Dubai deal had Coast Guard at sea - pol



BY KENNETH R. BAZINET and MICHAEL McAULIFF
DAILY NEWS WASHINGTON BUREAU

WASHINGTON - The Coast Guard feared it didn't have enough intel to
decide whether Dubai's purchase of U.S. port operations posed a
terrorist threat to the nation, a Republican senator revealed
yesterday.
"There are many intelligence gaps, concerning the potential for DPW
[Dubai Ports World] or P&O [Peninsular and Oriental] assets to support
terrorist operations, that precludes an overall threat assessment,"
says a Coast Guard memo released by Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine).

Collins revealed the contents of the declassified memo at a Senate
homeland security hearing as the White House hinted it could kill any
legislation aimed at stopping Dubai Ports World from buying facilities
now run by England's P&O ports.

The Coast Guard last night said the document Collins cited was written
early in its initial review and does not reflect the final, classified
analysis.

"This transaction, when taking into account strong security assurances
by DP World, does not compromise U.S. security," a Coast Guard
spokesman, Commander Jeff Carter, said in a statement.

After Collins made her disclosure yesterday, the Coast Guard gave her
and other senators a briefing behind closed doors on its classified
report. But when Collins emerged, she wasn't satisfied by what she
heard.

"I am more convinced than ever that the process was truly flawed," said
Collins.

Rep. Pete King (R-L.I.), her counterpart on the House Homeland Security
Committee, scoffed at the White House's new probe of the port deal.
"They seem to be interpreting 'investigation' as an opportunity to
educate us," he said. "It's a very condescending position."

The latest developments came as the White House showed signs of getting
on top of the furor over the deal, with DP World's agreement over the
weekend to a retroactive 45-day investigation of its purchase.

That news prompted Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) to
soften his stance on the deal after first threatening to deep-six it
with legislation. The White House believes that threat is all but dead.

"Sen. Frist has said that he will ask the Senate to hold off on
legislation," said White House spokesman Scott McClellan.

A source confirmed the administration believes Frist will stop any
bills from coming to a vote, such as a bipartisan measure introduced
yesterday by Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.).

Yeah, I just heard this last night. My question is why did Bush lie about it
when he said everyone was aboard with the plan? Or, was he misinformed,
dumb, or making things up... it just makes no sense. Even Rove would know
that this would come out quickly.

--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com

"Joe" wrote in message
oups.com...

Dubai deal had Coast Guard at sea - pol



BY KENNETH R. BAZINET and MICHAEL McAULIFF
DAILY NEWS WASHINGTON BUREAU

WASHINGTON - The Coast Guard feared it didn't have enough intel to
decide whether Dubai's purchase of U.S. port operations posed a
terrorist threat to the nation, a Republican senator revealed
yesterday.
"There are many intelligence gaps, concerning the potential for DPW
[Dubai Ports World] or P&O [Peninsular and Oriental] assets to support
terrorist operations, that precludes an overall threat assessment,"
says a Coast Guard memo released by Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine).

Collins revealed the contents of the declassified memo at a Senate
homeland security hearing as the White House hinted it could kill any
legislation aimed at stopping Dubai Ports World from buying facilities
now run by England's P&O ports.

The Coast Guard last night said the document Collins cited was written
early in its initial review and does not reflect the final, classified
analysis.

"This transaction, when taking into account strong security assurances
by DP World, does not compromise U.S. security," a Coast Guard
spokesman, Commander Jeff Carter, said in a statement.

After Collins made her disclosure yesterday, the Coast Guard gave her
and other senators a briefing behind closed doors on its classified
report. But when Collins emerged, she wasn't satisfied by what she
heard.

"I am more convinced than ever that the process was truly flawed," said
Collins.

Rep. Pete King (R-L.I.), her counterpart on the House Homeland Security
Committee, scoffed at the White House's new probe of the port deal.
"They seem to be interpreting 'investigation' as an opportunity to
educate us," he said. "It's a very condescending position."

The latest developments came as the White House showed signs of getting
on top of the furor over the deal, with DP World's agreement over the
weekend to a retroactive 45-day investigation of its purchase.

That news prompted Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) to
soften his stance on the deal after first threatening to deep-six it
with legislation. The White House believes that threat is all but dead.

"Sen. Frist has said that he will ask the Senate to hold off on
legislation," said White House spokesman Scott McClellan.

A source confirmed the administration believes Frist will stop any
bills from coming to a vote, such as a bipartisan measure introduced
yesterday by Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.).

"Capt. JG" wrote in message
...
Yeah, I just heard this last night. My question is why did Bush lie about
it when he said everyone was aboard with the plan? Or, was he misinformed,
dumb, or making things up... it just makes no sense. Even Rove would know
that this would come out quickly.

--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com

Arrogance. Rove is probably the most arrogant of the bunch.

John Cairns

"Capt. JG" wrote
...... My question is why did Bush lie about it .....

Politicians react differently than other people. If I ask -say- your age, your
first response is likely the truth. That's so common that police and courts put
more faith in it (Raes Gestae (sp?) evidence) than other testimony. With
sociopaths like Bush just the opposite is true - their first instinct is to lie.
Oddly, we all know this yet our own tendency toward honesty misleads us into
believing them. Think about it. Given the man's track record of whoppers why
do we expect anything but lies?

"Capt. JG" wrote
...... My question is why did Bush lie about it .....


Vito wrote:
Politicians react differently than other people. If I ask -say- your age, your
first response is likely the truth. That's so common that police and courts put
more faith in it (Raes Gestae (sp?) evidence) than other testimony. With
sociopaths like Bush just the opposite is true - their first instinct is to lie.

I disagree strongly. I don't think President Bush lies
deliberately at all. It's more like what you get if you ask
a precocious 5 year old to solve a calculus equation.

One key point is that Bush *believes* what he's saying. I'm
sure he honestly did think that Saddam's WMD's were the
biggest threat to America. He is at the mercy of his
advisors & what they tell him.

I'm equally sure that he thought his energy policy from 2000
to 2005 was the best thing for America, and sees no
contradiction at all with his statements on energy policy
for 2006 (which sounded like an Al Gore speech from 1999).



Oddly, we all know this yet our own tendency toward honesty misleads us into
believing them. Think about it. Given the man's track record of whoppers why
do we expect anything but lies?


It's not the first time we have had a President who was
largely a figurehead. It's not the first time we have had a
President who was a figurehead for rapacious profiteers.
However, it is the first time (that I know of) we have been
in such a position politically, economically, militarily,
all at once. Bad luck?

DSK

DSK wrote:
It's not the first time we have had a President who was
largely a figurehead. It's not the first time we have had a
President who was a figurehead for rapacious profiteers.

Yeah, but certainly not since WWII and probably not since the 19th
century. I don't think Harding was this bad.

However, it is the first time (that I know of) we have been
in such a position politically, economically, militarily,
all at once. Bad luck?

Criminal negligance on the part of the Silent, Boomer, and post Boomer
generations, namely most of the people born from 1925 to the early
80's. Never have there been so many Americans with their collective
heads up their collective asses.

My Silent generation parents have done what they do best, remaining
silent. My Dad said point blank that he didn't want to know what was
going on. Doesn't prevent them from stating the most idiot ignorance
based opinions possible. Boomers have been incredibly narrowly focused
on their own pet issues to the exclusion of all else, particularly the
right wing 'christians' and their dream of an American theocracy. Post
boomers have done what the Lost generation and all other previous post
Boomer-type generations have done: concentrate on surviving day to day
and trying not to think about the future.

"DSK" wrote
I disagree strongly. I don't think President Bush lies
deliberately at all. .....
One key point is that Bush *believes* what he's saying.....

Our positions are not necessarily mutualy exclusive. I've had the misfortune to
know a couple people like Bush personally. Again, if one asks most people a
simple question they will instinctively tell the truth unless that truth
threatens them. You or I could easily claim to have 120 ft crewed yachts
instead of my old catalina or your trawler but we do not. Some might argue that
our parents crippled us by instilling an instinctive honesty.

Pathological liars do not share that liability - the give answers they believe
best suit their own interests. It may even be true, or partly true, sometimes.
Then they convince themselves it is true, eventually loosing track of what is
real and what is not.

As you say, Bush could pass a lie detector test claiming that Saddam had WMDs he
was about to share with bin Ladin. That's what makes them different than garden
variety liars (Like Clinton and his BJ) and also so dangerous.

Vito wrote:


Pathological liars do not share that liability - the give answers they believe
best suit their own interests. It may even be true, or partly true, sometimes.
Then they convince themselves it is true, eventually loosing track of what is
real and what is not.


You talking about GW or Bubbles?

Cheers
Marty