Contact: Rob Ostrander 202.224.7627 Shana Stribling 202.224.0309
Wednesday, March 8, 2006

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Kit Bond (R-MO) today issued the following statement on the Dubai ports transaction:

“Instead of waiting to learn the ins and outs of the deal, many members of Congress forgot one of my favorite adages, ‘look before you leap’, instead blasting the Administration and threatening to block the deal.

“There is no doubt people have raised a lot of questions about the deal because there are significant misconceptions surrounding it.

“One of the most widespread myths about the deal is that the Administration is outsourcing the security of our ports to a company from the United Arab Emirates.

“Our ports are owned by local governments who are responsible for the ports. It is the Coast Guard and Customs that provide security. The federal government will never outsource our security.

“In the 1990’s Communist China-owned companies were approved to manage ports on the West coast. This deal, however, was not met with any opposition or outcry.

“Another wrong, and dangerous, misperception is that the UAE is a haven for terrorists. The UAE is a friend and ally of the United States, a partner in the global War on Terror, and a strong partner in global port security.

“Unlike China, UAE lets us dock our Navy ships in their ports and fly air operations from their bases and they have been very helpful in intelligence sharing and cutting off terrorist financing and money laundering.

“Businesses do not invest $8 billion in something to let it be blown up. This deal allows one of our most forward-thinking friends in the Middle East to have a stake in our homeland security.

“The UAE is one of our most important strategic allies in the war on terror. Critical allies in the Middle East should be encouraged, not punished.

“So far, there is no evidence that this deal will compromise security in any way. I hope at the end of this process the facts, not fear and fiction, prevail.”