Now that the deal to put a United Arab Emirates company in charge of six U.S. ports is history, you have to wonder when, if ever, Congress and the American people will awake to the reality that perhaps 20 percent of U.S. defense contracts are going to foreign companies, sometimes even though sensitive technology is involved. As Joe Klein of Time magazine wrote this week, the country is overdue for a “discussion about how the U.S. should respond to the impact of globalization on domestic economic stability, homeland security and foreign policy.”
Posted by Rhonda Holman
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17 Comments
If the Dubai ports debacle did nothing else, it exposed the selling out of America.
It seems these days we are not citizens of a nation, but employees of a corporation.
Personally, I’ve never had an employer that I liked let alone would fight for. On the contrary, I find myself mostly at odds and in conflict with employers; they being in the business of using me to make money.
So if this is the direction of America…….not toward national but employer loyalty; well I can’t get on board with that.
I have only a few problem with this. Toyota treats their employees better then Chevy does theirs. But certain businesses should not be foreign owned and ran, defense is one of them. Some years ago I remember there was a big rile about a defense contractor having farmed out some work over to a German company. That then sold some of the parts they made to another country that was not friendly to the U.S. Need I remind everyone that the entire world does not see us the way we do. Nor do they have our best interests at heart, even some of our “friends” are not that friendly about how they do business with those we call enemy.
Even the computer I am using right now can not be sold in some countries, yet I can go any day of the week and buy one at Wal-mart. I do oppose the port deal, again it is not about race it is about this country is fighting an enemy that does not play by the same rules. And will use any opening to get their people and weapons into the United States. With that being the case, it is wise to have control of such things in our hands…..Now if only we were prefect and never made our own mistakes and laps in judgments.
Does Boeing have parts made in andby foreign companies????
yes
Rhonda- a perfect example of why the Legacy Media in this country is in trouble.
Even after all the debate over this issue folks like you still put out crap like this “in charge of six U.S. ports”!!???
You can’t seem to get the facts straight- or is it that you dont want to get the facts straight.
America’s infrastructure should be controled by American companies. If this means that other countries will want to stop doing business with us, then so be it. Maybe it’s the path to getting back our country and keeping jobs here in the US.
Well said Damoon.
Heckler? Other than not ticking off the mideast (I think adjustments to our foreign policy and not invading their countries might be more helpful in that vein)I’ve yet to hear just what is good about ANY foreign nation controlling any aspect of our infrastructure. I do not count the race to the bottomline for profit or the personal wishes (however motivated) of george bush as good things.
Got anything else?
JR
You misinterpret what I said.
I’ve never spoken in favor of nor against the “port deal”.
How can we have an honest debate when a big chunk of the media willfully lie to us about the facts of the situation.
Case in point- the UAE were never going to control any “PORTS”. They were going to run some container shipping operations at some docks in some Ports. Yet Rhonda still talks about the UAE being “in charge of six U.S. ports “. Rhonda knows better.
Anyone who cannot see the international aspect of trade and business today has their head in the sand. Anyone who rejects that simple economic fact (or “can’t get on board”) is simply not being realistic about today’s international macroeconomics.
It is not a ’selling out of America’ as much as it is economic reality. American businesses have investments in countries around the world, and other countries have investments in this country.
I’m “shooting from the hip” here on this subject of foreign ownership in the United States. However, it seems not long ago I read an extensive article about expensive real estate and office buildings in New York City and other large cities that are now owned by rich Saudi Arabians.
Also apparently China and Japan own a lot of U.S. government bonds/debt instruments which means these foreign countries are collecting vast amounts of interest/dividends from the U.S. Treasury Department. Presumably they could cash them in, on terms of the bonds of course, which would create havoc in our economic system.
So, as several posters indicated above, what does this say about our participation in the global economy? And how can we or any nation consider participating in a shooting war? And I’m a hawk.
A survey over on CNN.com:
Who would you rather have overseeing operations at U.S. ports?Arab-based ports companyU.S.-based mafia
The mafia is ahead, 2 to 1Arabs – 36%mafia – 64%
My, that’s interesting….
The UAE are our friends and a very important trading partner.
Did you know:
“A lot of the ephedrine that we were seeing was coming out of India [and] the United Arab Emirates”
Ephedrine is the major component in meth.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/meth/interviews/pennal.html
“”A lot of the ephedrine that we were seeing was coming out of India [and] the United Arab Emirates”"
Wow, did you know that a lot of cars are made here in the US and they kill a whiole bunch of people every year? (that’s sarcasm)
So what’s the point of bringing up some nonsensical report on ephedrine? You also need table salt, alchohol, red phosphorous, etc. Are you going to bring up the same nonsense about the companies and countries we bet them from? Start prohibition again because alchohol is used?
That is nothing more than baiting. pure and simple. and serves absolutely no uiseful purpose whatsoever.
The deals with the UAE and India should be looked into, (especially India with Bush going against the rule of law and granting them their nuclear wishes) and I wonder about the agenda there.
“The mafia is ahead, 2 to 1Arabs – 36%mafia – 64%”What’s really interesting is that Arabs were able to get 36%. What 36% of the population would even consider the Arabs for port control?
Let’s see, it’s ok to defoliate South American countries and carry out the drug war because coca is used for cocaine, but UAE providing ephidrine for meth labs is off limits? You may think it’s “nonsensical” but meth is the fastest growing drug in the country. The UAE may be a great partner in the war on terror, but it sure isn’t any help in the war on drugs. So let’s recap. The UAE recognized the Taliban as legit, much of the money used for 9/11 was funneled through UAE, and they supply the major component for the meth epidemic in this country.
Nothing to see here, move along.
Saudis, Eyptians, UAE citizens made up the 9-11 highjackers yet Those are our allies on the war on terror.
” and they supply the major component for the meth epidemic in this country.”
And of course it has nothing to do with the fact that there is a market for the garbage, does it?
Columbia is a major exporter of cocaine. Must be a really bad country. Mexico controls most of the pot traffic; another bad country. Which country supplies loratabs? One of the most misused drugs on the market. Bad country.
Targeting a country because the supply an ingrediant used in the manufacture of cold remedies, which can also be used in the manufacture of meth by morons with a major problem doesn’t wash.
The major component for the meth epidemic in this country is the users, not UAE.
You are right, though, nothing to see here. Move along. Keep them blinders on, folks.