What if a Democratic President Did This? (Port Sale)

[Oh, Gee!!]

Xray, the Cheney deal is just another example of the MO used by the Bush admin. Getting back to the port deal, I'm not saying that the deal shouldn't be done after some investigation is completed and the Dubai company clears as a non-security threat. What I didn't like was Bush's original postion that the deal was completed and nothing could be done to stop it. I'm sure if it wasn't for the intense criticism from both sides of the aisle Bush would still be as stubborn on the issue.

[xrayzebra]

Yeah, but OG, it was looked at by the same group who has cleared some, I think,
1500 other deals. Also, all our intel agencies vented the deal and cleared it. And
I am not sure that it can be stopped. Bush said he would veto any bill coming
across his desk and I am not sure they have the votes to override. They may,
who really knows. Politically, Bush and his crew did screw up, no doubt about it.
But I really don't think they were trying to pull a slick one, I just think they did not
think it was that big of a deal to stir up this much junk. I am sure you read the
same company is taking over the P&O business in Britian and it hasn't even made
a ripple over there. They see no problem at all.

[Oh, Gee!!]

So why is the Admin now letting the deal be postponed?

[xrayzebra]

^^Beats me. Dubai has said it will wait, according to the paper this morning.
This thing is taking more twist and turns than the average bear. I really don't
have a clue on how it will end up. If the politicians mean what they say and
continue to stir up things, I feel it will never fly. But some are now starting to
hedge on their first words, so God only knows what will happen. I personally don't
have a problem with it. But that doesn't mean much.....LOL
t

[Oh, Gee!!]

Could it be for the fact that the committee approving the deal is itself part of the executive branch? Could it also be for the fact that this deal is a little different because the company is a state-owned company and not an entirely private one? Could it also be for the fact that some real national security concerns have been raised and Bush's bull has been called on by the right party?

[xrayzebra]

^^I take it then you are not in favor of the deal. Everyone has their own
opinion. I just disagree that it was an undercover deal. Just badly handled
by the Administration and Media.

[Oh, Gee!!]

I take it then you are not in favor of the deal.

I think it's good that it has been postponed pending review.

I just disagree that it was an undercover deal.

Obviously, I think it was.

badly handled by the Administration and Media.

Agreed.

[xrayzebra]

Here is a little article about Bill Clinton and UAE. Funny, he praises and his wife
condemns. Such is life.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This news article was printed from ITPBusiness.net
To view this news article online visit: www.itp.net/business/news/details.php?id=18919
home \ news \ business \
Sunday, 4 December, 2005
Clinton leads Dubai praise
by Anil Bhoyrul ([email protected])
FORMER US president Bill Clinton praised Dubai’s leaders last week, telling them the way Islamic and Western values and cultures are being merged is “wonderful”.

Speaking via telecast at the Leaders in Dubai conference on Monday, Clinton was quick to highlight the work done by the emirate’s rulers, in particular Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Minister of Defence of the United Arab Emirates.

Clinton said: “Dubai is a role model of what could be achieved despite the other negative developments in the region. When I went to Dubai for the first time, I was taken to a technology facility where I hooked up to a bank kiosk and found that one can use a conventional banking service, while at the same time opt for an Islamic Sharia compliant service, which I thought was wonderful. This is a very good example of how cultures and values could be merged and offered to the rest. I was amazed and I have a lot of admiration for Sheikh Mohammed for what he’s doing in Dubai.”

Clinton also urged members of the YAL (Young Arab Leaders) to spread their message across the region. He explained: “I think much can be done by just telling others about your own achievements. They can share their experience and ideas with others and help them develop their economies as Dubai has done. YAL can leverage their experience to enlighten others.”

He added: “Look at Dubai, which has achieved enormous growth in such a short period of time. Less than 6% of Dubai’s income comes from oil. It’s no longer an oil economy."

Clinton’s speech came just a week after he appeared in person at Dubai’s American University. During his visit to the emirate, he spoke directly on the chances of peace in the region.

The former US president was not the only speaker to praise the emirate in his Leaders in Dubai address. Best-selling author, Dan Pink, said: “Global economies will now be driven by right-brain at udes where designers, creators and empathisers will be leaders, because their talents cannot be recreated offshore or made redundant by technology.”

He told delegates: “Big-picture thinking is difficult to outsource offshore and difficult to automate. This is where Dubai has a strong advantage because it is a crossroads kind of a place — a multilingual, multicultural place that creates empathies and that’s where great ideas come from. When we empathise towards everyone the world’s a better place, period! But empathy also has a business advantage, because it cannot be outsourced or automated.”

Pink continued: “This is an age of novelty and nuance where design has become a fundamental business literacy — an age when everyone is in the arts and entertainment business. Dubai is in the arts and entertainment business with just 8% of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) coming from oil and now 17% coming from tourism — and that’s the arts and entertainment business.”

Pink said that his vision of the future was one “where youth would be better advised studying fine arts than striving for traditional MBAs”.

“Kids should now be encouraged not to follow the traditional MBA programmes of the left-brain era — which are now being outsourced offshore — but to follow master of fine arts (MFA) degrees. The MFA has now become the new MBA because the abilities required to obtain it cannot be outsourced and are harder to automate,” he added.

Another speaker, Abdullah Al Zamil — CEO of Zamil Industries — said, in his own presentation, that world leaders need to “keep pace with the changing world”.

He told delegates: “We must take care to prevent a loss of cultural iden y. In many places, the traditional way of life is getting lost and the public feel that their way of life has to be protected against foreign influence.”

The Leaders in Dubai summit was held at the Madinat Jumeirah complex last Monday and Tuesday. The conference was held in front of audiences estimated at around 1500 each day.

© 2006. ITP Online Ltd.

[Nbadan]

One has to wonder, who exactly approved this Dubai deal? So far everyone in the WH seems to be scurrying any real responsibility, even the President and Treasury Secretary John Snow have passed the responsibility buck to faceless Washington beauracrats.

What's funny is that Republicans play the patriotism and National Security card everytime the President's approval rating goes below 40%, they pull out a Osama tape they've had for months, or worth yet, give away valuable foreign intelligence and expose covert agents to justify their actions, but when the shoe is on the other foot, all of the sudden playing the NS card is a 'bad thing'. That's politics I suppose...


By PAMELA HESS
UPI Pentagon Correspondent

WASHINGTON, Feb. 24 (UPI)

-- A United Arab Emirates government-owned company is poised to take over port terminal operations in 21 American ports, far more than the six widely reported.

The Bush administration has approved the takeover of British-owned Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Co. to DP World, a deal set to go forward March 2 unless Congress intervenes.

P&O is the parent company of P&O Ports North America, which leases terminals for the import and export and loading and unloading and security of cargo in 21 ports, 11 on the East Coast, ranging from Portland, Maine to Miami, Florida, and 10 on the Gulf Coast, from Gulfport, Miss., to Corpus Christi, Texas, according to the company's Web site.

UPI

[gameFACE]

Well dummy, Nixon was the first to open up talks with the Chinese. Might
want to read some of his books. He was really very knowledgeable on
foreign affairs. He just got caught doing what all Pols did.

Well dufus, if you actually read some of the books you might be referring to you could call Tricky 's foreign policies by what they were - detente. ANd funny how he lost political support from fellow politicians and the American people because he was misrepresenting most of his actions. Sounds alot like Dubai Dubya. This port deal may just end up another example of the cronyism and secrecy of this current administration.

Way to avoid my question, BTW .......

[xrayzebra]

Well dufus, if you actually read some of the books you might be referring to you could call Tricky 's foreign policies by what they were - detente. ANd funny how he lost political support from fellow politicians and the American people because he was misrepresenting most of his actions. Sounds alot like Dubai Dubya. This port deal may just end up another example of the cronyism and secrecy of this current administration.

Way to avoid my question, BTW .......

I am not avoiding your question. But in one of Nixon's book he called
Russia what it was. Not a communist country, just one that has always
had worldwide expansion as it's goal. And cites all the facts to support it.
If I remember correctly, living through that era, Nixon had the support of
most of the people. He had some blunders on the domestic side, like
freezing wages and prices, dumb move. But on foreign policy he was
one of the best. And he was the one to make the move to open relations
with China. And by the way Putin is kinda proving the point. He is
imposing Russian's influence on the world, especially the Middle East.
Iran is a prime example. And this has nothing to do with the communist
movement.

[xrayzebra]

^^Yep, and visions of grandeur.

[Nbadan]

The individual named by the White House to run security for all major US ports under Maritime Administration, David Sanborn (pictured above), is the current number two man at Dubai Ports World and head of their European and Latin American operations.

Link

So when Neo-Cons defend Bush by saying that UAE won't be running security at the ports involved in the deal, they are deliberately ignoring the fact that DP World's number two is already in charge of all major US ports by appointment of Bush.

The New York Daily News pointed out Snow's connection to the sweetheart deal in pointing out that Snow headed, "the federal panel that signed off on the $6.8 billion sale of an English company to government-owned Dubai Ports World - giving it control of Manhattan's cruise ship terminal and Newark's container port.

"Snow was chairman of the CSX rail firm that sold its own international port operations to DP World for $1.15 billion in 2004, the year after Snow left for President Bush's cabinet."

The deal has already violated federal law in its failure to undergo a 45 day review procedure. That alone should bring criminal charges of espionage for those involved who profited from breaking federal law.

[Guru of Nothing]

Let's ALL flip-flop!!!

I smell a new Chubby Checker hit.

[Nbadan]

Speaking of flip-flops...