Wesley Clark: "Port security actually starts abroad."

Sometimes, the most simplistic statement is also the most brilliant. I must say I was stunned Sunday when I heard Clark point out this simple fact. As far as I know, no other leader, Democrat or Republican, has brought out this most important point. Folks, they don't have to unload the hypothetical bomb off the ship. All they have to do is set it to go off when it reaches the port. It won't matter who is running the ports in that scenario. Here is the complete text of the interview re: ports. Clark correctly identifies the issue as port security here and abroad. There is a danger that if we focus on this small issue we will neglect other aspects of port security. At the same time, we must CONTINUE to criticize the administration for it's recklessness in approving this deal without going through the proper process. Clearly, the administration put $$$ before security regardless of the outcome because they rushed this deal through without a complete investigation of any potential security risks. Here are the rest of Clark's comments on the isssue:


George Stephanopoulos: Let's pick up on that debate we just left off on. Are you for this Dubai Ports World deal or not?

GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: I think it ought to be reviewed. But you know, the United States has to find a way to fit into the modern world. Now, there's no reason why American companies can't own and operate ports - not only here and abroad - but our security doesn't depend on who owns the facility, in other words, who's collecting the money and taking the tolls. It depends on how we regulate the facility.

George Stephanopoulos: So it sounds like you're for this.

GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: Well, what I'm saying is we've got to strengthen port security overall in America. It's weak, and it doesn't matter who owns it, it's weak. We're not inspecting the containers that are coming in. We don't have the right radiation monitors out there. We don't know who's in the ports. And port security actually starts abroad. You have to start with ports overseas that are loading the containers that are coming to America. It's too late once they reach out ports so <crosstalk>

George Stephanopoulos: So, you don't share this view that Dubai is a bad actor in the war on terror?

GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: Well, I've been to Dubai, I've met those people. A lot of the countries in that region have difficulties so, I think that rather than labeling countries, what we need to do is take a very pragmatic look at what our own homeland security problems are. In the area of port security, even if we owned every port in America, that wouldn't be adequate for port security because the security has to start over there. We have to work with the people in Dubai, the people in um…ah, in Rotterdam, the people in Korea, the people in Japan, the people in China, because that's where the threats originate that come to our ports. So there's no walling off America. We're in a global economy whether we like it or not.

George Stephanopoulos: So that means you disagree, then, with Senator Clinton's legislation which would require American ownership and management of international ports?

GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: I think that Senator Clinton's done a good thing in terms of raising the visibility on this issue. We need to get into the port security issue <crosstalk>

George Stephanopoulos: But you don't agree with the legislation?

GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: Well, when we go through the legislative process, there's going to be some hearings. We really need to take this apart. Homeland security has not received the emphasis and attention it needs and, in particular, port security hasn't. There've been any number of initiatives, there's money that's been laid out, but it hasn't been pulled together. So, I think we need to look through the issue of ownership, the issue of control, the issue of regulation, the issue of how we relate to the ports overseas. All of that needs to be on the table, and then find our way through it. <crosstalk>

George Stephanopoulos: But you just said that we can't wall off America so

GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: We cannot wall off America.

George Stephanopoulos: We can't wall off America so that means that you wouldn't prohibit foreign investment in these kinds of operations, doesn't it?

GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: I think you've got to recognize that it's a very complicated place out there, economically. You know, even labeling who is an American to own it, it's not a single American individual, it's an American company, can it have foreign ownership in an American company? Can it be an international company with headquarters abroad but majority US ownership? It gets pretty complicated. What we need to be focusing on is how the ports are regulated and how we're dealing with the ports abroad. It's much more important. <crosstalk>

http://securingamerica.com/node/692

I thought it was the most indepth discussion I have seen on the Port deal. He pointed out that the problem is really port security, something that the Bush administration is not even addressing.

As quoted:

"We have to work with the people in Dubai, the people in um…ah, in Rotterdam, the people in Korea, the people in Japan, the people in China, because that's where the threats originate that come to our ports."

if we label them over here?

I'm not saying this particular deal deal should go through...as Clark pointed out last week, how can you be for or against it if we don't even know what it is because it hasn't gone through the review process? The administration has been shockingly reckless in this endeavour, and it's not the first time they have played fast and loose with issues of national security. However, we have to work with the world as it is; our security in the the end is dependent on our relationships with the rest of the world, whether we like it or not.

Just more fuel to the fire of not trusting this man who has worked for Jackson Stephens and Acxiom. (What's he doing these days, btw?)

and rather then get into a gotcha Clark repeatedly cited the failure of Homeland Security and Bush's Government to deal with Port Security.

How is it that you can't see something that simple?