Random Topical Political/National Security-Related Query of the Day

February 21st, 2006 @ 4:20 PM Government & Politics

With the recent Port-Gate, stemming from the UAE-government’s proposed acquisition of ownership of port operations at 6 locations on the East Coast, my query:

Could this happen to Portland?

and;

What do you think?

You can begin your research here…

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2 Comments so far

ryan (unregistered) on February 21st, 2006 @ 4:52 pm

It could definitely happen in Portland, but I don’t see the big deal with foreign ownership. Various port operations are already controlled by foreign companies, and it seems wrong to exclude certain countries’ companies from ownership without a very good reason.

Whatever entity owns a port operation’s contract has a vested interest in the port’s security because they spent the billions of dollars get the contract. An attack that originates from the port means they lose the billions of dollars they spent. Additionally, they would be successfully sued for damages. If I were terrorist Bob, I’d try bribing the $50,000 year dock worker to get my plutonium through — not buy a whole port operation.
Rusty (unregistered) on February 21st, 2006 @ 5:02 pm

Indeed. Reminiscent of a discussion I heard on the local conservative radio station today.

Argument 1) Why jeopardize the investment? The people arranging for these deals do so for business, not idealistic, purposes.

Argument 2) Why would a tiny country like UAE choose to take the US on? If they did anything bad to us, we could turn them into glass at the push of a button.

Argument 3) Only the ownership of the operation would change. The actual staffing of the operation would likely remain largely, if not completely intact. Just a different corporation reaping the rewards.

Argument 4) To object to foreign ownership by this particular group is to exercise racism, or to give in to the very fear that Osama Bin Laden has sought to instill in us.

I’m not personally stating a position on any of these viewpoints right now. I’m still pondering them. I think there’s some over-simplification going on, but I’m less up-in-arms than I was this morning, for instance.

More insights?