My gut tells me that the next 9/11 may have been prevented

[burythehatchet]

The ports deal is certainly not a run-of-the-mill busines transaction. Given the sensitivity of port security, and with the obvious political implications, this was a calculated step by the BFEE.

My view is that this deal was a step that the BFEE took in preparation for the next attack they perpetrate on America. With the entire Repub establishment in a tailspin, elections coming up, the possibility of a shift in power, it really is the perfect time for them to play their ace - domestic terrorism. Also, a mini nuke coming in through a container at a port is the ideal opportunity to declare military control, cancel elections, etc.

Ther is NO WAY that Bush didn't know about this deal. How the hell could he not? This think was engineered by the same people who gave you 9/11. Before 9/11 there were many, many operational steps that were put in place. In hindsight, we see that those steps were intended to facilitate the attacks. This deal, in my opinion, is analagous to the 9/11 preparations.

The whole thing stinks, things that they are saying now just don't add up.

[lovuian]

1. Interesting and I agree stinks

:nuke:

[file83]

2. I don't understand what you mean...

You're post title says that you think the next 9/11 may have been prevented, but your post body gives the impression that you think they are trying to set up the next 9/11. The confusion is mine, I'm sure, but which way do you think this deal is heading towards, another 9/11 or preventing another 9/11?

I think the thing that stinks the most about the last few weeks is:

1) Muslim cartoon issue
2) UAE port deal
3) Mosque in Bagdhad gets bombed

Somebody is working overtime behind the scenes. Do you smell CIA manipulation, or what? Where is this all headed?

[burythehatchet]

3. What I mean is that they did not want the deal

to come into the light of day.

[file83]

6. Ahaa, Now I see what you are saying. You might be right! n/t

[neweurope]

4. Where is it headed? WW III.

Loss of civil rights everywhere. Rapidly growing numbers of poor, everywhere. I have never been so deeply worried in all of my 52 years.

----------------

Remember Fallujah

Bush to The Hague!

[regnaD kciN]

5. They wouldn't need this deal to pull that off...

Guess what, one of the sections of the port in Seattle is managed (in exactly the same way the UAE company would be managing the ports in this deal -- mainly by collecting the profits as opposed to hands-on operation) by a Malaysian corporation...which is, after all, based in a heavily-Muslim nation.

And I'd be amazed if portions of at least some other ports here in the U.S. aren't owned by companies based in places like Indonesia or Pakistan.

If any company from a Muslim country (even a secular Muslim country like the UAE) is automatically assumed likely to be running U.S. port operations as a means to conduct terrorism rather than the far-more-normal goal of making a ton of money, then this deal is quite irrelevant. They've got what they need already.

(But, of course, this whole discussion is more a reflection of the usual "all Ay-rabs are evil" mentality that seems to have even permeated this site. :eyes: )

[file83]

8. I think what is happening is that MOST people were never aware

that these ports are/have been owned by foreign corporations.

This situation is unique, but why? Why is the American public concerned this time?

It's because:

1) The deal was done in secret.
2) The deal was done with NOT just a foreign company, but a foreign company OWNED by the UAE.
3) The government of UAE has a long history of many complicated ties with terrorism/ists.

So, that's the difference. And it is highlighting this Port issue that most American people haven't chimed in on before. Now that they are involved in the discussion - the ENTIRE CONCEPT of having foreign companies running these ports is coming into question. Not just Arab countries. The reason it's a bad idea is that what if our relations with country X that owns Ports A,B,C goes horribly bad and even becomes our enemy?

Foreign investments in US Business I'm all for - but not in the basic infrastructure of our national logistics operations. It's bad policy. This isn't racism. This is common sense.

[Mythsaje]

10. That's quite a charge to make...

I think people are more concerned by the political record of the UAE than by the fact that they're Arabs. Most folks here seem to oppose ANYONE controlling our ports other than ourselves. The UAE history just makes them more adamant about it.

[Minnesota Libra]

7. Don't claim victory just yet......

.....because anything can still happen. I read an article - and of course I can find it right now - that claimed this port deal was/is a prelude to war with Iran. At least one country threatened to shut down area waterways and bomb any ship going into the area if we attacked Iran. So the only other way to carry on a war with Iran would be from the air and that's where UAE comes in. So the story goes, UAE would let us use their air space and in return they run our ports. Make sense now??

Oh and the plot thickens too. The whole agreement has got to be in place by sometime in March because that's when Iran is supposed to switch from using the dollar to using the euro. BTW, Saddam threatened to do the same thing and his too was in the process of being put in place. See where threatening the euro gets these countries with the US.

If I find the link to that article I will come back and post it.

UPDATE UPDATE
There are two articles listed here

The article I spoke of;

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-sirota/truth-about-uae-port-secu_b_16133.html

The more you read about the UAE port security scandal, the more it becomes patently obvious this is about far more than just one deal with one company or one country. The harsh reaction from the Bush administration to the proposal to rescind the deal should be a red flag. This administration is unquestionably the most corporate-controlled administration in recent history, meaning its reactions are usually tied directly to the reactions of Corporate America. And the fact that the White House is ignoring its own security experts and reacting so negatively to Congress’s opposition to the deal means this cuts to the much deeper issue of global trade policy – an issue that trumps all others for Big Money interests, even post-9/11 security.


Arab Co., White House Had Secret Agreement

http://www.breitbart.com/news/2006/02/22/D8FUHNM00.html

[AntiFascist]

9. Please do.... and welcome to DU!

This theory is starting to make a lot of sense!

[nonconformist]

11. Welcome to DU! I too would love to read that article. nt

[AntiFascist]

12. So, trying to connect some dots...

President Bush knew nothing of this deal until the debate started, but Condoleeza Rice has been in Saudi Arabia (presumably negotiating something) and knew that the agreement had been thoroughly vetted.

Under the deal, the government asked Dubai Ports to operate American seaports with existing U.S. managers "to the extent possible." It promised to take "all reasonable steps" to assist the Homeland Security Department, and it pledged to continue participating in security programs to stop smuggling and detect illegal shipments of nuclear materials.

So reading between the lines maybe she is negotiating this deal in order to try and prevent further smuggling of nuclear materials into Iran. But wait, there's also this:

The administration did not require Dubai Ports to keep copies of business records on U.S. soil, where they would be subject to court orders. It also did not require the company to designate an American citizen to accommodate U.S. government requests. Outside legal experts said such obligations are routinely attached to U.S. approvals of foreign sales in other industries.

Somehow, this sets off my anger response. Wasn't Rice possibly involved in the chain of command that might have been responsible for the forged documents leading to war in Iraq? Wasn't Rice one of the senior officials who may have looked the other way prior to 9/11, stating that "no one could have conceived of airplanes being used as bombs" or something to that effect?

[Minnesota Libra]

14. AntiFascist - Are you getting the feeling yet.........

....that everyone in this administration is intertwined with the goings on of the others? Are you also getting the feeling yet that if Bush didn't know about this it was ONLY because he didn't want to know?? Just don't believe the claim Bush didn't know - he knew full well what was going on. He may have purposely not known every detail but he knew basically what was happening and when.

[AntiFascist]

21. I've had that feeling for a long time...

the Administration seems to plan out its negligence while turning a blind eye to its business partners. Here is a breakdown of the intelligence failures surrounding 9/11:

http://www.cbc.ca/fifth/conspiracytheories/intelligence.html

TURNING A BLIND EYE
A third view, explored by the fifth estate, suggests something different altogether: that the evidence pointing to a pending attack was not pursued vigorously (consciously or unconsciously) simply because much of it led back to Saudi Arabia. And that Saudi Arabia holds a special place in the U.S. political, business and intelligence milieu. It's a country that is not held to the same standards of accountability as are other nations. The reason, of course, is America’s enormous dependence on Saudi Arabia for oil. Remember: 15 of the 19 hijackers were Saudi citizens.

[hopeisaplace]

15. that was informative, thanks

[burythehatchet]

13. Does anyone know how the story actually came to light?

[mattclearing]

16. I need a t-shirt of your sig. n/t

[burythehatchet]

17. heh heh...thanks

I wish I was in the t-shirt biz.:)

[mattclearing]

18. Just make a .jpg and go to www.cafepress.com

I will be your first customer.

[burythehatchet]

19. Very cool. I'll do it today!

[mattclearing]

20. PM me the link when you're done.

:)

[FreedomAngel82]

22. It does make you wonder and also

now is the perfect time before the midterms as well. How did this information get through they were doing this? Sometimes I still do wonder if this is for real or what though. :shrug: But UAE would have known when we send out military equipment and all their ties to BinLadin and AlQuadea. I hope nothing will happen.

[Rainscents]

23. I bet, GOP will stick the PORT deal in the one of the bill that has

6,000 pages, hoping that, nobody will catch it. Just like what they try to do with ANWAR. These basters will try anything to get what they want! I will not sleep well until they're fucking out of the office!