – 2 of 5 (does not include the numerous chemical plant
terminals up and down the Mississippi River, up to Baton Rouge)
o Houston – 4 of 12 (P&O work alongside other stevedoring* contractors
at the terminals)
o Newark/Elizabeth – 1 of 4
o (Note: also in Norfolk – Involved with stevedoring activities at
all 5 terminals, but not managing a specific terminal.)
*Stevedoring – provides labor, carries physical loading and unloading
of cargo.
P&O and DP World made a commitment to comply with current security
programs, regulations and partnerships to which P&O currently
subscribes, including:
o The Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT);
o The Container Security Initiative (CSI);
o The Business Alliance on Smuggling and Counterfeiting (BASC); and,
o The Megaports Initiative MOU with the Department of Energy.
All P&O security arrangements will remain intact, including cargo
security cooperation with CBP, compliance with USCG regulations (ISPS
and MTSA) regarding port facilities/terminals, and foreign terminal
operations within CSI ports.
Dubai was the first Middle Eastern entity to join the Container
Security Initiative (March 2005). As a result, CBP officer are working
closely with Dubai Customs to screen containers destined for the U.S.
Cooperation with Dubai officials has been outstanding and a model for
other operation within CSI ports.
I've been working on some doggerel descriptive of the terminals deal
fiasco but could only come up with the last lines:
And if congressional brains were cargo, There'd be nothing to unload.
--
"The president and I cannot prevent certain politicians from losing
their memory, or their backbone, but we're not going to sit by and
let them rewrite history." -- ***** Cheney 11/16/2005
"War is God's way of teaching Americans geography" -- Ambrose Bierce
"America is a vast conspiracy to make you happy." -- John Updike
"Long term commitment in relationships is only necessary because it takes
so damn long to raise children. Marriage may well be some kind of trick
to keep the males around beyond sexual satiation." -- Captain Compassion
"Progress is the increasing control of the environment by life.
--Will Durant
Joseph R. Darancette
daranc@NOSPAMverizon.net
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| User: "Joe S." |
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| Title: Re: Facts after the fact on the Dubai Ports deal |
10 Mar 2006 03:31:23 PM |
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"Captain Compassion" <daranc@NOSPAMverizon.net> wrote in message
news:p0q312hjq1g2p3c21kp8so2u82a2i2v4b8@4ax.com...
Facts after the fact on the Dubai Ports deal
American Thinker ^ | 3-10-06 | John B. Dwyer
Facts after the fact on the Dubai Ports deal
John B. Dwyer
March 10, 2006
Yeah, well, here are some more facts. The Dubai port company will have its
own employees in the US at these six ports. How many employees? Who the
***** knows -- maybe 20 per port, maybe 100 per port -- but -- these
employees will:
-- Have multiple-entry visas that permit them to travel in and out of the US
at will.
-- Have telephones, internet connections, homes, cars -- all of which are
certainly helpful to you-know-who.
-- Have bank accounts. And because their homes are in the UAE, well, it
will be no problem for money to be transferred in and out of their US banks
from the UAE, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, whatever.
-- Be able to drive anything, anywhere in the US and Canada.
In the intell business it's known as "commercial cover."
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| User: "" |
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| Title: Re: Facts after the fact on the Dubai Ports deal |
10 Mar 2006 03:14:38 PM |
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Captain Compassion wrote:
Facts after the fact on the Dubai Ports deal
American Thinker ^ | 3-10-06 | John B. Dwyer
Facts after the fact on the Dubai Ports deal
John B. Dwyer
March 10, 2006
After the fact of the demise of the US terminals deal
<snip>
The issue remains that currently security at the U.S. ports are
terrible. To give terminal access to a foreign company from a country
who does not recognize Israel but recognizes the Taliban is not good
for our national security.
Bush has been turning a blind eye to his ratings and the Republicans
are going to pay the price for it in the 2006 elections. The public
currently perceives the Democrats to have a good handle on national
security, which has been the Republicans bread and butter for years.
The Republicans in congress were right to oppose Bush on this deal.
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