Dear Freepers, Cons, Repubs: PORTGATE COMMON GROUND?

[berni_mccoy]

I'd like to ask you a question now that you've had a *glimpse* of what the Bush Administration is about and *before* you are lulled back into submission with talking points from Rush, Drudge and Fox.

I hope to open a logical, reasoned discussion with the other side on this issue since both political sides seem to have had the same initial reaction. Now that the information is starting to come out and people have had a chance to think about this issue at length, maybe perhaps, there is common ground here.

Before the first news of this scandal came out, I was unaware that any of our ports were controlled by foreign interests. Even though it was a British company, and Great Britain has been our ally for many decades, I don't think it's in the best interest of American Port Security or even the economy for a foreign interest, ally or otherwise, to be providing necessary and critical services on our own shores. This is why BAE, a major defense contractor, must have a separate American based corporation employing U.S. citizens that is independent from the British owned corporation with the same name. In this instance, Dubai Ports World is actually owned by the government of the UAE. Why should a state-owned corporation be allowed to control six of our major ports and allow for vulnerabilities in security? Why take the chance? For more information on why this could be a security problem, a coast guard veteran has posted an informative article about the implications of this deal on port security here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x481615 . One of the most alarming facts about this deal is that Dubai Ports World would get advanced warning on military shipments: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x476901

We know that the UAE is not explicitly an enemy territory and President Bush has come out before and said that the UAE is working with the U.S. to help crackdown on money laundering activities that occurred in its banks that funded the 9/11 attacks (November of 2001: http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2001/11/20011107-4.html). However, the money laundering continues according to the Department of Homeland Security who sites three specific instances totaling $9.35 million in less than a year between Nov 2004 and July of 2005 (https://www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/display?theme=43&content=5077&print=true ). And these are the instances we *know about*. I am left wondering what help this country really is in the war on terror. My instincts tell me they can't be trusted and I see no sort of setup that can be strategically beneficial by allowing a UAE government owned and operated organization to run six of our ports. Can you?

We know that the UAE royals have connections to Al Qaeda and Osama bin Laden. After all, OBL is Saudi Royalty and this is why the CIA did not strike Bin Laden when they had him in their sites: over half of the UAE royal family was meeting with OBL (see: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x488962 ). Don't these royals, who are friends of OBL's, run the the government who owns and operates Dubai Ports World, the company that Bush is going to allow to control six of our ports? Again, this leaves me with an uneasy feeling that the Bush Administration is not thinking about the Security of the Nation when he secretly facilitates and approves such a deal with the UAE. There must be something beneficial to America for him to approve and defend this deal, right?

While it's not clear that the American people will benefit from this deal, it *is* clear that many individuals in the Bush Administration and in the Bush Family and friends of the Bush family will benefit. The Carlyle group will benefit greatly financially from this deal. A shipping company called CSX, worth billions of dollars, is co-owned by Dubai Ports World will be sold to the Carlyle group for $300 million ( http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x2471320 ). Sounds like a STEAL for the Carlyle Group... what is Dubai getting out of that deal?... oh yeah, control of six U.S. ports. Isn't it funny that John Snow, former CEO of CSX sold CSX to Dubai just before he was appointed Secretary of the U.S. Treasury? Is it any wonder that Bush has vowed to VETO any form of Congressional block on this deal? If the deal is blocked, I'd wager (and I'm not a betting man) that the Carlyle deal falls through too...

I'm sure we are going to hear many things in the coming days and weeks about how this deal is about "free trade" and it's important "strategically" to America for the war on terror. And that it's ok to allow the UAE to control these ports because they were previously controlled by a British company. Or, how about that it is racist to criticize a Dubai port deal when the ports were already owned by a British company (even though most Americans didn't know the ports were foreign controlled to begin with). Scarborough and Tucker Carlson basically LAUGHED IN THE FACE of the deal supporters who brought up that little tid-bit of a talking point. At least these are the beginnings of the talking points coming out of the usual Bush Administration sources as well as the usual conservative talk radio and 'news' sources. Will you be convinced by these arguments? Or will you continue to search for more answers and see the truth?

I'm interested in getting to the truth and I welcome any of your thoughts and/or opinions whatever your political affiliation might be.

[zanne]

1. Bush is a "uniter" after all

I posted a similar question, without the facts, figures and detail! So glad you did. CNN is already presenting a "reality check" for people who didn't realize that alot of our ports are operated by foreign countries. I think it's going over like a lead balloon, so I'm sure they'll come up with something else. But doesn't it feel good to have the country "united" again?

[berni_mccoy]

2. It would be good to have most of America united...

As long as they were united on removing most of the Bush Administration from office immediately, and I doubt that we'll see that kind of alignment, but at least the other side is waking up to the unchecked power the Bush Admin has had access to.

[Southsideirish]

3. Frankly, I don't want any "common ground" with these idiots. They will

NEVER change and act right. Do you actually know any of these people? They hate our guts and everything we hold dear.
For example, some of them are animal lovers, as am I, does that mean that that opens doors to other topics where we can agree? NO! Its just a little wormhole between totally different and opposing ideologies.

[blm]

4. They can have epiphanies - this may be their awakening.

.

[RazzleDazzle]

6. Then you're sadly misinformed, not to mention

too pessimistic and unyielding for your own good.

THere are many, many, many on the right among Bush's base who are "getting it." I wouldn't be so quick to condemn them this way if I were you.

(Bush's) Base Calls for IMPEACHMENT (on Cafferty File, CNN)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x488809
Link: http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2006/2/21/232347/323

[berni_mccoy]

10. Actually, I already have commong ground with some of them...

Half of my family are Republicans. You can't dismiss every Republican for the actions of a few or the voice of the loudest. DU has many former conservatives as members to boot.

If we do not seek common ground, then America will never be restored to the great nation it once was.

[bryant69]

5. Would finding common ground with Republicans be a good thing?

I mean these are the people who want to try us for sedition or who want to interrogate us as fifth columnists. They are also people who are opposing this UAE deal not for the reasons you mention but because they hate Muslims/Arabs.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[RazzleDazzle]

7. If you want this stopped, it's a good thing.

And I DO. If you want Bush stopped, it's a good thing. Read the OP of the thread I just posted. Here, I'll post it again:

(Bush's) Base Calls for IMPEACHMENT (on Cafferty File, CNN)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x488809
Link: http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2006/2/21/232347/323

[berni_mccoy]

12. See my post #10 above...

We can't group all repubs together.

[bryant69]

13. They certainly seem comfortable grouping us all together

But perhaps we should be better than them.

[RandomKoolzip]

8. Hold the football, Lucy! Here I come!

[Norquist Nemesis]

9. One more thing about those 6 ports...

Two of them, I believe, are involved with transport of our heavy military equipment.

[berni_mccoy]

11. Darn, I forgot to include these LOVELY PHOTOS:

And it's too late to edit the original :-(