Should the United Arab Emirates Operate U.S. Ports?

George Bush wants to let Dubai World Ports - a company owned by the government of the United Arab Emirates - take control of 6 of the largest ports in the U.S.: New York, New Jersey, Baltimore, New Orleans, Miami and Philadelphia. Shipping ports are already the most vulnerable part of our Homeland Security, since 95% of imported goods come by ship. Yet only 5% of cargo containers - which could easily hide WMD's - are physically inspected. And the United Arab Emirates has some of the most dangerous ties to terrorism, according to seven U.S. Senators: - The UAE was one of three countries in the world to recognize the Taliban as the legitimate government of Afghanistan. - The UAE has been a key transfer point for illegal shipments of nuclear components to Iran, North Korea and Lybia. - According to the FBI, money was transferred to the 9/11 hijackers through the UAE banking system. - Two of the 9/11 hijackers were from the UAE (Fayez Banihammad and Marwan al-Shehhi) - After 9/11, the Treasury Department reported that the UAE was not cooperating in efforts to track down Osama Bin Laden’s bank accounts. The $6.8 billion deal was approved by Alberto Gonzales, Condi Rice, Donald Rumsfeld, John Snow, and Michael Chertoff. Rice said there had been a "thorough review" of the sale. "It's the considered opinion of the U.S. government that this can go forward," she said. Do you trust the government of the United Arab Emirates to operate six of America's largest ports?