Big Lizards:Blog:Entry “How Do You Close "Intelligence Gaps?"”

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February 28, 2006

How Do You Close "Intelligence Gaps?"

Hatched by Dafydd

With more intelligence, of course.

Yesterday, a story flew furiously around the media (hat tip to Michelle Malkin) that the Coast Guard, which handles port security, at one point had serious concerns about the Dubai Ports World deal; though the Department of Homeland Security says those concerns were addressed, the clear implication of the story was that they were glossed over or ignored entirely... and liberal Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), no friend of the Bush administration, carefully poured gasoline on the fire:

The U.S. Coast Guard said questions about foreign influence, employees and operations made it impossible to assess the threat posed by a state-owned Dubai company's purchase of a firm that manages some terminal operations at six U.S. seaports.

"There are many intelligence gaps concerning the potential'' for assets owned by DP World or London-based Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Co. "to support terrorist operations,'' says an undated intelligence assessment by the Coast Guard that was released [by Collins] at a hearing today of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.

The document wasn't given to an administration panel assessing the national security risks of the acquisition, but its concerns "were addressed and resolved,'' Stewart Baker, an assistant secretary at the Homeland Security Department, said.

Committee Chairwoman Susan Collins was skeptical. "I don't see how you were able to close those gaps so quickly,'' she told Baker and Admiral Thomas Gilmore, an assistant commandant with the Coast Guard.

Really? I can think of a way.

The most likely explanation is that these "intelligence gaps" turned out to be based upon misapprehensions or simple lack of information on the part of whatever group within the USCG had those concerns at the time. It doesn't take very long, Madam Senator, to say to someone, "what? No, we're not doing that; we're doing this, which is entirely different than what you thought," or to supply the information that someone does not yet have.

In fact, we have no idea what those "gaps" were supposed to be; so we cannot judge whether they were real problems that were resolved by making changes, misapprehensions that were resolved by correcting or augmenting the questioner's understanding, or raging paranoia that was corrected by Coast Guard superiors overruling some low-level committee. But just because we don't know doesn't mean we can assume the worst. If we were to follow that rule consistently, then we would be Democrats.

The AP article is chock-a-block with argument by raging hormones. One example:

Dubai is one of seven sheikdoms that make up the United Arab Emirates, where two of the hijackers involved in the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks came from. Bush has defended the sale, saying the UAE has been a vital ally in the war against terrorism.

Yes, two of the hijackers held UAE nationality. But then, those port terminals are currently managed by British company P&O, even though the London bombers hold UK nationality, as does failed shoe-bomber Richard Reid. And of course, Jose Padilla holds American nationality -- so don't even think of letting some American company manage cargo ops there!

I cannot possibly tell you how serious these "gaps" were or what was done to reassure the Coast Guard. Neither can Susan Collins (who knows but can't say) or, e.g., Michelle Malkin (who knows no more than I about it). But I can state with some certainty that whatever qualms the Coast Guard had were successfully addressed, and they are now on board with the Dubai deal.

And isn't the point that the "gaps" were filled more dispositive than the fact that they once existed?

Hatched by Dafydd on this day, February 28, 2006, at the time of 3:58 PM

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Comments

The following hissed in response by: Dan Kauffman

I wonder what her position is on

turn over a naval port facility
( Port of Long Beach, Calif. ) to a Chinese military-owned shipping company called COSCO.

The above hissed in response by: Dan Kauffman at February 28, 2006 5:51 PM

The following hissed in response by: Lew Clark

Do they administer IQ tests to congress and you have to score below 80 to take your seat?

The above hissed in response by: Lew Clark at February 28, 2006 6:08 PM

The following hissed in response by: Bill Faith

Excellent post, Dafydd. I linked from http://www.smalltownveteran.net/posts/2006/02/how_do_you_clos.html.

The above hissed in response by: Bill Faith at February 28, 2006 7:01 PM

The following hissed in response by: Cowgirl

Kinda makes you wonder what Collins real-life experience was before being elected to the Senate. I could research it, but I don't really care.

My point is that, as Dafydd so aptly alluded to, when examining any proposed course of action, whether it is a decision of a corporation's board of directors, or planning the next garden club meeting, some people will have information on different aspects than others. Thus, it entirely makes sense, that there may originally have been insufficient information available upon which to base a decision, and that information was later supplied.

The above hissed in response by: Cowgirl at March 1, 2006 5:59 AM

The following hissed in response by: KarmiCommunist

Anyone ever hear of CSX? Think driving along, relaxing after finally getting away from all the rush-hour traffic, and then approaching a rail/train crossing with blinking red-lights and noise. You hit the accelerator whilst hoping to beat those descending obnoxious blocking 'Arms', and then you hit the brakes whilst skidding to a stop as the now descended blocking 'Arm' seems to '*SMILE*' at you as it brushes yore bumper and stops. Bells are going off, approaching horns are tooting away, and the rails let you know that a train is near. One of my Brothers (Blood) once ran through the descended blocking 'Arm' and hit the train. Destroyed the truck he was driving, and hurled him some 150' down the way, next to the tracks. He lived through it, and i don't recall him having a broken bone.

Anyway, whilst sitting at the 'Stop', the train and its cars now go by in strobe light fashion - CSX blink CSX blink...etc.

DUBAI PORTS INTERNATIONAL COMPLETES ACQUISITION OF CSX WORLD TERMINALS...Released: Feb 22, 2005

i even heard on the Rush talk radio program today, that this DP World flies "two" planes to America each day. Now, suddenly after DP World wins a bid for some Terminals at some American Ports, Congress and many Americans are outraged?!? Where was such outrage back in February of 2005?!?! Heck, where was such outrage back...back...back in:

2004!!!

The only sounds that humble Low and Ignorant Insane swamp hermit me hates more than the sounds of a rail-road crossing's descending obnoxious blocking 'Arms', is the Sounds of Congress, and especially the sounds that Senator Susan M. Collins makes when she speaks!!! Senator Collins, where were you on the Dubai Ports International so-called Dubai Ports International "issue" back in 2004 and 2005? Practicing voice lessons? Here's a Karmic *HINT*: Give up the voice lessons, and spend your money on lobotomies instead.

KårmiÇømmünîs†

The above hissed in response by: KarmiCommunist at March 1, 2006 3:21 PM

The following hissed in response by: KarmiCommunist

Do they administer IQ tests to congress and you have to score below 80 to take your seat?

Congress is a problem, but someone votes them to Congress. Voters are the biggest problem, in my humble opinion, and i think that the evidence is quite clear. Until more Americans decide to start voting (i'm not talking about the bussed New Orleans' types, who could not get out of New Orleans when a hurricane was headed their way, but could and did vote when they had a provided bus for voting), without help from Government officials...never mind, i'm wasting my time.

Basically, Americans have been trained to 'tHiNk' that they are "informed", in case they vote. That training starts in "Public Schools"...never mind, i am wasting my time.

i like Michelle Malkin a lot, but just look at how she first attacked this DP World port's issue, and now at how she flips-flops more than John Kerry has ever managed, throughout his history.

Lady Michelle...you are still flipping-flopping on this DP World, because you were wrong from the start. Forget the last week crap, and this week's crap...you were wrong, and i warned you!!!

Last Week: They are all profilers now

This Week: The Right plays the race card

Stop blaming others, as if you were some braindead New Orleans' so-called "victim" of hurricane Katrina, and admit that you are wrong. Do you know who CSX is? Did you write about DP World buying CSX back in early 2005??? If so, whom did you blame back then. You remind humble me of Senator Suasan Collins...so to speak of such mentality.

Respond if you desire, but i will probably be gone from this Thread by then...

Respectfully...Karmic Pooooooof,

Karmi

The above hissed in response by: KarmiCommunist at March 1, 2006 4:37 PM

The following hissed in response by: KarmiCommunist

Last Call:

Global Warming: Natural or Manmade Occurrence?

i’m done with all of the complaining!!! Did anyone here ever hear an Afghani or Iraqi complain until recently??? Recently, as in since soon after W’s response to the September 11, 2001 Attacks???

We humans *ALL* live on Planet Earth, and Mother Nature sets the rules here, not God...simple as that.

Mother Nature can spot weakness in a human’s heartbeat, and has. So has Salman Rushdie, and others. Mainstream Media tries to report, but they not only miss the points of the Story...they, miss the Story completely.

Does anyone reading this, actually believe that Mother Nature misses any weaknesses amongst humans??? She *SPOTS* it right from ‘Da Gate, or even off a bat. Mother Nature cannot stomach weakness, and plans on stomping it out very quickly, even in Dualistic terms of “stomping”...so to speak of Mother Nature not needing mere humans to “save” *HER*!!!

God once took my hand, and placed it upon the breast that resides above Mother Nature’s own Earthly Heart, and i...i...i felt it beating.

Stop allowing the radical environmentalists to dupe you...Mother Nature needs no help from humans, strong or weak ones. Just look at human history...when the “Strong” become more...more...more ‘pOwErFuL’ than they actually are, Mother Nature looks for much stronger, from the so-called weak.

i am a hermit, because i have chosen such a life. A *MAN* like me should be allowed at least 100,000 Wives. The Arabs and Muslims can have all of them, until a certain point.

Enough said...

KårmiÇømmünîs†

The above hissed in response by: KarmiCommunist at March 1, 2006 5:27 PM