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Chertoff Goes Mum on PortgatePosted on Feb 21, 2006
By Blair Golson Homeland Security chief Michael Chertoff on the proposed deal to cede control of six U.S. ports to the United Arab Emirates: “The discussions are classified. I can’t get into the specifics here.” Truthdig doesn’t pretend to understand the ins and outs of port ownership logistics, but we are troubled by Think Progress’ revelation that a country linked with international terrorism is going to have dominion over 40% of the U.S. cargo bound for Iraq. Advertisement Elsewhere: . CommentsAre you a Truthdig member yet? Login now, or register with Truthdig. Add Your Comment
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By Alex, February 21, 2006 at 10:45 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)
¨...a country linked with international terrorism is going to have dominion over 40% of the U.S. cargo bound for Iraq. ¨
What exactly does that mean?
1. That the Emir and government of UAE has used it´s budget to finance terrorist organizations as standing government policy?
2. That the country and the populace as a whole is guilty of sponsoring terrorists?
3. Or, perhaps more likely, that INDIVIDUALS with an UAE passport have been known to support terrorist organizations?
This is an alarmist way to state things that only serves to scare people and polarize the discussion in directions that do not contribute to clarifying anything.
Leaving it at having LINKS with terrorist organization is so misleading and ambigious as to make it worthless as a piece of information. A link can be anything from meeting informally to discuss something (as in covert and back door diplomacy) all the way to openly supporting that group´s activities. With this way of stating ¨facts¨even the US is guilty of having ¨links¨with terrorists.
Be careful that in your crusade to dig up the truth, you don´t end up committing the same sin as those you criticize: contributing to the lack of understanding, tolerance and common sense prevalent in world affairs today.
Report thisBy Eleanore Kjellberg, February 21, 2006 at 9:22 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)
WE LOVE YOU; WE LOVE YOU NOT
After 9/11 there was no shortage of disparaging words and comments against our enemies in the Middle Eastwe were told they were the axis of evil; all governments unequivocally had to support the U.S. policy—either you are with us or against us; and if you thought otherwise your patriotism was questionable. This vilification lead to the WMD story and the subsequent invasion of Iraqthe long war against terrorism. The Bush administration coined the phrase ISLAMOFACISM.
Profiling of Semitic looking men and women subsequently lead to demanding random security checks; extra searches and body scans which are being done at airports across the U.S., presumably to deter a new round of terrorist attacks. On each flight, a handful of passengers are pulled aside and given additional scrutiny this is all condoned by our government as necessary to prevent terrorism.
Armed government agents rounded up thousands of men who had no connection with the 9/11 attacks. The men were taken from their jobs or businesses or rousted from their homes in the middle of the night. Their families, friends, and neighbors often didn’t know why the men had been taken away or where they were being held—like those “disappeared” by U.S.-backed regimes in Chile, El Salvador, and elsewhere. They were subjected to abuse and degradation while in custody. At least one man—Rafiq Butt, an immigrant from Pakistan—died in detention.
Government officials from Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld and Gonzales are relentless in rooting out terrorists. The government claims that any arrested men are suspected of being active or potential terrorists. But not a single person arrested in the post-9/11 sweeps was ever charged with any actions remotely connected to the 9/11 attacks.
This ferocious onslaught is what allowed the heartless, vicious, and continuous torture of captives in the rendition program; Abu Ghraib and Gitmo.
The American public is repeatedly inundated with propaganda from MSM and the White House telling them why they need to fear the threat of ISLAMOFACISM0anything to keep the war machines going. And now we can REALLY SEE what BS the WHITE HOUSE WEAVES. Suddenly the public is accused of being racist by profiling certain Middle Eastern groups if we object to our major ports being controlled by Dubai.
IT WORKS LIKE THISOUR GOVERNMENT NEEDS THE WORKING-CLASS AND THE POOR TO FIGHT THEIR WARS AND SECURE IRAQS OILBUT BEHIND THE SCENES THE GLOBAL ELITES LIKE BUSH, CHENEY AND THEIR SAUDI FRIENDS ARE ALL KISSEY, KISSEY WHEN IT COMES TO COUNTING THEIR BLOOD DRENCHED SHEKELS!
Report thisBy J. Thomas Duffy, February 21, 2006 at 1:49 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)
Blair
As you well know, this administration doesn’t easily admit mistakes - if even acknowledging them at all ...
Here’s my riff today, on The Garlic: All The Cloves Fit To Peel
Bush, To Stymie Port Critics, May Send Cheney Out For Second Shooting Admission
Split In White House Wants VP Kept On Front Burner; Leak Says President Let Miers Pick Dubai Company
http://puregarlic.blogspot.com/2006/02/new-strategy-for-victory-on-port.html
Peace
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