News Dubaija vu: Now it's the airlines.

[Ivan Seeking]

...Under the existing regulations, foreign investors can have no influence on any operations of a U.S. airline in which they invest. Under the proposed rule, the majority U.S. investors could delegate to foreign investors control over some commercial decisions, such as what routes to fly and what aircraft to buy and sell, Shane said.[continued]

http://usinfo.state.gov/xarchives/display.html?p=washfile-english&y=2006&m=May&x=20060509174659ebyessedo0.882229&t=livefeeds/wf-latest.html

I can appreciate the desire for foreign investment, but again this gets into issues of national security. And the amount invested is still limited, which really makes one wonder. In any event, what's good for the corporations is not what's important, what matters is what's best for US security.

 

[Pengwuino]

I thought we already came to the conclusion that xenophobia was a bad thing. This sounds like a Nazi talking-point, "foreigners need not apply".

 

[edward]

I thought we already came to the conclusion that xenophobia was a bad thing. This sounds like a Nazi talking-point, "foreigners need not apply".

What if this involved China and our airlines instead of Islamics. Would it still be a xenophobic Nazi talking-point?

 

[Pengwuino]

I do believe China is a foreign country...sooooo...

 

[edward]

I do believe China is a foreign country...sooooo...

China didn't have any luck with Unocal or Maytag. There must be a lot of xenophoobicals out there somewhere.

 

[edward]

Oops, China did get the maintenance contract on the new Boeing 777's.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

I thought we already came to the conclusion that xenophobia was a bad thing. This sounds like a Nazi talking-point, "foreigners need not apply".

Okay then you tell me, where is the end of the free-for-all? Which of the following should yield control to a foreign agency? Should we job out the Presidency; how about the CIA or NSA; the military; police and fire services; immigration and border control; Airport security; weapons factories; FBI? Do you agree that in some cases there can be issues of national security, or do you think that we should just hand over anything to anyone willing to pay? Do we need to demonstrate that airlines are a national security issue?

And if you compare me or anyone else here to the Nazis again you will be penalized.

 

[edward]

Okay then you tell me, where is the end of the free-for-all? Which of the following should yield control to a foreign agency? Should we job out the Presidency; how about the CIA or NSA; the military; police and fire services; immigration and border control; Airport security; weapons factories; FBI? Do you agree that in some cases there can be issues of national security, or do you think that we should just hand over anything to anyone willing to pay? Do we need to demonstrate that airlines are a national security issue.

Good points and something that really bothers me. With all of the outsourcing combined with foreign companies, sometimes even state owned companies, buying into U.S. industries and services, what will we have left? At what point do we just say no.