Great thread, Red!

This is not a defense of a very poorly handled issue. And this is not an excuse for our government to ignore or respond arrogantly to our concerns. This being said, Dubai World Ports has a pretty good track record in terms of management, and the assumption is that the shareholders of P&O did their homework before agreeing to the purchase...shipping is so internationalized as it is--and, only about 2% of containers arriving on our shores are even inspected. It is likely that terrorists would originate from an EU or Asian "friendly" port anyway. Regardless of who owns the port management company, the customs and security are still controlled by the US. No doubt there is a quid pro quo in that Dubai is seen as a moderate, friendly ally, and it is emerging as a new Hong Kong in many ways. I would argue that Dubai would would excercise extreme diligence in terms of security, as any slip-up on their part would basically shut them out of the business. i.e., I would be safer flying Israel's El Al anywhere in the world because of their security meausures. Keep in mind one of the biggest single shareholders of Citigroup is Saudi Prince Walid Ibn Talal. Have Saudi terrorists infiltrated our financial markets? No. Were some of the 9/11 hijackers of Saudi origin? Yes. http://service.spiegel.de/cache/inte...339427,00.html

I would submit that electronic terrorism is a far greater threat than a rudimentary bomb hidden in a container--which may or may not detonate. Here's an idea--let's allow Dubai World Ports to manage our border with Mexico...I'll bet the title to my X5 they would get things sorted out in about 90 days to the benefit of our security while providing economic opportunity for Mexicans who simply want to earn an honest living. (It's the Border, stupid)

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