More on the ports deal
North Carolina's 9th Congressional District is heard from.
(Via RedState.com.)
UPDATE: Via my colleague Mark Binker, this statement from 6th District Rep. Howard Coble, a Greensboro Republican:
The chairman of a House panel with jurisdiction over homeland security and terrorism issues is urging the Bush administration to reconsider its support for allowing a company from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to operate six American ports.U.S. Rep. Howard Coble (R-NC), the chairman of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security, said today that Congress needs to examine this proposed sale "thoroughly, deliberately and prudently."
Congressman Coble, who is also a former member of the U.S. Coast Guard and currently on the Coast Guard subcommittee in the House, said he is comforted by the knowledge that the Coast Guard, port authorities, and other U.S. law enforcement agencies will control security at these six ports, but he is troubled that the operational company is owned by the UAE, which "has a past history that bothers me."
"Congress needs to insert its oars into these waters," Rep. Coble added. "I appreciate the fact that the Bush administration says that security at these ports will continue to be controlled by our own Coast Guard and others, but having a UAE company involved in the day-to-day operations at these ports bothers me. I have said since 9-11 that my greatest fear is that another attack on U.S. soil would come through one of our ports. To have a company owned by the UAE directing operations at six of our largest ports needs to be thoroughly, deliberately and prudently investigated - and based on what I know now - that does not appear to be the case in this instance. If this contract came before the Congress for a vote today, I would have to vote no."