Add this to the initial objections of Homeland Security and you see this deal is not as wonderful as some make it out to be.
Coast Guard Said It Couldn’t Assess Risk in Port Deal
Feb. 27 (Bloomberg) — The U.S. Coast Guard said questions about foreign influence, employees and operations made it impossible to assess the threat posed by a state-owned Dubai company’s purchase of a firm that manages some terminal operations at six U.S. seaports.
“There are many intelligence gaps concerning the potential” for assets owned by DP World or London-based Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Co. “to support terrorist operations,” says a December intelligence assessment by the Coast Guard that was released at a hearing today of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.
The document wasn’t given to an administration panel assessing the national security risks of the acquisition, but its concerns “were addressed and resolved,” Clay Lowery, an assistant secretary at the Treasury Department, said.
Committee Chairwoman Susan Collins was skeptical. “This report suggests there were significant and troubling intelligence gaps,” she told Lowery and Admiral Thomas Gilmour, an assistant commandant with the Coast Guard. “I don’t see how you were able to close those gaps so quickly,” she said. The administration panel approved the deal in January.
…
|
All the more reason why all of this needs to come under the control of private or government entities within the USA. So that they are fully subject to all US regulations and nobody has to check with people overseas for anything.
I am now of the opinion that all US points of entry should be fully run by entities within the USA. No matter if the point of entry is land, sea or air. I know making such a change at sea ports would take a very long time. But we certainly can start by not giving the UAE any port management duties.
