Published - Feb 23 2006 05:42AM EST || AP WASHINGTON(AP) Under a secretive agreement with the Bush administration, a company in the United Arab Emirates promised to cooperate with U.S. investigations as a condition of its takeover of operations at six major American ports, according to documents obtained by The Associated Press.
The U.S. government chose not to impose other, routine restrictions.
In approving the $6.8 billion purchase, the administration chose not to require state-owned Dubai Ports World to keep copies of its business records on U.S. soil, where they would be subject to orders by American courts. It also did not require the company to designate an American citizen to accommodate requests by the government.
Outside legal experts said such obligations are routinely attached to U.S. approvals of foreign sales in other industries.
Dubai Ports agreed to give up records on demand about "foreign operational direction" of its business at the U.S. ports, according to the documents. Those records broadly include details about the design, maintenance or operation of ports and equipment. It also pledged to continue participating in programs to stop smuggling and detect illegal shipments of nuclear materials.
"They're not lax but they're not draconian," said James Lewis, a former U.S. official who worked on such agreements. If White House officials negotiating the deal had predicted the firestorm of criticism over it, "they might have made them sound harder."
The conditions over the sale of London-based Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Co. were detailed in U.S. documents marked "confidential." Such records are regularly guarded as trade secrets, and it is highly unusual for them to be made public.
The Republican head of the Senate Armed Services Committee, John Warner of Virginia, planned an oversight hearing Thursday. Warner has expressed support for the agreement, describing the UAE as an important ally against terrorism.
Rep. Peter King of New York, the Republican chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, said the conditions are evidence the Bush administration was concerned about security. "There is a very serious question as to why the records are not going to be maintained on American soil subject to American jurisdiction," King said.
Posted by bull on :
AP? Are they British? I don't put much thought into British reports. Sometimes those British reporters seem like they just make up stuff to put into a story.
I don't believe there was a "secretive deal" but I do think the Administration should have briefed Congress sooner. Also I think the deal should be studied further.
I don't like the idea of UAE securing our ports, but they have helped in the war on terror and has been training Iraqi security forces.
Posted by lucid on :
They're not going to secure your ports. They're going to run them. Security is still the job of the US gov't (coast guard, etc).
P&O, a british firm, ran them before... and they have terrorists there too.
And I don't know why people are so surprised by this... I've been reading about this since October of 2005
Posted by Team Sleep on :
Who was reporting this since Oct. 2005?
It's only been in the news less than 2 weeks.
Posted by lucid on :
My family lives in Dubai, so I read the local papers there when I'm there and online when I'm not. Temasek of Singapore was in a bidding war with DPW for P&O
Posted by lucid on :
p.s. Dubai is insane. Ridiculous projects going on there. Everyone who can should definitely pay the place a visit.
Posted by glassman on :
dubai? insane is an understatement: Ski Dubai - Dubai's First Indoor Snow Park And The World's First Indoor Alpine Ski Resort Are Recruiting Events & Business Development Manager, Commercial Manager, Ski School Manager, Slope Manager, Assistant Operations Manager, Ski Instructor/Patrol, Ski Lift Operators/ Play Supervisors, Equipment Hire/Maintenance Team, Snow Grommer, Access Control Team, Laundry Room Attendant, Retail Team Leader, Sales Assistants, Childrens Party/Corporate Bookings Organiser, Customer Services Manager & Team, Ticket Sellers And Call Centre Staff
yes, this is for real...
Posted by Team Sleep on :
quote:Originally posted by lucid: My family lives in Dubai, so I read the local papers there when I'm there and online when I'm not. Temasek of Singapore was in a bidding war with DPW for P&O
Having that much familiarity with Dubai, what do you make of this deal?
Should we be this concerned about security threats? What is your take on all this.
Posted by Gordon Bennett on :
Associated Press.
quote:Originally posted by bull: AP? Are they British?
Posted by lucid on :
quote:Originally posted by Team Sleep: Having that much familiarity with Dubai, what do you make of this deal?
Should we be this concerned about security threats? What is your take on all this.
I really don't think it's too much to worry about.
1) Dubai being like it is is a target for terrorism itself. 2) Security is still handled by the US gov't 3) The last thing Dubai needs is a US pissed off at it: since DPW is run by the gov't of Dubai, I don't they intentionally let something through, if they could. 4) I have absolutely no fears when in Dubai about attacks and the like. I'm nore scared in NYC.
Ski Dubai... been there. It's crazy, especially for all the kids who grew up in the Middle East and the subcontinent who have never seen snow!
You guys should check out the Palms, the World, Burj Dubai...
The port authorities of NY and NJ have just filed a lawsuit preventing the UAE firm from taking over their ports.
The plot thickens...
Posted by lucid on :
quote:Originally posted by Team Sleep: The port authorities of NY and NJ have just filed a lawsuit preventing the UAE firm from taking over their ports.
The plot thickens...
wow this is gonna get interesting
Posted by Peaser01 on :
Of course NY and NJ are against this.
Due to the once thought of terrorist attack on the World Trade Center North, South, and 7 buildings, they are paranoid about future attacks to their areas.
Pre-9/11 conditions would warrant us not to raise an eyebrow to this aquisition.
Posted by Dustoff101 on :
Due to the " once thought of" ? I think anyone with a pulse has "thought" about it more than "once" and still harbors feelings of grief, anger and horror...
Paranoid? Time fer ya to get out the dictionary again, kiddo.
Oh BTW, mornin!!!!!! LOL
Hey! you still eating those grilled cheese sandwiches fried in Crisco?
Posted by Peaser01 on :
LOL, been a while. I still stand by it though if you run out of butter and don't want to run to the store. My cyanide Kool-Aide washed them down nicely however at the time.
It's been Grape Nuts and fish-cakes for me today.
LOL
Posted by SuperSniper00 on :
There are thousands of Americans without jobs or well paying jobs and they turn over an industry over to a foriegn nation, whether it be british or UAE. Way to go. We need americans securing and defending america, not the rest of the world.