:rolleyes:

I understood your question the first time, no need for all the fanfare (except I realize you're fond of typing).

And the answer is no.

Apple

Why don't you think that we, the American people, are entitled to know?

:rolleyes:

I understood your question the first time, no need for all the fanfare (except I realize you're fond of typing).

And the answer is no.[/b][/quote]Why not? Isn't this country and it's government 'by the people and for the people'? Or was that left wing propaganda? :rolleyes:

Are most of the males in Dubai circumcised or not?

Bush wasn’t aware of this deal


So let me get this straight: Bush was completely unaware of the deal, but when the public and members of Congress questioned it, his immediate reaction was to quite strongly denounce critics and vow to veto any attempt to block it? It seems a more appropriate reaction to discovering a controversy on an issue he wasn't even aware of, is to investigate it ?? That is if, in fact he really was unaware.

Anyway, any thoughts on this veto??? Is it possible? Will it come to be????


http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060222/ap_on_go_pr_wh/ports_security;_ylt=ApLM8ySEq lAntg26XEIoMqOs0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA2Z2szazkxBHNlYwN0bQ



Also NJ plans on filing a lawsuit, to stop the takeover. Maybe some East Coasters can keep us updated on that. Do they even stand a chance????

Part of the article (with link attached)

“TRENTON (AP) -- New Jersey will file suit in federal and state courts seeking to stop an Arab company from taking over operations at Port Newark, Gov. Jon Corzine said yesterday. “



http://www.nj.com/statehouse/times/index.ssf?/base/news-0/1140599477184960.xml&c oll=5

*Note: I actually gathered this info this morning and e-mailed to to myself, because I can't get to the board at work :p and haven't had a chance to check out the very latest, so if it's changed or updated in any way, I am not aware of it.

TIS

I also understand that the Port Authority of New York/New Jersey is planning on taking some sort of action to fight this also.


Don Cardi

My personal favorite comment was from my Congressman, Eliot Engel. I'm paraphrasing here, but he said that in response to naysayers being accused of bigotry, he sayd that this is NOT Arab bashing. And he wants to remind one and all that the pilots that flew the planes into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on September 11th were all Arab nationals. And he added, "If it smells like a dead fish, it is a dead fish. And this one smells."

This WHOLE thing smells, period!


Don Cardi

The docks in general, or this deal? :p

Of course none of us wants to be accused of bigotry, but it's a totally different world today. While we can't say everyone involved in this deal is a terrorist, it simply doesn't "feel" right. What happened to.."we will not negotiate with terrorist?" Is this much of a stretch???


TIS

Whoever is calling this bigotry better check to see all the racial profiling that went on in the aftermath of 9/11. Using the race card for the port issue is a cheap way to try and distract us from the real issue - security at our ports.

The fact that it's Arabs that want to run the ports is not the point. I wouldn't want Canadians or British people running our ports. This just reeks of the administration, once again, selling out to the highest bidder. What's next - giving bids to North Korea or Iran to oversee our nuclear plants?

Don't forget, the UAE were only 1 of 3 nations to recognize the Taliban as being legitimate. That says everything to me.

The fact is, it is a British company doing it now.

And I think that the fact that it is a company owned by the government of an Arab country is the point.

Plaw

What I meant was that no other country should be running our ports - Arab, British, Australian, etc. If any of those countries should be eliminated from consideration, it should be Arab countries IMO.

Bush says not to worry about Port security

Well, if he says not to worry, then I'm satisfied. :rolleyes:

That makes two of you, then.

I don't know how accurate this article is, but according to this, the plan is the UAE is to take over 21 ports, many many more then we were previously told.

The author writes the following scenario, as to how a terrorist might easily get access. Now, I don't know anything about shipping docks, but doesn't this sound like a possibility?? Full article is attached.

TIS


"All a terrorist organization needs to do is find a single weak link within a 'trusted' shipper's complex supply chain, such as a poorly paid truck driver taking a container from a remote factory to a port. They can then gain access to the container in one of the half-dozen ways well known to experienced smugglers," CFR wrote.


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Granted, terrorists don't have to own a port to pull off an attack. But why are we strecthing out our necks and handing out knives?? The more I catch this fiasco on the news, the worse it gets.

Am I the only one who feels that this is actually helping in uniting the country

Which country? Ours or theirs?

I agree Snake that these terror bastards can attack us when ever they want but your right, why help them along the way?

DS

Ours, this is probably the 1st issue in the past 6 years that both sides seem to agree on.

DMC, you and me see eye-to-eye on a lot of things, and I noted on page one of this thread that you seemed to suggest you were against the deal. Anyway, I'm just not sure what you mean by uniting the country. I really don't see it, as even a lot of Republicans are jumping ship on this issue (and I don't blame them).

DMC: never mind! You answered my concern!

As part of Dubai Customs` annual program, which undertakes to implement, and following its belief in involving all society members in the comprehensive development process through motivating students once completing their schoolings to work in areas fitting with their capabilities, A summer training under the motto “Do not waste your time and learn for better future” for 105 students who would be distributed to different customs locations , is due to take place tomorrow Sunday 2nd July and last on 10th August 2005.

Suad Mohammed Hassan, Head of Training Planning and Implementation Section at Dubai Customs said, “the summer training aims to qualify the students as to gain experience, be prepared for working and professional life and serve the society. It also encourages them to take the imitative, bear the responsibility and benefit from their holidays to build a bright scientific, social, cultural and professional future.”

“The training period would also contribute to implant the principles of scientific and practical thinking, planning and organizational skills. It enables them to develop positive behavioral qualities like cooperation, teamwork and bearing the responsibility. They would be introduced to the customs business environment, its role in the society in general and the national economy in particular and link the academic knowledge with the professional life, added Suad.

Pointing out to the number of students being received by Dubai Customs annually Suad said,” a great number of general secondary school and university students are annually received by Dubai Customs. They are distributed to different customs locations allowing them to get acquainted with the nature of customs business and how to interact with customs trade stakeholders and clients. Dubai Customs makes use each year of the experiments of previous years summer training for delivering better training and achieving the set objectives.”

As far as the training programme is concerned, Saud added, “due to the great importance of the summer training, which we feel is the ideal investment of the students` time during the summer vacation, the Training Programmes and Implementation Section has developed a training programme full of useful activities.”



This is a student program that Dubai Customs has which allows students to pertake in the training and introduction to the customs business envirement.

Now tell me something, what's stopping a terrorist from entering into this program to learn the ins and outs of the operation of this business and eventually securing a job through this program? Similar to the way that the terrorist enrolled in flight schools to learn how to fly planes, etc.

I realize that this could happen in any company, however I would think that it would be much easier for someone from the middle east to fit into a company like this. Are we supposed to trust this company with security and background checks on these enrollees?

There are so many questions that have gone unanswered by those in Washington who support the aquisition by this Arab company.


Don Cardi

Yeah, students, no less. :rolleyes:

Like we can really trust them.

Sorry, can't stay long but wanted to get this in. I do have my issues with the media reporting and following-up on what I think are important stories, but I won't go there just yet. :p

I was questioning when this will be considered a civil war. I found this article from Australia, and just the title of it makes me cringe. My point is to question what is being reported to us (and how) as compared to other countries.

I previewed it. Give it a few seconds to load. For me it took about 10 seconds for some reason.

TIS


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