The American Spectator

A. DiPentima /p>

I am aware that Dubai Ports will be in charge of running six American ports due to the P & O sale. However, Dubai is in violation of the U.S. laws concerning the boycotting of Israel by requesting information on country of origin produce and manufacture.

This compliance of the Arab boycott should disqualify them from running American ports. They should be forced to pay daily fines to the U.S. government in direct proportion to their daily profit as long as they are in compliance with the Arab boycott of Israel, just as U.S. companies are fined for following Arab boycott measures. Then let the deal go through.

p>The “fine” revenues will be good source for U.S. government funds. If DP refuses to pay the fines then the U.S. government will have the right to revoke the deal without penalty and let another company bid for the rights. br> — Wolf Terner br> Fair Lawn, New Jersey /p>

When a voice of reason speaks it would be nice if everyone listened — thank you Brandon Crocker for an intelligent piece regarding the port’s deal. While I would prefer American companies operating all aspects of business at our ports and American ships carrying goods to and from the U.S. I recognize that this is probably a pipe dream considering our government’s preference for regulating and taxing business as opposed to encouraging their success. So if what I would prefer is unlikely? I would at least like an ally (not an enemy like communist China) to be involved in our ports’ operations (ownership is still in U.S. hands). While the UAE is in reality a new ally they have been a very good one since 9/11. The pre-9/11 arguments against the UAE are as invalid as continued Democrat pre-9/11 thinking regarding national security. We need to look at today’s facts and not yesterday’s old news. Remember, prior to 9/11 most Americans considered France a “good” ally.

The UAE has been among the most helpful Arab countries in the war on terror. It was one of the first countries to join the U.S. container security initiative to inspect cargo in foreign ports. The UAE has assisted in training security forces in Iraq, and at home it has worked hard to stem terrorist financing and WMD proliferation. The country’s deep-water ports and dry-dock facilities are large enough to handle our aircraft carriers and Trident nuclear submarines. Two of its ports, including the DP World-administered Jebel Ali Port in Dubai, host more U.S. naval visits than any other facility outside the United States. The country also hosts major air bases for U.S. refueling and surveillance flights. Additionally, the central bank officials have strengthened anti-money-laundering and terror-financing laws and have greatly increased oversight of their financial system. The UAE is also the only country in the Middle East that allows U.S. customs inspectors to check cargo headed to America.

p>For those critical of DPW operating terminals at America’s ports what is your alternative or solution? Who will do the job if Congress will not provide incentives for American companies to do it? Where are the demands that we monitor high risk flight passengers into and around the U.S.? Where are the calls to tighten up on issuing visa’s to persons from “dangerous” countries or regions of the world? Where is the legislation to deport hate mongering clerics, professors and extremists? Why are those critical of monitoring terrorist phone calls in the U.S. so up in arms about this deal? I don’t discount the real concerns of some, but I am skeptical of the posturing in Congress. If the members of Congress are serious about national security then they’ll discover who in their midst routinely leaks classified documents to the press and demand their prosecution, they will demand that members of the press who illegally print classified documents are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, they will stop using America’s effort in Iraq as a political football or hammer to advance their own political power and finally they will stop talking about impeachment of a President whose number 1 “crime” (as opposed to his predecessor) is protecting this country and its people for its enemies. br> — Michael Tomlinson br> Crownsville, Maryland