U.S. Rep. Ron Kind, D-Wis., criticized the pending deal to cede control of several eastern-U.S. ports to Dubai Ports World Thursday. DPW is a state-owned company of the United Arab Emirates, which has the support of President Bush.
Bush is receiving bipartisan scrutiny for security concerns.
'I have serious reservations about the administration's decision to authorize a deal which would cede control of U.S. ports to a country that has been irresponsible in fighting terrorism,' Kind said in a press statement.
Kind wants to review DPW with Homeland Security, according to his press secretary, Stephanie Lundberg. She noted there is general concern over the vulnerability of ports.
'There haven't been enough resources to make them secure,' Lundberg said. 'The ports are the soft underbelly of our security.'
Lundberg contended that security issues are valid, noting financing of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks came out of UAE and two of its citizens were hijackers.
'Reviewing something doesn't hurt,' she said. 'It's good to be cautious.'
UW-Madison history professor Kemal Karpat did not understand why ownership of the ports is a concern.
'[The capital of the United Arab Emirates] Abu Dhabi is the most obliging ally of the United States in the Arab world,' Karpat said. He noted the Middle Eastern country has 2,000 U.S troops stationed there.
'The security [of the ports] is in the hands of the Coast Guard.'
Karpat attributed hesitation of the port deal to stigmas placed on Arabs and Islam.
'[Detractors of the deal] cannot accept the fact that a relatively unimportant country of Muslims and Arabs would assume such an important role,' Karpat said.
Karpat said he was also surprised by Bush's acceptance of the port deal, saying many of his constituents are likely against it.
Muslim Students' Association President Babar Bashir found there to be 'double-sided' treatment by the Bush administration. He said the government's stance on Muslim communities varies according to the circumstances.
'When he describes Muslims in the war on terror, we always have the feeling that we aren't secure,' Bashir said. 'Now when he wants to make a deal with rich Arabs, then it's OK. No one should worry about security.'
Bashir added that complicity with government perspective has led to some stereotyping.
'The media have really played off the idea that Islam is a threat,' he said.
