US Gov't is Outsourcing National Security to Arab County - No Joke!

Those in government frequently assert that the primary role of a government is to protect its public. Such appeals are made when it comes to funding the military, domestic wiretapping, continuing the USA PATRIOT Act, and invading Iraq. There is another issue where this assertion is being made, but this time by everyone (Democrats and Republicans) except the White House.

A deal from "a secretive government panel" is nearing completion to allow a company controlled by the United Arab Emirates to operate the ports of New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Baltimore, New Orleans, and Miami. Is this a bad dream?

Alarmingly no, the Department of Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff stated that "Congress is welcome to look at this and can get classified briefings." He justified this move stating, "We have to balance the paramount urgency of security against the fact that we still want to have a robust global trading system."

Security or Money, Mr. Chertoff?

Mr. James Lewis, who worked with the secretive U.S. committee at the State and Commerce departments stated that "It's in Dubai's interest to make sure this runs well. There is strong economic incentive to be sure these worries never materialize."
It's in Dubai's interest, Mr Lewis? I would say that America's interest is not worth taking the risk you propose. Saudi Arabia is also considered a "friend" and "close ally in the war on terror," does that mean we should trust them to protect the American people? I'd go so far as to say that I wouldn't leave it to the British to protect the American people.

Sen. Barbara Boxer, on CBS's "Face the Nation," said, "It is ridiculous to say you're taking secret steps to make sure that it's OK for a nation that had ties to 9/11, (to) take over part of our port operations in many of our largest ports. This has to stop."

"It's unbelievably tone deaf politically at this point in our history," said Sen. Lindsay Graham, R-South Carolina.

"Federal law requires the president or his designee investigate the impact on national security of a foreign acquisition if the acquisition 'could result in control of a person engaged in interstate commerce in the United States that could affect the national security of the United States," reads a letter to Treasury Secretary John Snow, requesting that his committee conduct a full 45-day investigation of the transaction, saying it's essential for national security. The letter was signed by Sens. Schumer, Tom Coburn, R-Okla., Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J., and Chris Dodd, D-Conn., as well as Reps. Chris Shays, R-Conn., Vito Fossella, R-N.Y., and Mark Foley, R-Fla (See the entire letter).

Whats wrong with the United Arab Emirates (UAE)? (All of the following points come from this FoxNews Article)

- The FBI has also concluded that the UAE's banking system filtered much of the money used for the operational planning before the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, and many of the hijackers traveled to the United States through the UAE.

- When the international community is attempting to bring Iran's nuclear abilities to a halt, the United Arab Emirates are talking about expanded trade opportunities with Iran.

- This is . . . a country that still sees the Taliban as the legitimate government of Afghanistan and still fails to recognize Israel as a sovereign state

- It would be the job of this UAE controlled company to hire security personnel for the ports - can you see the potential danger?

To all of this Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice said, "I would hope that our friends in Abu Dhabi would not be offended by the fact that in our democracy, we debate these things."

We certainly didn't worry about what our friends in Europe thought about us invading Iraq - that, after all, was a matter of national security (and I agreed with that justification when I thought it was a matter of national security).