Saturday, February 25, 2006

Port of Call

It's time that we take a factual look at what really is all this port sale commotion about.

The basics are that the United Arab Emirates state-owned Dubai Ports World company has purchased the formerly British-owned Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Co., which as part of its operations controls, according to their website 21 US ports. Some of these ports, Beaumont and Corpus Christie in Texas, are also used by the military. This is where we have to make corrections to what the mainstream media has been reporting as a sale of 6 US run ports, to that of a sale of 21 British run ports on US soil.

Next, let us take a look at the company purchasing these 21 ports, and more specifically who owns this company. The answer is the UAE royal family, which has very close ties to some people and countries that the American public does not like. For example, Osama Bin Laden has been sponsored, supported, and protected by the royal family. Furthermore, one of the major financial backers of DP World are the mullahs of Iran. Iran in general has a very big interest in the UAE in the form of 6,500 Iranian-owned tax paying companies that are now registered in the UAE under Iranian nationality, more then 20% investments in Dubai shopping centers (a major part of the UAE tourism industry), and the place where more then $300 billion will be moved by Iranian by the end of 2006, in addition to the trillions that are already there.

Now that we see the groups involved in this deal lets take a look at the implications for the US. Obviously, the first one is that of the security of items coming into the US. A terrorist would now have the ability to get a job at the ports and help sneak weapons or other terrorists into the US. A more credible and easier to accomplish threat to US security, is a person who works for DP World might also be an Iranian agent, and he just happens to report on a large shipment of US military equipment to the Middle East. Now Iran knows that the US is coming and with what.

Knowing the facts we can now make a fairly safe decision that the sale of the ports is not in the best interest of the US. However, some might say, "but you support the free market and now you are having government interfere in a deal between two companies", well in that case read this article by Jerome Corsi. Since DP World is a state-owned company that does not play by free market rules we can respond in kind.

The final issue left to discuss is why would President Bush if he has the ability to stop the deal not do it. One option is that he believes the myth that as a free market economy the US cannot interfere in the deal.

On the other hand, and more probable is that the administration has its own financial reasons for letting the deal go through. Here are some facts that are rarely stated:

  • Dubai Ports World purchased the global port assets of U.S. freight rail company CSX Corp. in 2005 for $1.15 billion. U.S. Treasury Secretary John Snow is a former chairman of CSX, but left the company a year before the Dubai deal.
  • One of DP World's top executives, David Sanborn, was nominated by President George W. Bush in January to become the administrator of the Maritime Administration in the U.S. Department of Transportation.

However, this is only my speculation and only the President and his advisors know the real reasons why the deal should be put through.

Wednesday, February 22, 2006

Iranian Shield

With Iran becoming China's leading supplier of oil we can now see why the Iranians are so willing to go against the US and Europe. This is also why the UN will do nothing when it comes to Iran.

All we have to look at is when in 1991 when the largest supplier of oil to the US was threatened; we set up a little operation called Desert Shield. Now the Chinese have the same problem and I am pretty sure that they will not let anything happen to their Saudi Arabia.

This is all part of the Chinese plan of methodically pushing American influence and power away from Asia and then replacing it with their own authority. If we don't stand up to Iran, which I think we will not, then we should get used to seeing countries begin to turn away from us and instead look to China as a partner both economically and militarily.

Thursday, February 16, 2006

Top Secret!

Bill Gertz has written a great article about a commercial satellite company, which has taken photos of what many have long suspected and thanks to the images we can now see are secret military bases. One of them on the Yellow river is an underwater submarine base where it is believed the Chinese are developing their next generation nuclear attack and ballistic missile submarines. In addition, another photo shows an airbase built into a side of the mountain that helps to conceal the advanced bombers and fighters that China possesses.

The secret bases in addition to secret programs like project 863, have made China into a foe that the US knows very little about. What we do know is enough to cause concern, but what we don't would probably reveal to us the real intentions China has for its military. Personally, I would bet that it is for more then just protection of the mainland.

Wednesday, February 15, 2006

In Their Own Words

Here is a link to an interview with three former Islamic terrorists who are talking about what Muslims, the moderate ones in the US, think about terrorism. One of them is an American born former terrorist who gives scary information of how loyal the American Muslim community really is.

Also for the bigger picture of how China is supporting the Terrorist regimes we are trying to stop here is an article from Strategy page, about Chinese designed missiles that would be used by Iran to thwart any attempt by the US or Israel to attack its nuclear weapons program.

Tuesday, February 07, 2006

Missiles, Missiles, Missiles

Since apparently no one is worried about America's 40 Trillion dollar total debt, I'm sure that no one is even thinking about the major arms buildup going on in the far away places of the Eastern Hemisphere.

Taiwan has warned that China will have more then 1,800 ballistic and guided missiles targeting the island by 2010, and more then 50 submarines ready to blockade the small country if the need arises. This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Chinese weapons, since most systems are secret and accurate numbers for the amount of weaponry that the PRC possesses are virtually impossible to uncover.

Another threat that is reemerging is Russia, which currently is the largest supplier of modern weaponry to China. Russian President Vladimir Putin has boasted about the invincibility of the Soviets (I mean Russian), brand new Topol M (SS-X-27) class missile. It is capable of swerving and changing direction mid flight, thus eluding any current or foreseeable US missile defense. Even more important, is its ability to launch in a rapid enough time to avoid detection by early warning systems, and reaching its target before a retaliatory strike can be executed.

Together China and Russia have an alliance to defend each other in case of war, and if we don't stop ignoring the real threat that these two nations pose to the US then we will sooner then later get to witness this pact in action.

Sunday, February 05, 2006

Neck Deep in Debt

Back by popular demand, because where else will you hear this, its time to present the annual debt statistics for the United States of America.

Warning: Not to be read an hour before or after a meal. Do not attempt to swim or use heavy machinery after reading. If you are standing sit down, if you are sitting lay down, and if you are lying down then I'm sorry.

Now that I have taken care of all the legal stuff here are the numbers:
  • Last year's (2004) total debt was $40.1 Trillion (that’s trillion with a T).
  • This is 9 times higher than the $4.6 Trillion debt in 1957 (both measured in inflation-adjusted 2004 dollars).
  • The debt comes out to $136,479 per every man, women and child in the US (up $7,900 over last year's $128,560); this compares to $27,084 in 1957 (both measured in inflation-adjusted 2004 dollars).
  • Last year's total debt increased $3 trillion (up 8.2%). Federal government debt (incl. added debt owed trust funds) increased $595 billion (8.5%), household debt increased $1.03 Trillion (up 11.2%), business debt increased $421 billion (6%), state & local government debt increased $116 billion (up 7.4%), domestic financial sector debt increased $714 billion (7.3%), and other foreign debt was up 10%.

The majority of that debt is not the governments like you are lead to believe by the media, but is household and business debt. So, you might be asking who is to blame. Well, it’s you and every other American citizen that is currently spending more then they take in.

Maybe even worse news is that somebody has to finance this debt. Unfortunately for us that somebody is the Peoples Republic of China. As the saying goes, and now you know the rest of the story.

A Frozen Forest

China has announced that it will build a high-frequency radar in Antarctica. This radar will be composed of 20 antenna units (each 20 meters high), including 16 units for the main antenna and 4 units for the auxiliary antenna.

According to the US military, this installation would be able to jam and interfere with US satellites. This is all in accordance with a recent PLA (Peoples Liberation Army) report, which promoted the development of ASAT systems, which is a part of the larger Chinese plan to develop space weapons of both defensive and offensive nature.

The Chinese see the development of Space weapons as their way of defeating the US military. It is widely known that Space is the weak point of the US (mostly due to laws that have prevented the militarization of space), and at the same time the part of the battle space we most depend on in today’s modern combat.