Port Sale to UAE to close Thursday; 45-day review is window dressing

[npincus]

http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/02/27/ports.dubai/index.html

The B*sh Admin is allowing the port sale to DP world to proceed this Thursday, with the 45-day investigation to follow! Bill Frist has flipped like a pancake; now he is on board with this cosmetic "investigation". Isn't it obvious- once the sale closes it is a done deal. DP may "voluntarily" halt operations in the US but they will own the contract to operate our ports. Lou Dobbs said it would be very difficult to get out of the deal after the sale; it would require that the B*sh Admin take DP world (UAE government) to court. Fat chance of that EVER happening!

How in the world can we stop the sale from going forward? It looks like the Republicans have rolled over completely- it looks like DP's highly paid lobbyists have earned their keep. I am sure it will pay for buckets of Viagra for the Dole household; won't Senator Dole be thrilled!

How, how, how can this sale be stopped?

The deal initially was scheduled to close Thursday. DP World said it will proceed with the $6.85 billion acquisition as planned but will "voluntarily separate out the U.S. assets that would otherwise be part of the deal" to allow time for the review.

In addition to commitments previously made to the review committee, DP World has pledged its North American port operations will be "a completely separate business unit;" that it will not exercise control over the management of U.S. operations; and that the chief security officer for P&O's North American operations will remain a U.S. citizen unless the U.S. Coast Guard -- which oversees security at American ports -- agrees otherwise.

[LSparkle]

1. Even if DPW buys P&O's assets, can't the ports (or Congress) step in

and rescind the port leases in this country? I'd expect that the leases require approval of assignment to another party (?).

[spindrifter]

3. Yes, the lease operations

require approval. Which is what the 45-day delay is about. The recission of the leases is apparently not possible without a showing that DP-W engaged in fraud, which it did not.

[LSparkle]

6. Wow -- fraud is required?

I've seen documents that simply require approval if the other contracting party sells its interests. I'm surprised port leases don't contain tougher provisions about assignment.

[IsItJustMe]

2. Makes no sense what-so-ever. The deal will go throught and then a 45 day

review will occur.

Putting the hourse before the cart isn't?

All * has to do after the 45 days is say OK, and he already said that is exactly what he was going to do.

[katty]

4. the more they wait-the more nightmare revelations about the 'deal'

[leftchick]

5. tweety is clueless, has no idea this is the case

where Lou Dobbs pounded this home over and over in his show. Tweety is an asshat. :puke:

[SoCalDem]

7. I almost wish this had not come out until after the sale was complete

It's going through regardless, and it would have been more egregious to have found out afterwards..Finding out before it happens, but too close to change anything, juts give enough time to dress up the pig

[xiamiam]

8. insane...and so are we if we let this madness continue...nt