The real story behind the Dubai port...

rubberneck · 07-20-2007, 09:03

deal. It really warms my heart to know that members of both parties hurt our national security interests in order to grandstand for cheap political points.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/apps/...plate=nextpage

Quote:

CIA sabotage

Former Inside the Ring co-author Rowan Scarborough has written a new book revealing a key reason the Bush administration pressed hard for the 2006 deal for the United Arab Emirates-based Dubai Ports World to take over management of several U.S. ports.

According to Mr. Scarborough, the administration wanted the deal to go through because the UAE government had agreed to let the United States post agents inside its global port network who could report on world shipping.

Dubai Ports currently runs port facilities at key U.S. intelligence targets, including Venezuela, China, Pakistan, India and Saudi Arabia.

"Dubai Ports, in essence, was going to become an agent of CIA," Mr. Scarborough said in an interview. "The arrangement is helping us detect whether any kind of terror contraband was being moved around."

The management deal to run ports at New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Baltimore, New Orleans and Miami was initially approved by the Treasury Department-run Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, but was eventually scuttled in 2006 after pressure from Congress. Both Republicans and Democrats raised concerns that the deal would affect U.S. port security since al Qaeda had used UAE as a major financial base for its terrorist network.

The book, "Sabotage: America's Enemies Within the CIA," highlights the battle between the agency and the Pentagon over Saddam Hussein's support for terrorism, and how CIA careerists subverted CIA Director Porter J. Goss' efforts to transform the CIA. It is also critical of CIA intelligence support for the Iraq war, and reports that Justice Department officials think the CIA itself leaked that they had referred the press exposure of CIA officer Valerie Plame to Justice, which triggered the administration's biggest political crisis.

**The Reaper** · 07-20-2007, 10:20

This is an unbelievable leak.

Who knows who will get burned by this story, and we will certainly never have the opportunity to do this again.

Scarborough is a scumbag.

TR

Surgicalcric · 07-20-2007, 10:33

Whoever leaked this should be shot for treason!

rubberneck · 07-20-2007, 10:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Reaper

Who knows who will get burned by this story, and we will certainly never have the opportunity to do this again.

TR

I know I wouldn't want to be in Dubai Ports World shoes when the officials in Venezuela, China, Pakistan, India and Saudi Arabia demand some answers. I also wouldn't want to be in the US ambassador to the UAE's shoes either. It is a bloody mess all because someone wanted a couple of minutes of fame and a reporter who couldn't give a rats rear end about the impact of disclosing such intel.

Black Knight · 07-20-2007, 16:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by rubberneck

It is a bloody mess all because someone wanted a couple of minutes of fame and a reporter who couldn't give a rats rear end about the impact of disclosing such intel.

The price of one's country comes cheap these days. It amazes me how people will screw the country just to get back at the President. I'm sure Micheal Moore is planning the movie rights as we speak. All for partisan politics.

Shameful

Monsoon65 · 07-20-2007, 16:30

I love shit like this. The press will keep the ending of the Harry Potter story secret, but they love to run out and tell everyone about anything secret they might find out about the government. "Freedom of speech" and "The people have a right to know".

**The Reaper** · 07-20-2007, 16:40

The Constitution is being used as justification for the destruction of our ability to collect and utilize intel.

When this country eventually falls, the media will be among the very first to learn seriously painful lessons.

Sharia law will be particularly unforgiving to them.

TR

rubberneck · 07-20-2007, 16:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by Monsoon65

I love shit like this. The press will keep the ending of the Harry Potter story secret, but they love to run out and tell everyone about anything secret they might find out about the government. "Freedom of speech" and "The people have a right to know".

They fear a lawsuit from Scholastic, the publisher of the Harry Potter books, more than they fear the government. Considering that people leak classified info all the time and no one ever gets punished the media has nothing to fear. Start throwing the reporters and leakers in jail and it will come to an end. Yet another area where the current administration has really let down those that supported them.

nmap · 07-20-2007, 19:23

So, I suppose this will make it more problematic to create such arrangements in future - the perceived risk of disclosure would be too great.

As matters around the world become more unstable, that can't be good.

smp52 · 07-20-2007, 20:27

So, a country helps us out - despite our best intentions citizens of the USA screw them. When we use tactics and strategies, which play into the unconventional, someone takes a steaming dump on all those efforts in the name of 'media disclosure'.

When we take a conventional approach, everybody and their mother lines up against us because we're being a bully. The people actively under cutting the United States (domestic and foreign) are having a field day with us.

It's hard to build any alliance on any level if people in government can't stay focused on the thing that matters: Our nation, it's people, and making sure we WIN before they open their mouths as 'an anonymous source'.

Sigh.

hoot72 · 07-21-2007, 23:49

I believe they have also just pulled out from Port Klang, the main port for Malaysia for no apparent reason over the last two days. I wonder if this was due to government pressure after the leak and article.

It was announced by the Malaysian Port Authority in the media two days ago...