Arab owned firm to take over port operations

Dubai Ports World recently purchased London-based Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Co. They will now control shipping operations in New York, New Jersey, Baltimore, New Orleans, Miami and Philadelphia.

Homeland Security Director Michael Chertoff is defending the Bush administration's review of the international shipping deal.

"We make sure there are assurances in place, in general, sufficient to satisfy us that the deal is appropriate from a national security standpoint," Chertoff told ABC's "This Week."

Miami firm Continental Stevedoring & Terminals Inc. asked a judge to block the takeover of P&O, saying that U.S. agencies can not guarantee DP World will comply with U.S. security rules.

The deal "may endanger the national security of the United States," reads the suit filed late Friday.

So, what's the big deal you ask? Well, the United Arab Emirates, while being labeled as an ally in the war on terror, just may not be. Let's not forget that Pakistan is also an "ally" in the war on terror. One terrorist, Marwan al-Shehhi, one of the 9/11 terrorists was born in that country.

Sen. Lindsay Graham, R-S.C., said "It's unbelievably tone deaf politically at this point in our history."

Sen. Robert Menendez, D-NJ and Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-NY, are sponsoring legislation that would prohibit companies owned or controlled by foreign governments from running port operation in the United States.

My question is, is this really in our best interests in the War on Terror?