A Letter From A Concerned American Senator...

I guess miracles do happen! I received this answer from an e-mail I sent to Senator Barbara Boxer concerning the UAE takeover of some of our largest shipping ports. I really do not need to restate my opposition to a takeover of some of our most important shipping ports by a Muslim country.

It is illegal for our federal government to be in competition with private enterprise so how can we allow a foreign government to do it, especially a government who has had ties with some of the terrorists of 9-11 and who allowed terrorists to funnel finances through that nation, the United Arab Emirates, to Al Quaida and other terrorists?

Enough said. Here's the letter.

Dear Jim:
Thank you for contacting me regarding foreign control of U.S. ports. I appreciate the opportunity to review your comments on this important issue, and I agree with you.

Dubai Ports World (DP World) is currently set to take over control of operations at some U.S. port facilities on March 2, 2006. DP World is owned by the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a nation that had ties to the September 11, 2001 attacks.

In this post-9/11 world, our ports remain major targets for terrorism. I believe that this deal will pose an unacceptable risk to the security of our ports and our nation. I am also disturbed that the Bush Administration conducted its review of DP World and the potential deal in secret, without briefing Congress.

That is why I strongly support the bipartisan effort in Congress to delay this deal until the administration thoroughly reevaluates the security risks and provides Congress with the details of its findings.

I am also co-sponsoring legislation that would ban any foreign government from controlling U.S. port operations. In addition, I wrote to the President to ask him to revisit his administration's approval of the deal, given the UAE's past and present connections to terrorists.

Rest assured, I will continue monitoring this situation, and I will keep working to protect the security of our nation's ports.

Again, thank you for writing to me. Please do not hesitate to contact me again about this or any other issue of concern to you. Barbara Boxer United States Senator Please visit my website at http://boxer.senate.gov

Later...