Should we sell the U.S Ports to  the Saudis?
95969
You must be referring to the recent deal with Dubai Ports World, a firm owned by the government of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.  This is not a company owned by the Saudis. The issue is question is one of port management, not a complete sale.  I expect that many people will give a knee-jerk reaction.  Often our responses cause the exact opposite reaction that we hope for.  I believe that we need to take an open minded review of this process before we give the thumbs up or thumbs down.  If the issue is the security of our nation let’s not boil the response down to a “heck no” without some real review.\n\nUnfortunately during this time there is anti-Arab sentiment with many people in the US.  If we want to see a more secular, pro-western population in the Middle East we are going to have to engage in business enterprises with companies based in those countries.  If we boycott the legitimate businesses over there they will fail which will further isolate the populations of these countries.  Freedom generally comes much faster with open markets.  \n\nI personally think that security in post 9-11 America is not much better that pre 9-11 America.  The fact that this entire deal slipped past the current administration shows that we have a lot of work to do here in America.  I am not in favor of the proposed deal in its current form.  Since the executive branch was asleep on this one I would like to here more from Congress on the issue.
116356
Dubai, one of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is not buying out US ports.   The ports operation will be run by a company based in Dubai.  The company currently running the ports P&O ( Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Co )is a London based company that has recently been acquired by Dubai Ports World, the UAE company. \n\nThe purchase and takeover of the contract to run the ports has been approved by a US government agency that investigates security risks of outside control of US companies.  The U.S. Committee on Foreign Investment, the agency, found no security risks.  \n\nThe company will just manage the ports, it will still keep the same workers, the same managers and the same equiptment.  It will hire the same longshoremen - the guys who unload the boats and it will keep American paychecks in America.  \n\nI have linked below to an article about the sale of P&O to DP World as well as links to the companies' web sites. \n\nRemember too that ports deal with international cargo - most everything domestic is moved by truck- and that international companies are involved in international commerce.   The US produces airplanes for the Chinese and UAE,  Mexico assembles a lot of toilets used in the US.  We are truly a global economy.  When the deal finalizes it will be a UAE company running these US ports as opposed to a UK company as it was last week.
141295
No one is selling our ports.  This is merely about a contract with a port operations company to continue with day to day port operations.  Security will continue to done by U.S. officials.
267587
Yes.\n\nThe ports are not being sold.  They will still be owned by whoever owns them now.  What is being sold are contracts to operate various functions at the ports, like loading and unloading ships.  And those contracts are not being sold by the US government but by the foreign owned company that owns them now.  So, yes, I agree with the President on this one.
244585
We weren't.  What happened is that the British company that held the contract to manage the ports was purchased by Dubai World Imports, a port management company owned by the UAE.  This led to worries that the UAE would use access to the ports as a way to sneak terrorists into the country. Congress was simply trying to decide wether to get out of the contract and go with another company or maintain the status quo.\n\nThe ports are still owned by the United States and security is handled by the Coast Guard.  The management company only handles day to day operations.\n\nWe are looking for a management company now, because the UAE has withdrawn any claims to that contract.
136060
Since we could never afford to inspect more than 5% of all inbound cargo what does it matter who schedules and unloads the shipments? Yes, I think its probably fine for the UAE to operate the 21 ports. We should NEVER reliquish security, and in fact we should step up investigations of new port workers.
1169359
The theory is like this: Radical Wahhabi Muslims in Saudi Arabia end their "detente" with the less than religiously strict Saudi Royal Family, and start a little insurrection. As it stands, the Saudi royals fund all of the religious schools, build mosques, maintain Islamic law, etc., and they turn a blind eye to the royal families excesses. \n\nIt's not that far fetched to imagine these radicals (Al Qaeda, etc.), see the royals cracking down on terrorists, working with the U.S., and becoming too westernized. They're response: take over the Saudi oil fields, blow them up, render them useless, and they cripple the U.S. as well as every other Western Govt's economy. They would like nothing better than to get back to their nomadic days in the desert. They believe that all of their problems started with the discovery of oil. And by all accounts, the Saudi military may not be up to the task of stopping any of this.\n\nOf course, the U.S., as well as every other oil dependent nation, has a contingency plan if this happens. They would invade and secure the oil fields, or try. The point is, if the radical muslims destroy enough infrastructure in the oil industry, pipelines, refineries, etc., then the world's largest oil reserves are off line for months. Think about the global economic crisis that would result from Saudi oil being cut off for months???\n\nRead "Sleeping with the Devil : How Washington Sold Our Soul for Saudi Crude" by Bob Baer.
691332
Yes, But I'm an offshore Guy. Mail me if you are interested.
281095
Hell no, ship them all back. We stand and fight for what is rightfully ours. They have there own country and we have ours. Even though i wish Bush would understand that but, he has been acting really crazy lately.
522812
Sounds like a plan. People here do need to get involved in this. The country is in total chaos right now, over so many things: Irag, immigration, oil, deficits, educations, etc. \n\n6 years, hundreds of biliion dollars, millions of illegal immigrants, $3:50/ gallon later, Bush is still an idiot. Selling the country out!
551374
no but i think we should NUKE the middle east and then go in and take oil!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
953174
Boy your full of intersting questons today. Welll i guess it would be possible.  But the queston is would it benifit the United States. It would add about 20 million people and lots of pollution and damaged plumming.  I belive we could buy it annex it, and make it a state, fix its problems clean it up and secure it for about 5 Trillion dollars. But it would be a bad move on the united states part because the new land would be a burden to its econimc prosperity. Over all it wouldnt be wroth it.  It would be a great blunder of the century.
84811
No. I think the government is stretched thin. I think that it would a good idea to have the ports privately owed. \n\nHmmm..... I think our national security should be a top priority. Obviously, we don't want all our ports owed by a country in a volatile region. I guess I would say no. Our ports should be controlled by US companies, with a lot of experience in security. Obviously, we respect Dubai but we need to be careful on who owns our ports.
943445
Might as well Bush double talked that Port deal. Said it was off and a Year later the Same Corporation owns most US shipping.\n\nWe gave China most of Americas homes and land. Credit Card Wallmart debt is secured by peoples house value. China owns the debt China owns the mortgage.\n\nWe should sell the Army while we are at it. All those men in Iraq could drive over to Saudi Arabia and become the Saudi oil security force.\n\nGo big Red Go
80945
Arguementally,allowing the Arabs to buy and control our ports would be like selling our soul to the devil.\nThis will be allowing another 9/11 incident that much more possible to happen in the near future somewhere in our country,watch and see if I'm right or wrong as time moves on.
103350
Update: \n"He became aware of it over the last several days," McClellan said. Asked if Bush did not know about it until it was a done deal, McClellan said, "That's correct."\n\n\nFirst of all, I just want to say that it's obvious not "all Arabs are terrorists" and objection to this port deal is not suggesting in the least bit that they are.  You see a lot of the educated Congressmen, of both parties, objecting to the sale of these ports to a UAE company.  These are intelligent, educated people and you think that they are objecting to this deal because they believe that all Arabs are terrorists?  I think not.  The first perons who answered this question is the one who needs to get educated.\n\nIt is justifiable to say that giving control of these major US ports to a company in the UAE poses a threat to national security.  This situation is comparable to the notion of "probable cause."  If a police officer sees a person driving dangerously and erratically he has reason to believe that this person might be intoxicated.  If two of the September 11 hijackers came from the UAE and money used to fund those attacks went through UAE banks, we have reason to believe that giving control of major ports to a UAE company is an added threat to security.\n\nThere is no argument against the fact the UAE is located in a region of the world where anti-Western sentiment is strong.  UAE control of these ports gives people a greater opportunity to act of these feelings.\n\nSorry to say, but there is a difference between a British company operating these ports and a UAE company operating these ports.  I am a strong supporter of President Bush on 95% of the issues, but I do not know where his head is regarding this issue, if he really did know about this before the deal was made.
663704
We can respond to all of their emails stating that they have found US$250 MILLION dollars that they want to send to YOUR bank acct, they will split it with you, please send your bank acct information so that I may make a deposit! \n\nI dont know about you, but Im wondering how I can protect my own a*s from the crooked government that is running my country (America.) My presidents is stepping all over my civil rights, he is performing illegal wiretapping, illegally collecting phone records from millions of Americans, and is fighting an unjust war using our sons and daughters. The price of fuel is skyrocketing, interest rates are soaring, real estate is reversing, and jobs are being lost. The military is about to go "protect" our southern borders from terrorist Mexicans.....oh, wait a sec, got blinded by the BS for a sec there... I meant to say that the Govt is lying to us about why we need to keep Mexicans out - because its to protect us from Terrorism (although 90% of the terrorist on 9/11 were Saudi Arabians....but we are too busy allowing them to buy out our weapons factories to keep them out of the country....\n\nNo offense, but Ive got enough crap to deal with at home than to be worried about Nigerians!