I would like to get your opinions on the current issue of turning over port security to the firm from Dubai. Is this the right thing to do? If not, how would you suggest dealing with it?
I realize this is a political question, but this is still a Christian blog, so be kind. 🙂
Heavenly Heartburn 
I’m not really in to political,
but I think we should use our own security, that way we could keep tabs on what was going on, in our ports!
I disagree with your premise that this deal involves “turning over port security to a firm from Dubai”.
1. Port security is still the responsibility of the Customs and Coastguard which are part of the Department of Homeland Security. (Remember Katrina? This is what should really worry us.)
2. The firm that manages these ports was a British company that is being sold to a Dubai company. It’s the same firm – just different owners.
I’m no political whiz but I do watch the news and from what I can learn, it seems to me that Dubai is the largest and one of the safest, well-run port companies in the world. they operate ports all over the world and the 2nd largest in the world which is outside the US. it houses the US NAvy who has much stricter safety regulations than the US ports in question have. In this situation the ports in question will be operated soley by Americans. Plus thay have agreed to many demands already that are not imposed on other foreign companies. I also learned from one “tv expert” that it is the same as international airlines having terminals at our airports. We still operate the security for the airport, they simply rent terminals from us to fly in and out of. This would be the case for the operation of these ports. Our Coast Guard and POrt Authorities would still have responsibility for security. This makes sense to me. Many ports in this country are currently operated in this way with foreign entities. Besides these factors, the UAE is a very strong ally of ours in the Middle East. It seems to me that to deny them this business venture would be unwise and even dangerous foreign policy. They are a very strange country with their ruling party very much in on our side and taking great risks for us while at the same time the majority of their population being very anti-American. Of course their ruling govt. inheirits, they are not elected.
I can not believe that the committee who approved this venture, made up of some of the most outspoken “anti-terrorist” voices in the world who are fighting terrorism on a daily basis, would allow something like this if it were not completely throughly reviewed and deemed safe under our post 9/11 laws. What comes next? We are an open society…
It seems that much of this is a knee-jerk reaction fueled by fear and now politics.
(wow, I wrote a novel…sorry:)
Thanks for your input.
Tillerman, you make a couple of good points. I probably should have worded my question differently. And you are right about the Department of Homeland Security. They certainly are a work in progress (and not much of either so far, apparently).
Gigi, thanks for sharing your insight. You brought up a couple of things that I was unaware of.
Let me say that I did not intend for this to come across as a question that is biased in any way. I am still trying to make up my mind exactly where I come down on this.
Again, thanks for your comments.
According to what I have heard the security would be left to our own Customs and USCoastguard.
I do not think that our President would approve of something that would endanger our country. At least not knowingly.
We need to be able to keep our word… Still.
Here is an interesting point.
The president of the company that is buying this management of the ports was on tv being interviewed.
Question: “Since your firm is owned by the government of the United Arab Emirates, and since that government has a policy that it willnot permit any of its companies to trade with Israel, would that mean that our ports would have to avoid permitting shippings entering from or headed to Israel?”
—period of silence while he ponder question—
“Yes, I suppose it does.”
Perhaps this is a management issue that should stay in U.S. hands.
How we are going to get out of this mess is going to be interesting.
Curious Servant–that is definitely a noteworthy bit of info. It would certainly raise some concerns regarding our relationship with Israel.
As you say, it will be interesting to see how this plays out.
I have the same take on it as tillerman….it’s not really a change.
If you really want to worry, look at how much property in this country foriegners own!
Much of what our government leaders do is not wise. Times like these remind me that my primary citizenship is in heaven … and heaven is not worried 🙂
Great question. Here is my take on the situation.
I believe some folks have missed what for me is a central point. There is a difference between the Dubai company and the British company. The British company is from Britain. The Dubai company is owned by the gov’t of the UAE.
The question then becomes do we want another country owning a potentially sensitive and strategic business or area inside our country.
For me, if it was just another business, no problem, but because it is a gov’t that will own the business, no, we can’t do it.
As a matter of policy, the US does not even believe in national industry. To support this in another country doing business here, does not seem to make sense.
Dave, you draw a compelling distinction between the two types of companies.
I have to say, the more I contemplate it, and the more we discuss, the more uncomfortable I am becoming with this move.