It appears that you haven't realized that the govt is behind the terror. Maybe you don't believe this, but honestly, if you look at the evidence and what is currently going on, it meshes quite nicely.

See, things like this should tell even the most groveling bootlicker that something fishy is going on. Look, man, say we were right in going to Iraq and Afghanistan after 9/11; say that was justifiable to get them for hitting us. Wouldn't it have made more sense to attack Saudi Arabia, seeing that 15 of the hijackers, and even Bin Laden himself, are Saudis?

See, people don't care if some of the funds for the hijackers may have come from the UAE. They also don't care that members of the Bin Laden family were flown out of the country on 9/11 when no one else was able to fly. They don't care if they see Chimp Face (Bush) holding hands with Saudi leaders on camera.

All they wanna do is go derp, and swallow the lies the neocons feed them on a daily basis. It really is a damn shame...just be glad you aren't as stupid as the average American, Kaotik.

Obviously the government is behind this....it had to go through government channels to get approved. I agree with what you are saying, what I am saying is that this country has lost it's focus on what really matters. I mean honestly, we are worse than any 3rd world government!! This amounts to "homeland insecurity". In the article I posted they are concerned with who will get to choose who is hired, what kind of security checks they will go through, etc. UNBELIEVABLE !!!! I mean it makes perfect sense to me....WE SHOULD. Not to mention all of the jobs that it will create that will undoubtedly not all go to Americans. Chertoff needs to wake up and do the job that he is being payed for, homeland security. Sorry if I am rambling, this just really pisses me off.

Do you realize that this will be the first time since the 1800's that a foreign government has controlled ports in this country? Not a foreign owned company, but an actual foreign government.

[edit on 2/20/2006 by Kaotik68]

Originally posted by Kaotik68
This is unreal, when I heard this I just could not believe it. This country has not learned a thing about terrorists/terrorism.

Since when is that a requirement for economic deals to go through?
Besides which, the UAE is an ALLY of the US in the War on Terrror, and an arab nation at that. There is no evidence that this company is at all connected to terrorism, and the sale is of a foreign company to another foreign company. There's not a single reason to stop the sale, other than that they're arabs, and apparently arabs are supposed to be evil or something.

Originally posted by Nygdan

Originally posted by Kaotik68
This is unreal, when I heard this I just could not believe it. This country has not learned a thing about terrorists/terrorism.

Since when is that a requirement for economic deals to go through?
Besides which, the UAE is an ALLY of the US in the War on Terrror, and an arab nation at that. There is no evidence that this company is at all connected to terrorism, and the sale is of a foreign company to another foreign company. There's not a single reason to stop the sale, other than that they're arabs, and apparently arabs are supposed to be evil or something.

Have you bumped your head.....or did you just come out from your rock? There is no requirement, the point I am making is that it is just not a good idea. Times have changed my friend, like it or not. I realize that they are an ally genius (I stated that before), but it still does not change the fact that it is not good for the security of this country. Our own government has had doubts about our allies over there (you should pay more attention to world news). They do not have the same security standards that we do (which is not that great I might add), it is a fact that in that region of the world (ally or not) terrorists come and go as they please. Stopping the sale has everything to do with they are arabs, until they can prove their trustworthiness they should be looked at with skepticism. It is one thing to buy oil from them, it is entirely something different to let them run several major shipping ports in this country. 9/11 has forced us to take a stand and sound this way, call it what you want but it is bone headed thinking like the one for this deal that puts us in the positions that we do not need to be in.

Originally posted by Kaotik68
Have you bumped your head.....or did you just come out from your rock?

Neither. *rubs head, stretches back*

There is no requirement, the point I am making is that it is just not a good idea.

I know, these damned brown people are dangerous, can't trust em for a second.

Times have changed my friend, like it or not. I realize that they are an ally genius (I stated that before), but it still does not change the fact that it is not good for the security of this country. [/quiote]
Because.....oh thats right, 'thems islam, islam baaad'.

Our own government has had doubts about our allies over there

Our own government investigated this company and found no reason to do anything to block the sale. "Thems arabs" ain't gunna cut it. We need a reason besides outright racism to deny the sale.

Whatever....you obviously have no real opinion on this. Just another mindless sheep. Please refrain from posting if you cannot come up with anything better than the "racism card". I am not a racist, and resent you implying that I am. I am concerned about the security of the land that I live in. And your statement "Our own government investigated them"....LMFAO......you really believe that that is ok. Are you a spook that has infiltrated this board..LOL. That statement in itself says something about you.

Have a great day....sheep. Baa Baa

Let me ask, is this such a big suprise? Then again it shouldnt back during WW II Prescot Bush was employed at a Nazi bank and nothing was done, hell we let 2 of his sons become president. In other words people dont learn a lesson they get burnt, Just ask the kid in the burn ward for touching the stove 1 to many times what he learned.. I can bet its not pretty.

Originally posted by Nygdan

Originally posted by Kaotik68
Have you bumped your head.....or did you just come out from your rock?

Neither. *rubs head, stretches back*

There is no requirement, the point I am making is that it is just not a good idea.

I know, these damned brown people are dangerous, can't trust em for a second.

Times have changed my friend, like it or not. I realize that they are an ally genius (I stated that before), but it still does not change the fact that it is not good for the security of this country. [/quiote]
Because.....oh thats right, 'thems islam, islam baaad'.

Our own government has had doubts about our allies over there

Our own government investigated this company and found no reason to do anything to block the sale. "Thems arabs" ain't gunna cut it. We need a reason besides outright racism to deny the sale.

So I could not resist................you are really ok with this?

Do you live in the US? I just find it hard to believe that ANYONE that lives in this country is "ok" with this. I realize that this is a country where everyone is entitled to their opinion, but for the life of me....it makes no sense! It does not matter if it is a "good business transaction" or whatever, the fact is it is not a good idea security wise for our country. Can you imagine the security ramifications? I mean only 4-5% of the cargo that comes into US ports now is being inspected, so when and if the UAE takes over the controls they would have vital inside knowledge of the inner workings of these US ports. You will find dishonest people everywhere, so who's to say that a terrorist organization will not infiltrate through the UAE company and slip into the country.....thats not a stretch...thats a fact, it could happen. That is prcisely the thing we need to guard against. We are not immune to the same thing happening here, but at least we have some control over it when it stays with a US company.

[edit on 2/20/2006 by Kaotik68]

I dont like it.

The UAE is kinda on the fence...You cant say your an Ally, but then the facts state that 2 of the 9/11 terrorists came from there, the money for the attacks flowed through there banks, and theres being reports of smuggling from thier ports.....so tell me why do we want them owning OUR ports.

The President still (until early march) has a power to stop it...or at least hold it for 45 days while theres an investigation into the UAE companies...Which I think is the very least the Pres should do.

I feel like everyday we loose a little of the US...and not from enemy countries or terrorists...but to foreign companies & immigration. Its Very frustrating!

[edit on 20-2-2006 by Murcielago]

Originally posted by Murcielago
I dont like it.

The UAE is kinda on the fence...You cant say your an Ally, but then the facts state that 2 of the 9/11 terrorists came from there, the money for the attacks flowed through there banks, and theres being reports of smuggling from thier ports.....so tell me why do we want them owning OUR ports.

The President still (until early march) has a power to stop it...or at least hold it for 45 days while theres an investigation into the UAE companies...Which I think is the very least the Pres should do.

I feel like everyday we loose a little of the US...and not from enemy countries or terrorists...but to foreign companies & immigration. Its Very frustrating!

[edit on 20-2-2006 by Murcielago]

Oh my God!! Someone that actually gets it. Good for you Murcielago!

Originally posted by Kaotik68

Originally posted by Murcielago
I dont like it.

The UAE is kinda on the fence...You cant say your an Ally, but then the facts state that 2 of the 9/11 terrorists came from there, the money for the attacks flowed through there banks, and theres being reports of smuggling from thier ports.....so tell me why do we want them owning OUR ports.

The President still (until early march) has a power to stop it...or at least hold it for 45 days while theres an investigation into the UAE companies...Which I think is the very least the Pres should do.

I feel like everyday we loose a little of the US...and not from enemy countries or terrorists...but to foreign companies & immigration. Its Very frustrating!

[edit on 20-2-2006 by Murcielago]

Oh my God!! Someone that actually gets it. Good for you Murcielago!

Lol, everyone's getting worked out of shape over this, yet only a few years ago a Hong Kong firm, linked to the PLAN (PLA Navy, got the contract to operate the Panama Canal; a major commerical shipping route and a route strategically important to the US Navy.

On one hand you've got a UAE-based firm operating a number of ports in the US with the coastguard remaining responsible for port security but on the other you've got a PLAN-linked (PLA Navy) firm contracted to operate the Panama Canal. If the Americans need to sortie Navy assets from the East coast to the Pacific, and Beijing orchestrated a shut-down of the canal, those assets would have to take the long way round to reach the Pacific.

These ports are not in US control already. The UAE is buy the control from a British based company.

The fact is that these ports will still be run by unionized American employees as it has all along.

"The UAE" consists of many, many parts, and is a complex amalgam of financial and political relationships. Money that funded 9-11 passed through some aspect of it. It and money used to perpetrate similar crimes also passed through U.S. banks, Swiss banks, Pakistani banks, etc.

"UAE" does not equal "terror threat." That's far too broad a generalization. To believe otherwise is to embrace guilt by association. Of course, I personally wonder whether or not this will unwittingly be used by the powers that be to make future incidents easier to carry off, and I'm concerned by that, however those concerns don't exist simply because it's the UAE. Fearing it purely because they're associated with or a part of the UAE would be close minded indeed. One might as well fear any business deals with the EU because money that financed a terrorist plot passed through a German (or other EU) bank.

If people are concerned because of possible eventualities that haven't been considered or because they're able to imagine scenarios where this relationship might somehow be taken advantage of by those who stand to benefit from future incidents, and not purely because the letters U, A, and E are in the title and/or because they believe the UAE to be synonymous with terror, then that's different. Otherwise, though, it's guilt by association.

It has nothing to do with the letters U, A, or E. The point I am trying to make here is that our government is making a mistake by letting this happen. I have nothing against the UAE, as a matter of fact they seem to be doing very well for themselves. It does not mean that it is a good idea for this deal to go through. I mean really, what did you guys think the American public would do when this was publicized? They are going to cry foul, they are going to wonder about the incompetent leadership in this country (again), and they are going to wonder why you would make that type of decision when you are already having problems with border security, etc.

Bottom line...this will open the door for another terrorist attack on US soil, it does not matter what we think of the UAE, they could be the greatest allies we have, what matters is that the bad guys are going to maximize this opportunity....because that is what they do. Several of you are mistakenly taking the route of "but they are not bad people", or "just because they are arabs does not mean that they are terrorists". That is not what I am trying to accomplish with this thread. Please look past all the racial references, or that they are our allies, you have to look at it differently.

That's what I meant when I said, "If people are concerned because of possible eventualities that haven't been considered or because they're able to imagine scenarios where this relationship might somehow be taken advantage of by those who stand to benefit from future incidents, and not purely because the letters U, A, and E are in the title and they believe that to be synonymous with terror, then that's different."

I haven't seen anyone offer any evidence that this deal will make us more vulnerable to an attack, or why some feel it would, other than the fact that money that funded 9-11 and other attacks passed through the UAE. That's pretty circumstantial, as it also passed through U.S., European, and other channels as well.

Don't misunderstand me, though. I do feel this has the potential to be used to the advantage of certain individuals and/or groups, and that it could hurt us. You'll get no argument from me on that (and actually only mild debate on anything else for that matter lol - I detest arguing). I just don't think the reason for that is purely because it's the UAE.

Originally posted by Nygdan

Originally posted by Kaotik68
This is unreal, when I heard this I just could not believe it. This country has not learned a thing about terrorists/terrorism.

Since when is that a requirement for economic deals to go through?
Besides which, the UAE is an ALLY of the US in the War on Terrror, and an arab nation at that. There is no evidence that this company is at all connected to terrorism, and the sale is of a foreign company to another foreign company. There's not a single reason to stop the sale, other than that they're arabs, and apparently arabs are supposed to be evil or something.

The problem here is not with the company, who it employs, or how the ports will be run. It's the fact that it's a GOVERNMENT OWNED AND OPERATED company. The previous British companies were private ... they had no direct ties to Tony Blair, for example.

The theory is that any threats or ideologies originating from the UAE now have a dedicated, red tape-free point of entry to the U.S.

I believe that it's probably going overboard saying it's going to harbor terrorism, but I still don't think it's a good thing essentially GIVING another country control of our ports. I know very little about the UAE, so I can't comment on whether or not they would have any interest in attacking the U.S. ... but just giving one country an open door could lead to other countries trying to jump in before it closes.

Thanks for all your responses, they have been very eye opening. It is nice to see other peoples opinions on such an important issue. I guess we will see what happens in the near future!

One last point on this issue. When was the last time that Bush seriously threatened to veto legislation on an issue, well before the legislation was even brought up? I know he has never used the power of veto in office, it just seems a little fishy to me that he is so adamant about letting this deal pass.