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February 21, 2006
Newspaper urges caution before letting UAE company control tides of U.S. ports
A Miami Herald editorial that appeared today urged caution before a deal is made final that would grant the UAE's Dubai Ports World control of operations at six major U.S. ports.
The editorial said calls to block the sale of port control from British firm P & O Ports to Dubai Ports Worldwide is premature, but that questions such as what role the company will play in port security, and how Dubai Ports Worldwide plans to guard against infiltration by Al Qaeda need to be answered.
The article cited former DHS Secretary Tom Ridge as expressing concerns about who would be in charge of hiring and firing measures and whether the company would play a role in port security. The editorial also mentioned the worries of Rep. Peter King, a usual Bush ally, as demonstrating how widespread anxiety is over the transfer of port operations to a UAE company.
The UAE, while a U.S. ally, "has also served as a base for some of the highjackers involved in the 9/11 attacks and has financial connections to terrorists. That alone makes it imperative that the public knows more about the takeover of port operations by Dubai Ports World."
Posted by Kathleen Miller at February 21, 2006 03:40 PM
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