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Delay possible on ports, Dems want probe
(AP)
Updated: 2006-02-24 08:54
Nonetheless, Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid of Nevada sought quick
action on legislation relating to the deal when Congress returns to Washington
next week.
In a letter to Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., Reid said the
administration's handling of the deal "could not be more flawed." Reid said he
was alarmed at the failure of the administration to "exercise the full statutory
authority to conduct a complete investigation into the potential national
security implications of this deal."
Also Thursday, administration officials said that weeks before Dubai Ports
World sought U.S. approval for the deal, the UAE contributed $100 million to
help victims of Hurricane Katrina.
The administration said there was no connection between the request for U.S.
approval of the ports deal and the UAE's contribution.
The White House, which so far has gotten a total of $126 million in
international donations, said the UAE's contribution shows the close
relationship between the two governments.
The deal allowing Dubai Ports World to take over significant operations at
ports from New York to Miami has created an embarrassing standoff between the
president and a Congress controlled by his own party.
Raising concerns about national security in an era of terrorism, Republicans
and Democrats alike are crafting legislation blocking or delaying the deal with
an Arab country tied to some of the hijackers from Sept. 11, 2001. Bush had
pledged earlier to veto such a measure.
Officials from the Homeland Security, Treasury, Defense and State departments
appeared before Chairman John Warner, R-Va., and four Democratic members of the
Senate Armed Services Committee for a briefing arranged while Congress was
officially away from Washington.
The officials tried to assure the panel that the deal has been subject to a
careful, three-month review and that all security questions were satisfied. They
said no one raised an issue that would have prompted the need for a further,
45-day investigation.
"We're not aware of a single national security concern raised recently that
was not part of" the three-month review, Deputy Treasury Secretary Robert
Kimmitt told the lawmakers.
Democratic committee members accused officials of failing to take into
account issues raised about the Arab country in the Sept. 11 commission's
report.
Sen. Carl Levin (news, bio, voting record) of Michigan, the top Democrat on
the committee, derided the administration's "casual approach" in approving a
deal involving a country "with an uneven record of battling terrorism."
Levin at one point noted that a special commission that investigated the
Sept. 11 attacks found "a persistent counterterrorism problem represented by the
United Arab Emirates."
"Just raise your hand if anybody (at the witness table) talked to the 9-11
commission," commanded Levin. There was no response from the administration's
representatives.
White House Homeland Security adviser Frances Fragos Townsend said the UAE's
cooperation in the fight against terrorism has changed since Sept. 11.
"They have been critical allies in Afghanistan," she told reporters at a news
conference on a separate matter. "They have been critical allies in fighting the
financial war against terror. They've been critical allies in terms of our
military-to-military relationship."
Levin and Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., accused the administration of
ignoring a law that requires a longer review — an additional 45 days — if a
proposed business deal could affect national security.
Kimmitt responded: "We didn't ignore the law. Concerns were raised. They were
resolved."
Warner said he would ask Attorney General Alberto Gonzales to prepare a
memorandum on the administration's interpretation of the law to see if it
deviates from Congress' intent.
While Warner emphasized the UAE's cooperation in fighting terrorism, he
questioned Kimmitt sharply on whether the reviewing agencies considered the Arab
country's role in the transfer of money to al-Qaida and of nuclear components to
suspect nations.
Kimmitt said those factors were taken into account.
Bush told reporters after a morning Cabinet meeting at the White House: "This
wouldn't be going forward if we weren't certain that our ports would be secure.
The more people learn about the transaction that has been scrutinized and
approved by my government, the more they'll be comforted that our ports will be
secure."
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was in the United Arab Emirates, where
she discussed the deal with that country's officials. Earlier, in Lebanon, she
said the agreement was thoroughly vetted.
"This is supposed to be a process that raises security concerns, if they are
there, but does not presume that a country in the Middle East should not be
capable of doing a deal like this," she said.
Republicans added to the chorus of lawmakers speaking out in their home
states.
In Allentown, Pa., Sen. Rick Santorum (news, bio, voting record), R-Pa., said
he supports legislation to delay approval of the ports deal until Congress is
able to "get a better sense as to what the security challenges are out there."
New Jersey sued in federal court to block the UAE company from taking over
operations at the Port Newark container terminal until the federal government
investigates possible security risks.
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