[rogerhb]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('ChicknLittle', 'O')n the downside this is Bush being attacked from the "right" with a tone that might only lead to more nationalism and isolationism : (

[shakespear1]

UAE , the place where business is everything

$this->bbcode_second_pass_code('', 'CIA: UAE is a drug transhipment point (and money laundering)
Posted by Nothing Without Hope
Added to homepage Tue Feb 21st 2006, 09:52 AM ET

From the CIA web site (scroll to the bottom – it’s the last entry):

The UAE is a drug transshipment point for traffickers given its proximity to Southwest Asian drug producing countries; the UAE's position as a major financial center makes it vulnerable to money laundering...

http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/ae.ht...


(thanks to AllHatNoCattle for pointing out this gem.)

And as Sen. Menendez' pointed out on Keith Olbermann, the UAE supported the Taliban and have been implicated as a major financial source for the 9/11 attackers as well as a transshipment point for nuclear armaments (and be sure to watch this video):

VIDEO - KO on the UAE Ports with Bob Menendez

Less than 5% of shipping containers (Sen. Menendez accidentally said it backwards) are inspected by the US inspectors (http://www.boston.com/news/politics/president/articles/... )

So what's to prevent corruption/infiltration and transshipment of both drugs and biological/chemical/nuclear terrorism weapons when this foreign government with the questionable record is in control?

And do you trust Bush and Cheney to actually oppose any of this? Or is it more likely that they would actually want to BENEFIT from exactly this kind of vulnerability?


Arab role in running U.S. ports under fire
Lawmakers question security guarantees
By Will Lester
Associated Press
Published February 20, 2006

WASHINGTON -- Lawmakers from both political parties, including the chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, on Sunday questioned an Arab company's takeover of operations at six major American ports as a possible risk to national security.

"I'm aware of the conditions . . . but it doesn't go to who they hire, or how they hire people," said Rep. Peter King (R-N.Y.).

"They are better than nothing, but to me they don't address . . . how are they going to guard against things like infiltration by Al Qaeda or someone else?" King said.

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff on Sunday defended the security review of Dubai Ports World of the United Arab Emirates, the company given permission to take over the port operations.

(snip)

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0602... ')

How it all so nicely fits in with the word "PORTS". Hint: Transport of goods. All kinds of goods. !!!

[IslandCrow]

Possible solution:-

Start a boycott on ALL produce from UAE and other Islamic countries. This includes oil. This will deprive them of all those dollars and then they will have to sell the ports back at a loss.

If the UAE is as bad as people are writing then stop all commerce with them, and any company that does business with them. Get busy and phone your local gas station explaining why you will no longer buy gas from them...phone or fax the national offices of businesses.....

[shakespear1]

I have already started. I do not have a BMW but a little SCODA which burns much much less. Insulated the house to the max so as to burn less gas and try to be less of a consumer ot trashy technology which changes nothing in my life accept the level of my spending. I support farmers produced goods sold at open markets and boycott HUGE supermarkets.

That my humble contribution to dealing with these people. As to calling. Sorry I think it is a waist of money. It is better to ACT!!!

[ChicknLittle]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('rogerhb', 'P')lease tell me how the US adopting isolationism would be bad for the world?

[aahala]

The Bush Adminstration appears to be in a constant state of siege
from now to the end of their term. It will be one crisis after another
and nothing else but responding to these will occupy their time.

The same thing happened to the Johnson, Carter and Nixon administrations
but the crisis management only period was closer to the end of their
time. We have two and a half years of Bush left; it will be awful for
them and awful for the country.

[MountainHiker]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('aahala', 'T')he Bush Adminstration appears to be in a constant state of siege
from now to the end of their term. It will be one crisis after another
and nothing else but responding to these will occupy their time...We have two and a half years of Bush left; it will be awful for
them and awful for the country.

[J-Rod]

Here's a nice little tidbit.

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'W')ASHINGTON, Feb. 24 (UPI) -- A United Arab Emirates government-owned company is poised to take over port terminal operations in 21 American ports, far more than the six widely reported.

[threadbear]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('ChicknLittle', 'I') am suprised by the unity shown by republicans and some conservative news shows in attacking the port sale... eg. Lou Dobbs was persistant in pointing out how this sale is "just another example" of putting commercial interests ahead of security... Could this be the issue where congress begins to stand up the the administration's power grab? I think globalization is one issue where bush is vulnerable (especially if he defends it with so little tact) as anti-globalization and nationalism might appeal to the same crowd.... If this is the wedge issue needed to get the investigations rolling, great. On the downside this is Bush being attacked from the "right" with a tone that might only lead to more nationalism and isolationism : (

[LadyRuby]

Because this move seems so illogical, there must be more to the picture. Oil.

In another message thread I offerd my theory that Bush's push for this Dubai port deal relates directly to Dubai opening it's own oil bourse later this year (the Dubai Mercantile Exchange) where they'll sell sour arab crude and possibly gold in the future.

Dubai Mercantile Exchange

They're still in the process of making decisions on who will get to have trading/financial hubs there. And I wonder if they're also still in the position to switch from trading in dollars to euros if they're really pissed off at the U.S.

Regardless of whether they'd consider trading in Euros I suspect there are deep pockets that don't want to piss off Dubai.

The U.S. is also in the middle of negotiating a free trade agreement with the UAE.

Bush's line of thinkig: security is fine, as long as it doesn't get in the way of money.

[Zentric]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('LadyRuby', 'B')ecause this move seems so illogical, there must be more to the picture. Oil.

In another message thread I offerd my theory that Bush's push for this Dubai port deal relates directly to Dubai opening it's own oil bourse later this year (the Dubai Mercantile Exchange) where they'll sell sour arab crude and possibly gold in the future.

Dubai Mercantile Exchange

They're still in the process of making decisions on who will get to have trading/financial hubs there. And I wonder if they're also still in the position to switch from trading in dollars to euros if they're really pissed off at the U.S.

Regardless of whether they'd consider trading in Euros I suspect there are deep pockets that don't want to piss off Dubai.

The U.S. is also in the middle of negotiating a free trade agreement with the UAE.

Bush's line of thinkig: security is fine, as long as it doesn't get in the way of money.

[LadyRuby]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Zentric', 'G')olly, Ruby, I just can't see why you still believe those who think 9/11 was an inside job wear tinfoil hats.

[Zentric]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('LadyRuby', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Zentric', 'G')olly, Ruby, I just can't see why you still believe those who think 9/11 was an inside job wear tinfoil hats.

[threadbear]

Hear hear, Zentric. This is kind of interesting too.

This is a dream setup for any arms or dope dealer, and that's exactly what the United Arab Emirates is all about.The ties between its top officials and royal family with the Taliban and Al Qaeda go back at least a decade.

The UAE is not only the center of financial dealings in the Persian Gulf, it is switching central for dope and arms dealing. The dope comes out of Afghanistan into the UAE where tax monies are collected and used to buy arms, which were sent back in for the Taliban. Some of this money is thought to have helped finance the 9-11 attacks. A money trail is set forth in the government's filings in the Moussaoui case.

http://rigorousintuition.blogspot.com/

[J-Rod]

You might also want to do a google for "Loose Change" or it can also be easily found on a torrent. Good stuff.

Did anyone listen to the Randi Rhodes interview I posted earlier? This guy is truly a smoking gun if he is for real, and he sure sounded legit.

[SinisterBlueCat]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'T')he Homeland Security Department objected at first to a United Arab Emirates company's taking over significant operations at six U.S. ports. It was the lone protest among members of the government committee that eventually approved the deal without dissent.

The department's early objections were settled later in the government's review of the $6.8 billion deal after Dubai-owned DP World agreed to a series of security restrictions.


...snip...

Stewart Baker, a senior Homeland Security official, said he was the sole representative on the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States who objected to the ports deal. Baker said he later changed his vote after DP World agreed to the security conditions. Other officials confirmed Baker's account.

"We were not prepared to sign off on the deal without the successful negotiation of the assurances," Baker told the AP.

[mattduke]

"Long at the center of this operation is the mysterious Russian arms dealer, Victor Bout.... His planes are registered to various companies all operating out of the United Arab Emirates."

"In fact, the United Arab Emirates have been viewed as hub for trade going and coming to Afghanistan, with drugs coming from Afghanistan on their way to the West, and weapons from Bout, going back. While transportation was via Bout's different air cargo interests, it also involved the Afghan state airlines, called Ariana Airlines. The airline was controlled by Al Qaeda. Al Qaeda agents masquerading as Ariana employees flew out of Afghanistan, through Sharjah, one of the emirates, and on to points west."

In a January 31, 2005, letter to Feingold, Wolfowitz acknowledged that "both the U.S. Army and the Coalition Provisional Authority (in Iraq) did conduct business with companies that, in turn, subcontracted work to second tier suppliers who leased aircraft owned by companies associated with Mr. Bout.... Although we are aware of a few companies that are connected to Mr. Bout, most notably Air Bas and Jetline, we suspect Mr. Bout has other companies or enterprises unknown to the Government."

"So there we have it, and a familiar narrative it is, too."

http://rigorousintuition.blogspot.com/2 ... drugs.html

[Zentric]

With the complete absence of any analysis, I will say that Bushco is motivated to "merge" with the Middle East because we need their oil and we need for China not to have it. While, at the same time, the UAE, etc., knows they ain't gonna get rid of us easy, and need protection from China. The New World Order is bound to make America and the larger Middle East just another Palestine, hooked on smack. Even so, there will still be good neighborhoods here and there.

This reminds me of that Nirvana song that goes ... "I have my own pet virus ... her shit is my milk. My milk is her shit." I think that Kurt Cobain was very depressed then.

I think that world affairs are very depressing now.

[Keith_McClary]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('shakespear1', 'W')hen you start to let people like these take over ports the next step may be rewritting the constitution to allow slavery.

Double standards !!! Money is good even if the hands are dirty.

$this->bbcode_second_pass_code('', 'Slavery of baby boys in the United Arab Emirates
')

[Carlhole]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('J-Rod', 'H')ere's a nice little tidbit.

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'W')ASHINGTON, Feb. 24 (UPI) -- A United Arab Emirates government-owned company is poised to take over port terminal operations in 21 American ports, far more than the six widely reported.