Washington Week: Student Voices (O)

EDITORIAL: Port security should not be outsourced
Staff Editorial
The Daily Campus (U. Connecticut)
02/21/2006

(U-WIRE) STORRS, Conn. — As the Bush administration continues to fight the War on Terror overseas, it has given up one battle on the home front — allowing a foreign government to gain control over the operation of some the nation's biggest ports. Six ports in New York, New Jersey, Baltimore, New Orleans, Miami and Philadelphia have been, for many years, operated by London-based Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Co. Recently, however, Dubai Ports World, a state-owned business from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) bought out Peninsular and Oriental, effectively handing over significant operations over these major ports to UAE.

We cannot let a foreign power take control over a major sector of national security. U.S. ports are a vital component of homeland security as many reports since Sept. 11 have indicated that the next terrorist attack may come through them. As such, we cannot allow other countries to operate them. More importantly, we cannot let them be operated by a country with a troubling history.

The FBI concluded some time ago that the UAE "was an important operational and financial base" for the terrorists who attacked New York and Washington on Sept. 11. In fact, "many of the hijackers traveled to the U.S. through the UAE." Perhaps more disturbing, the UAE has been criticized for not properly securing it's own ports as North Korea, Libya and Iran have gained smuggled nuclear components through UAE's ports. While it's appalling for the United States to allow a foreign power to control U.S. ports, its more shocking to allow a country who cannot properly secure and operate it's own ports.

The United States first started allowing other governments to operate American ports in an effort to encourage foreign investment. In the past, it became acceptable to take such a security risk in exchange for economic benefits. In the post — Sept. 11 world, we can no longer take such a risk. The Bush administration should never have allowed UAE to gain control over some of the nation's major ports.

Republican and Democratic lawmakers are criticizing the Bush administration for approving the sale and possibly risking national security. In fact, Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) and Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) are planning to propose legislation, which would no longer allow companies owned or controlled by foreign governments to operate U.S. ports. Such a bill must gain bipartisan support and be passed.

We wouldn't allow foreign governments to patrol our borders for us or to take over military operations. Thereby, we must not outsource other homeland security duties like operating U.S. ports. We are at a turning point in U.S. national security and if we do not do something now to stop UAE from controlling our ports, we may be helping the terrorists bring about another Sept. 11.

[ Back to Student Voices ]