Hardrock69
02-21-2006, 05:51 PM
WASHINGTON - After mounting opposition by politicians, President Bush said Tuesday that the deal allowing an Arab company to take over six major U.S. seaports should go forward and that he would veto any congressional effort to stop it.
Bush spoke as New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine said the state will go to state and federal courts to block the sale of operations at Port Newark to the company owned by the United Arab Emirates. Republican Senate leader urged Bush to reconsider, raising the ante in a fight that several lawmakers, governors and mayors are waging with the White House.
$B!H(BThis is a private transaction,$B!I(B said Bush, speaking to reporters gathered on the White House lawn. $B!H(BThis transaction does not jeopardize in any way the security of the country. People who are responsible in the government have reviewed this transaction. This transaction should go forward, in my judgment.
$B!H(BThe company will not manage port security,$B!I(B the president said. $B!H(BThat will continue to be managed by the Coast Guard and Customs. The company is an ally in the war on terror. The company operates ports in different countries around the world, ports from which cargo is sent to the United States on a regular basis.$B!I(B
Full court press
Earlier, on Air Force One, Bush told reporters: $B!H(BI want those who are questioning it to step up and explain why all of a sudden a Middle Eastern company is held to a different standard than a Great British company. I am trying to conduct foreign policy now by saying to the people of the world, $B!F(BWe$B!G(Bll treat you fairly.$B!I!G(B
Frist urged the administration to reverse its decision, under which a British company that has been running six U.S. ports would be acquired by Dubai Ports World, a state-owned business in the United Arab Emirates.
The British company, Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Co., also known as P&O, runs major commercial operations at ports in Baltimore, Miami, New Jersey, New Orleans, New York and Philadelphia.
$B!H(BThe decision to finalize this deal should be put on hold until the administration conducts a more extensive review of this matter,$B!I(B said Frist. $B!H(BIf the administration cannot delay this process, I plan on introducing legislation to ensure that the deal is placed on hold until this decision gets a more thorough review.$B!I(B
$B!H(BI$B!G(Bm not against foreign ownership,$B!I(B said Frist, $B!H(Bbut my main concern is national security.$B!I(B He was speaking to reporters in Long Beach, Calif., where Frist was doing a fact-finding tour on port security and immigration issues.
At the Pentagon, the U.A.E. was praised as an important strategic military partner by both Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld and Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Rumsfeld told that a process was in place and $B!H(Bthe process worked.$B!I(B
$B!H(BNothing changes with respect to security under the contract. The Coast Guard is in charge of security, not the corporation,$B!I(B Rumsfeld said.
$B!H(BWe all deal with the U.A.E. on a regular basis,$B!I(B he added. $B!H(BIt$B!G(Bs a country that$B!G(Bs been involved in the global war on terror...a country (with which) we have very close military relations.$B!I(B
Pace said that $B!H(Bmilitary cooperation is superb$B!I(B with the U.A.E.
In Los Angeles, Sen. Susan Collins, who heads the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, said she and Sen. Joseph Lieberman, D-Conn., sent a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff asking that the committee be fully briefed on the ports deal with the UAE company.
Collins, R-Maine, and Rep. Jane Harman, D-Calif., a ranking member on the House Intelligence Committee, said they are going to introduce a $B!H(Bjoint resolution of disapproval$B!I(B when they return to Washington next week.
The goal of the resolution will be to put the deal on hold until Congress can be fully briefed.
In the uneasy climate after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the Bush administration decision to allow the transaction is threatening to develop a major political headache for the White House.
The administration, however, insisted that national security issues had received a full airing before the interagency panel that reviews such transactions gave the go-ahead for the deal.
Emergency legislation planned
Frist, R-Tenn., spoke as other lawmakers, including Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., and Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., said they would offer emergency legislation next week to block the deal ahead of a planned March 2 takeover.
Frist$B!G(Bs move comes a day after two Republican governors, New York$B!G(Bs George Pataki and Maryland$B!G(Bs Robert Ehrlich, voiced doubts about the acquisition of P&O.
Both governors indicated they may try to cancel lease arrangements at ports in their states because of the DP World takeover.
$B!H(BEnsuring the security of New York$B!G(Bs port operations is paramount and I am very concerned with the purchase of Peninsular & Oriental Steam by Dubai Ports World,$B!I(B Pataki said in a statement. $B!H(BI have directed the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to explore all legal options that may be available to them.$B!I(B
Ehrlich, concerned about security at the Port of Baltimore, said Monday he was $B!H(Bvery troubled$B!I(B that Maryland officials got no advance notice before the Bush administration approved the Arab company$B!G(Bs takeover of the operations at the six ports.
$B!H(BWe needed to know before this was a done deal, given the state of where we are concerning security,$B!I(B Ehrlich told reporters in the State House rotunda in Annapolis.
'Unbelievably tone deaf'
The arrangement brought protests from both political parties in Congress and a lawsuit in Florida from a company affected by the takeover.
Public fears that the nation$B!G(Bs ports are not properly protected, combined with the news of an Arab country$B!G(Bs takeover of six major ports, proved a combustible mix.
Republican Sen. Lindsay Graham of South Carolina said on Fox News Sunday that the administration approval was $B!H(Bunbelievably tone deaf politically,$B!I(B and at least one Senate oversight hearing was planned for later this month.
Critics have noted that some of the 9/11 hijackers used the UAE as an operational and financial base. In addition, they contend the UAE was an important transfer point for shipments of smuggled nuclear components sent to Iran, North Korea and Libya by a Pakistani scientist.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11474440
Bush spoke as New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine said the state will go to state and federal courts to block the sale of operations at Port Newark to the company owned by the United Arab Emirates. Republican Senate leader urged Bush to reconsider, raising the ante in a fight that several lawmakers, governors and mayors are waging with the White House.
$B!H(BThis is a private transaction,$B!I(B said Bush, speaking to reporters gathered on the White House lawn. $B!H(BThis transaction does not jeopardize in any way the security of the country. People who are responsible in the government have reviewed this transaction. This transaction should go forward, in my judgment.
$B!H(BThe company will not manage port security,$B!I(B the president said. $B!H(BThat will continue to be managed by the Coast Guard and Customs. The company is an ally in the war on terror. The company operates ports in different countries around the world, ports from which cargo is sent to the United States on a regular basis.$B!I(B
Full court press
Earlier, on Air Force One, Bush told reporters: $B!H(BI want those who are questioning it to step up and explain why all of a sudden a Middle Eastern company is held to a different standard than a Great British company. I am trying to conduct foreign policy now by saying to the people of the world, $B!F(BWe$B!G(Bll treat you fairly.$B!I!G(B
Frist urged the administration to reverse its decision, under which a British company that has been running six U.S. ports would be acquired by Dubai Ports World, a state-owned business in the United Arab Emirates.
The British company, Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Co., also known as P&O, runs major commercial operations at ports in Baltimore, Miami, New Jersey, New Orleans, New York and Philadelphia.
$B!H(BThe decision to finalize this deal should be put on hold until the administration conducts a more extensive review of this matter,$B!I(B said Frist. $B!H(BIf the administration cannot delay this process, I plan on introducing legislation to ensure that the deal is placed on hold until this decision gets a more thorough review.$B!I(B
$B!H(BI$B!G(Bm not against foreign ownership,$B!I(B said Frist, $B!H(Bbut my main concern is national security.$B!I(B He was speaking to reporters in Long Beach, Calif., where Frist was doing a fact-finding tour on port security and immigration issues.
At the Pentagon, the U.A.E. was praised as an important strategic military partner by both Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld and Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Rumsfeld told that a process was in place and $B!H(Bthe process worked.$B!I(B
$B!H(BNothing changes with respect to security under the contract. The Coast Guard is in charge of security, not the corporation,$B!I(B Rumsfeld said.
$B!H(BWe all deal with the U.A.E. on a regular basis,$B!I(B he added. $B!H(BIt$B!G(Bs a country that$B!G(Bs been involved in the global war on terror...a country (with which) we have very close military relations.$B!I(B
Pace said that $B!H(Bmilitary cooperation is superb$B!I(B with the U.A.E.
In Los Angeles, Sen. Susan Collins, who heads the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, said she and Sen. Joseph Lieberman, D-Conn., sent a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff asking that the committee be fully briefed on the ports deal with the UAE company.
Collins, R-Maine, and Rep. Jane Harman, D-Calif., a ranking member on the House Intelligence Committee, said they are going to introduce a $B!H(Bjoint resolution of disapproval$B!I(B when they return to Washington next week.
The goal of the resolution will be to put the deal on hold until Congress can be fully briefed.
In the uneasy climate after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the Bush administration decision to allow the transaction is threatening to develop a major political headache for the White House.
The administration, however, insisted that national security issues had received a full airing before the interagency panel that reviews such transactions gave the go-ahead for the deal.
Emergency legislation planned
Frist, R-Tenn., spoke as other lawmakers, including Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., and Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., said they would offer emergency legislation next week to block the deal ahead of a planned March 2 takeover.
Frist$B!G(Bs move comes a day after two Republican governors, New York$B!G(Bs George Pataki and Maryland$B!G(Bs Robert Ehrlich, voiced doubts about the acquisition of P&O.
Both governors indicated they may try to cancel lease arrangements at ports in their states because of the DP World takeover.
$B!H(BEnsuring the security of New York$B!G(Bs port operations is paramount and I am very concerned with the purchase of Peninsular & Oriental Steam by Dubai Ports World,$B!I(B Pataki said in a statement. $B!H(BI have directed the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to explore all legal options that may be available to them.$B!I(B
Ehrlich, concerned about security at the Port of Baltimore, said Monday he was $B!H(Bvery troubled$B!I(B that Maryland officials got no advance notice before the Bush administration approved the Arab company$B!G(Bs takeover of the operations at the six ports.
$B!H(BWe needed to know before this was a done deal, given the state of where we are concerning security,$B!I(B Ehrlich told reporters in the State House rotunda in Annapolis.
'Unbelievably tone deaf'
The arrangement brought protests from both political parties in Congress and a lawsuit in Florida from a company affected by the takeover.
Public fears that the nation$B!G(Bs ports are not properly protected, combined with the news of an Arab country$B!G(Bs takeover of six major ports, proved a combustible mix.
Republican Sen. Lindsay Graham of South Carolina said on Fox News Sunday that the administration approval was $B!H(Bunbelievably tone deaf politically,$B!I(B and at least one Senate oversight hearing was planned for later this month.
Critics have noted that some of the 9/11 hijackers used the UAE as an operational and financial base. In addition, they contend the UAE was an important transfer point for shipments of smuggled nuclear components sent to Iran, North Korea and Libya by a Pakistani scientist.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11474440