Mom's already trying to welch on the bet. Now she's claiming the deal has to go through, I just said that the Republicans would cave in to WH pressure and change their tune. And that's exactly what they are doing.
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Republicans in Congress are crafting a solution under which the controversial deal allowing a state-owned Arab company to run some terminals at six U.S. ports could move forward.
The agreement would first have to pass a 45-day investigation focusing on the national security implications of the deal, several sources linked to the talks said.
Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist of Tennessee is encouraging DP World to ask a government review panel to kick-start the investigations, which is the best way to convince lawmakers the transaction won't jeopardize national security, a Frist aide said.
Frist's originally stance left a bit of wiggle room, and now he's wiggling pretty good.
BTW, this involves more than just "six ports".
The deal has been stalled amid bipartisan concerns over security. But if it goes through, DP World will operate 11 of the 43 terminals in the six ports: two of 14 in Baltimore, Maryland; one of five in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; one of three in Miami, Florida; two of five in New Orleans, Louisiana; four of 12 in Houston, Texas; and one of four in Newark, New Jersey, according to the Department of Homeland Security news release.
P&O also has service operations in 17 other cities, including New York, according to its Web site, which refers to the company as "the largest independent stevedore and terminal operator on the U.S. East and Gulf coasts with operations in most ports from Maine to Texas."
According to a dispatcher at the Dix-Fairway terminal in Corpus Christi, Texas -- one of the cities where P&O operates -- such services include container repair, cargo storage and stevedoring, which is the loading and unloading of cargo.
Here's a disturbing little passage the Kos kids found-
Port facility operators have a major security responsibility, and one that could be exploited by terrorists if they infiltrate the company, said Joe Muldoon III. Muldoon is an attorney representing Eller & Co., a port facility operator in Florida partnered with M&O in Miami. Eller opposes the Dubai takeover for security reasons.
"The Coast Guard oversees security, and they have the authority to inspect containers if they want and they can look at manifests, but they are really dependent on facility operators to carry out security issues," Muldoon said.
The Marine Transportation Security Act of 2002 requires vessels and port facilities to conduct vulnerability assessments and develop security plans including passenger, vehicle and baggage screening procedures; security patrols; establishing restricted areas; personnel identification procedures; access control measures; and/or installation of surveillance equipment.
Under the same law, port facility operators may have access to Coast Guard security incident response plans -- that is, they would know how the Coast Guard plans to counter and respond to terrorist attacks.
Funny thing is- only a small percentage of containers are searched anyway right now. I don't know why we are all running around screaming about this- there is stuff coming in by the boxcar loads that is not getting checked. Does it really make a difference who runs the joint?
The security of port terminal operations is a key concern. More than 7 million cargo containers come through 361 American ports annually, half of the containers through New York-New Jersey, Los Angeles and Long Beach, Calif. Only a small percentage are physically searched and just 37 percent currently screened for radiation, an indication of an attempt to smuggle in nuclear material that could be used for a "dirty bomb."
There ya go. Under half are screened for radiation.
If you think Bush is "keeping us safe" now, before this port deal, I've got a bridge in northern Michigan I'd like to offer you.
But I'm more than happy to watch the GOP hoist itself on it's own petard. The first step to changing all of this is getting these bastards out of power, and this deal, should it go through on the GOP's insistence, might be the straw that finally breaks the camel's back.