From: "Rich Gauszka" 

The neocons are ok with this? Maybe we should outsource the army to Saudi Arabia?

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/politics/3669663.html

Fear Escalates on Foreign Control of Ports

By TED BRIDIS Associated Press Writer C 2006 The Associated Press

WASHINGTON - A New Jersey congressman said Saturday he wants to require
that security officials at U.S. ports be American citizens to prevent
overseas companies operating shipping facilities here from hiring
foreigners in such sensitive positions.

Republican Frank A. LoBiondo, chairman of the Coast Guard and Maritime
Transportation Subcommittee, cited "significant" security
concerns over a
$6.8 billion sale that gives a company in the United Arab Emirates control
over operations at six major American ports.

LoBiondo said he wants the new mandatory citizenship requirements approved
by Congress and President Bush before state-owned Dubai Ports World
completes its pending purchase of London-based Peninsular and Oriental
Steam Navigation Co.

The British company, the world's fourth-largest ports company, runs major
commercial operations at shipping terminals in New York, New Jersey,
Baltimore, New Orleans, Miami and Philadelphia.

The Bush administration earlier approved the deal, which has drawn
escalating criticism by lawmakers who maintain the United Arab Emirates is
not consistent in its support of U.S. terrorism-fighting efforts.

Caught by surprise over the breadth of concerns expressed in the United
States, Dubai Ports World is cautiously organizing its response. The
company quietly dispatched advisers to reassure port officials along the
East Coast, and its chief operating officer _ internationally respected
American shipping executive Edward "Ted" H. Bilkey _ was expected
to travel to Washington soon for meetings on Capitol Hill and elsewhere.

Meanwhile, the Bush administration is defending its approval of the sale,
and strongly resisting demands by Congress to reconsider.

State Department spokesman Sean McCormack described the United Arab
Emirates on Friday as "a long-standing friend and ally" and said
the United States and UAE had a good relationship.

Bush visited the port in Tampa, Fla., on Friday but did not mention the
dispute. Bush said an important element of defeating terrorism was taking
precautions domestically and working with local officials.

"We've got to protect ourselves by doing smart things in
America," Bush said. "I appreciate working with the mayors on
homeland security issues."

In New York, families of some victims from the September 2001 terror
attacks planned to criticize the deal Sunday during a press conference with
Sen. Charles Schumer, a leading critic of the sale. Schumer, D-N.Y., said
he is dubious any assurances can justify the UAE's involvement in American
ports.

Schumer and others have cited the UAE's history as an operational and
financial base for the hijackers who carried out the attacks against New
York and Washington.

"A lot of families are incensed by this, because you're talking about
the safety of the country," said William Doyle, whose son Joseph died
at the World Trade Center. "We have a problem already in our ports
because all of our containers aren't checked, but now they want to add this
unknown? It's not right."

LoBiondo's legislative proposal would amend federal maritime laws to
require facility security officers, which operate at terminals in every
U.S. port, to be American citizens. LoBiondo said there now are no
citizenship requirements, which he said permits foreign companies with a
stake in U.S. terminal operations to employ security officers who are not
Americans.

"We cannot be lax about our nation's security nor fail to recognize
that our ports are realistic targets of terrorists," LoBiondo said.

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