home

Coast Guard Warned Bush Administration of UAE Port Security Gaps

By Jeralyn, Section War on Terror
Posted on Mon Feb 27, 2006 at 01:37:27 PM EST
Tags: (all tags)
Share This: Digg! StumbleUpon del.icio.us reddit reddit

At a senate committee hearing today, it was disclosed that the Coast Guard had provided earlier warnings on gaps in intelligence with respect to port security and the UAE:

Citing broad gaps in U.S. intelligence, the Coast Guard cautioned the Bush administration that it was unable to determine whether a United Arab Emirates-owned company might support terrorist operations, a Senate panel said Monday. The surprise disclosure came during a hearing on Dubai-owned DP World's plans to take over significant operations at six leading U.S. ports.

``There are many intelligence gaps, concerning the potential for DPW or P&O assets to support terrorist operations, that precludes an overall threat assessment of the potential'' merger,'' an undated Coast Guard intelligence assessment says. `The breadth of the intelligence gaps also infer potential unknown threats against a large number of potential vulnerabilities,'' the document says.

My earlier post on security doubts regarding the UAE is here.

Update: This AP article says the Coast Guard claims were addressed:

The Coast Guard said the concerns reflected in the document ultimately were addressed. In a statement, the Coast Guard said other U.S. intelligence agencies were able to provide answers to the questions it raised.

"The Coast Guard, the intelligence community and the entire CFIUS (Committee on Foreign Investments in the United States) panel believed this transaction received the proper review, and national security concerns were, in fact, addressed," the Coast Guard said.

< Poll: 36% Believe Terrorists Winning Terror War | Libby Judge Issues Orders on Journalists and Document Disclosure >

  • The Online Magazine with Liberal coverage of crime-related political and injustice news

  • Contribute To TalkLeft


    • Display: Sort:
    Coast Guard Warned Bush Administration of UAE Port Security Gaps | 2 comments (2 topical)
    Re: Coast Guard Warned Bush Administration of UAE (none / 0) (#1)
    by Punchy on Mon Feb 27, 2006 at 02:10:17 PM EST
    According to Bill O'Liely, if we don't let this deal go through, we're aiding the terrorists (you deconstruct the logic; I cannot). So then I ask: why is our Coast Guard aiding the terrorists? Why do the Merchant Marines hate America? Just a bunch of silly damn liberals, right?

    Re: Coast Guard Warned Bush Administration of UAE (none / 0) (#2)
    by desertswine on Mon Feb 27, 2006 at 02:46:04 PM EST
    Citing broad gaps in U.S. intelligence, the Coast Guard cautioned the Bush administration that it was unable to determine whether a United Arab Emirates-owned company might support terrorist operations...
    Who cares, when there's huge money to be made by Bush's business cronies? Maybe some of it will even get kicked back in the right direction.

    Coast Guard Warned Bush Administration of UAE Port Security Gaps | 2 comments (2 topical)