Port Security Or Poor Security?

The recent announcement that a United Arab Emirates government-owned company will have operational control of 6 U.S. ports has stirred up a hornets nest of protest. As well it should.

The UAE company, Dubai Ports World, acquired the British company that had the contract. As is want with most holding companies, there should be no expectation that the management of port operations will change - the same personnel & procedures should remain in place. The company is also obviously interested in its investment.

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff defended the security review of the company. Chertoff said the government typically builds in "certain conditions or requirements that the company has to agree to make sure we address the national security concerns." The UAE is also working with the U.S. in its on-going fight against terrorists.

However, there are still valid concerns. The UAE was an operational base for the 911 highjackers & 2 of those highjackers were UAE citizens. The UAE is also a conduit for Al-Qaida money transfers. Additionally, Pakistan used the UAE to transit nuclear weapons equipment and technology to North Korea.

Some Congressmen are asking President Bush to end this contract. We agree. Too many foreign companies already own most of our port facilities, China being the most recent in California. We have no assurances from the UAE that they can prevent those who come into their company or those already there, from using the company's facilities to carry out terrorist attacks on our ports. Bribes, corruption & terrorist sympathizers are more apt to be found in a UAE company rather than General Motors.

Beyond all this is the unbelievable insensitivity of the Treasury Department's Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States which okayed the deal - add to this Homeland Secretary Chertoff & Sec. of State Rice, as well as others in the Administration who support the deal.

In this post 911 era, Americans are deeply sensitive & suspicious about any foreign control of U.S. assets, & most especially Arab control. Our ports are too important to trust them to the good faith of foreign companies.

It is time for the Administration to stop parceling out & internationalizing U.S. assets. President Bush has vowed to veto any legislation aimed at denying the UAE contract from happening. It is like the cat who swallowed the canary whole. The Administration may be satisfied with UAE control of the ports, but to the American people it just doesn't go down right.