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Love the oil, hate the ships<\/div>\n

<\/p><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n

The hysteria regarding the proposed acquisition (now delayed<\/a>, but still moving forward<\/a>) by Dubai Ports World (DPW) of fabled British-based port operator P&O is notable for the lack of facts<\/a> behind it. The deal has turned US politics on its head \u2013 conservatives<\/a> who formerly pleaded with us to \u201ctrust the President\u201d have turned<\/a> on him, and liberals are dabbling<\/a> in racial fearmongering that would be alarming if applied to other groups. Is the furor really about security? Well, not really. Full responsibility for security at US ports and of the cargo that arrives is \u2013 and will continue to be \u2013 under the jursidiction of the Department of Homeland Security. As bad as the security situation is, it was just as bad<\/a> the day before the ports deal was announced. \u201cMuch more needs to be done,\u201d said<\/a> Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) in a statement on the ports. \u201cThis includes increasing inspections of containers, improving intelligence, providing federal funding based on risk, and bolstering the physical security of our ports.\u201d While true, these factors have little to do with the ownership of the port operator. \u201cThe terminal operators do not run security,\u201d explained<\/a> the head of Philadelphia\u2019s port. \u201cThat is managed by a combination of the U.S. Coast Guard, Homeland Security, and Customer and Border Protection\u201d (limiting terrorist infiltrators at DPW to attempts at sneaking bombs onto consolidated balance sheets). So is it about foreign involvement in US port operations? Again, not really. Nearly 80% of US ports are managed by foreign companies, who proved long ago<\/a> that they can manage ports more efficiently \u2013 and profitably \u2013 than their US counterparts. Nobody seemed to mind before, and \u2013 more importantly \u2013 foreign management of ports was never considered an obstacle to improving our port security. Probing further still yields few clues<\/a> (and evidence) for the vehement opposition. For all the protests \u2013 Democrat and Republican, congressional and local \u2013 there is very little explanation of how the DPW deal actually impacts port security. Part of this is due to ignorance<\/a> of the complexities of global trade and its multi-layered jurisdictions, which is why some are simply calling for an extended review. Some opponents trot out a dubious rationale<\/a> \u2013 DPW\u2019s state-owned status, the UAE\u2019s former recognition of the Taliban government in Afghanistan, and that terrorist funding has passed<\/a> through Dubai banks. But when pushed further for an explanation of exactly how<\/i> the deal makes us less safe, more vociferous opponents mince no words. \u201cIn regards to selling American ports to the United Arab Emirates,\u201d says<\/a> (former) Bush supporter and congresswoman Sue Myrick, \u201cnot just no, but HELL NO!\u201d One of the benchmarks of the Bush administration is \u201cfree trade fundamentalism\u201d (the US and UAE are on the verge of signing a free trade agreement<\/a>), and if there\u2019s one thing we\u2019ve learned about George W. Bush over the past five years, it\u2019s that he\u2019s one of the most stubborn political leaders of the last few decades \u2013 which means that the homefront battle on this issue has only just begun.<\/p>\n

<\/i><\/p>\n

Shahed Amanullah is editor-in-chief of altmuslim.com.\n<\/p>\n

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