More Thoughts on the Dubai Debacle
As more debate rages over the selling of US ports to a Dubai-based operating company, I'd like to get a few more of my 2 cents in:
- First, YES! I am aware that other ports in the US are owned by foreign interests. Most notably, the ports in the Los Angeles area are owned by companies like Norinco, which is a front for Communist China. This deal went down during Slick Willie's watch and I wasn't thrilled about it back then, either.
- I am also well aware that the current owners of the 6 ports is P&O, which is a British-based company. The last time the British tried something stupid with us was back in the early 19th Century and we've been tight allies since WWII.
- Despite the objections of groups like CAIR, opposing the UAE/ports deal is not anti-Arab! I would have no objections if a company based in, or owned by, nations like Jordan, Egypt, Qatar, or Bahrain. These Arab countries are Western-looking and have been either friends or anti-terror allies to the US for years. If "W" is looking to reward our friends in the Arab world, he should've started here.
- If I remember correctly, AFTER 9/11 (Mata,...?), President Bush laid down the hammer and said countries were either with us or against us in the war on terror. The UAE is trying to play both sides of the fence with us. They supported the Taliban to get back at rival Iran and now, while giving lip service to the US, they still covertly fund groups like Hamas and still deny Israel's right to exist. If ever their was a litmus test for the "for us/against us" rule, Israel's sovereignty is the key!
posted by TheBitterAmerican @ 6:59 PM
5 comments
5 Comments:
I could be a tad late for you to notice this post, TrekMed... but I'll give it a shot since I'm the opposite side of the fence voice here.
First of all, to "award" Jordan, Egypt, Qatar or Bahrain... which is kinda nonsensical since it isn't the US engineering this sale, it's P&O and only they can "award" anyone anything.... those countries would actually have to HAVE a port ops company, and it would need to be humungous nuff to bid for such a large operation.
Since they don't, rather a mute point, don't you think? P&O is going to sell out to someone. PSA Int'l (Singapore gov't 100% owned) is the only other bidder capable of that purchase.
Israel... interesting you brought that up. You posted this on 2/27. It's now 3/2. As of this AM, the CEO of Zim Shipping, an Israel firm on the short end of the UAE boycott stick, sent a letter to Ms. Clinton. Said letter praised the DP World port ops and security provided. Amazing, considering that the US naysayers seem more concerned with the Israeli boycott than the Israeli companies it affects. I'd say if they aren't bothered, and are pleased with the firm and their efficiency, than we don't have much room to complain, eh?
As far as "covertly funding Hamas"... don't see any evidence of that. I'm sure some individual UAE citizens might. But then you can find that in any nation... including the good ol' US.
And evidently the honchos who add official "terrorist groups" to their list daily don't see evidence of that either. Do you know something they don't? Or are you still judging UAE pre-911?
Lastly, DP World is bending over backwards to "play by our rules". They have not refused any of our added conditions, and voluntarily requested that there be an additional 45 day review to appease the hysterical US Congress members.
I suggest that the powers that be place any conditions they deem necessary for the sale. And I'll wager DPW accepts them. It will be quite difficult for a "state" to openly aid terrorist in the shipping world, TrekMed. The int'l community would have them for breakfast, and their economy would be spiraling into the toilet. That isn't their goal.
Anything else? Nope... think I covered your points.
First of all, to "award" Jordan, Egypt, Qatar or Bahrain... which is kinda nonsensical since it isn't the US engineering this sale, it's P&O and only they can "award" anyone anything..
Mata,..the US can so engineer such sales. If Congress can move to block the sale to the UAE, clearly, it can, through channels, make it know which Arab states are in our favor.
TrekMed, no where in the statutes governing CFIUS and sales between private corporations can the US dictate who the parties in the sale are to be.
Congress, at this moment, does not have the statutory right to stop the sale. That's why Hillary's doin' a bill. And the fact that they have no say is Congress's own doing. They wrote and passed the statutes that created and govern CFIUS. They put the law in place, created the committee, and expect that committee to do their job. It is done prior to coming to the WH for final approval.
In fact, CFIUS has done it's job - a 90 day review with all concerns by the committee members being addressed, starting last fall... but Congress doesn't like what CFIUS decided. So now they want to change the rules and give themselves the right to override CFIUS and the WH.
Under current law, CFIUS and the WH/President can either approve the sale, or not approve the sale. Period. They can not dictate whom P&O can sell to as an alternative. Geez... who'd want the government to have that ability??
And what point would it do to make it "known" that other Arab countries are, in your opinion, better friends than the UAE if they don't have a port ops company at all?
When it comes to the UAE, I think I'll take into consideration Tommy Franks' and Israel's experience with them and their intel. The UAE can, and does, get in bed with the enemy, and passes on intel to both the US and Israel. That's why Israel isn't the least bit upset, and is actively soliciting Hillary to back down.
If Congress passes a bill to have final approval - something new in the mix - and they DO disapprove P&O to DPW, P&O will have to do one of two things....
Either go shopping for another bidder for all of their assets, or...
Separate the US assets involved and put them on the market separately. Then, of course DP World would have to decide if they are still interested in only the assets remaining for the new price tag.
You're incredibly naive to think we don't have people working in the background with P&O, letting them know what rewards/penalties are in store for them if they go ahead with the sale to DPW.
Don't just assume, TrekMed. Quote some factual evidence of those within CFIUS or the WH that are suggesting what parties may or may not be allowed to purchase. I am far from naive. I deal solely with legal standing regarding the sale.
CFIUS and the WH have no legal authority to dictate who the parties in the sales are to be. They can approve, or disapprove of an existing deal. Period.
That Hillary's hubby, Bill, Albright (and sundry others)may have some vested financial interest in seeing DPW acquire the assets is another story, and totally unrelated to the legal powers of CFIUS and WH. None of these folks are CFIUS or WH members.
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