UAE Port Deal: Trading Away Our Security

Today I called for a halt to trade negotiations with the United Arab Emirates at a news conference at the Cleveland Port Authority.

Recently, the Bush administration approved the takeover of six United States ports' security by Dubai Ports World, a state-owned company controlled by the United Arab Emirates.  

The Bush administration has been outsourcing jobs for five years, and now they want to outsource our national security.

Republicans and Democrats in Congress have joined together to strongly condemn the Bush administration for this risky deal.

Such an agreement with the UAE in particular should raise eyebrows:

The UAE was one only a few nations to recognize the Taliban as a legitimate government.

Two of the 9/11 hijackers were from the UAE.  It is also well documented that the UAE was used by terrorist operatives as a financial and travel hub.

The Congressional Research Service noted the UAE was named as a point of shipment for illegal nuclear components sold by Pakistan's nuclear scientist, Dr. Khan.  Two Dubai companies were apparently involved.

Bush's own State Department says Americans in UAE "should exercise a high level of security awareness."

This issue teaches us something many of us already know -- the Bush administration consistently chooses profits over people.

They cannot be counted on to notify Congress about secret dealings.  They cannot be counted on to protect our ports or railways.  They cannot be counted on to protect our people when negotiating trade agreements.

And as we all learned this week, they can't even be counted on to know what is going on within their own administration.

In a post 9/11 world, trade agreements are no longer just vehicles for economic development.  They are an integral part of national security and efforts to combat terrorism.

We must revamp U.S. trade policy to meet our homeland security demands to better secure our borders and protect our communities.  Trade agreements lower tariffs and open markets.  But they also open our ports, our infrastructure, and our transportation lines.

When we open our borders, the American people must know that we have done everything possible to protect them.

In addition to voicing your opinion in the comments here, you can get involved by writing me directly or by visiting my website www.sherrodbrown.com.

UPDATE: Sherrod will be on Lou Dobbs at 6 PM tonight on CNN to discuss the UAE port and trade deal.