AMERICAN PORTS SCANNING EQUIPMENT MADE IN CHINA
By
Michael Cutler
November 5, 2008
NewsWithViews.com
The
GSN
Magazine had an article that focuses on issues involving national
security. The report is, in my judgement, one that should concern all
Americans. The fact that any American port, let alone the biggest American
port would purchase X-ray scanning equipment to insure port security
and hence, national security that was manufactured in China should give
us all "cause for pause!"
There are several reasons that I am disturbed by this decision.
First of all, I believe that the purchase of foreign made equipment
should never be permitted where our nation's security is concerned,
especially when the country of manufacture has an established track
record of engaging in espionage.
Consider these brief paragraphs that I have copied from the article:
Critics of the transaction, who requested anonymity, raised the specter
of sensitive X-ray images and cargo manifests being archived on the
X-ray scanning system and, perhaps, transmitted via the Internet back
to Nuctech in China, or to the Chinese government. Indeed, the mobile
system was required to offer that technical capability.
"Automatic digital image archiving with image review of 25,000 images or greater with a flatbed scanner to record, save and associate related documents and notes including system operators, recipient, date and time," was listed as one required capability in the port’s official specification document.
"Nuctech will supply the wireless devices for transmission of images to remote inspection location, and for uploading data via internet," promised Nuctech, in its formal proposal to the port.
Cummings
acknowledged that the system theoretically could capture, store and
transmit such X-ray images -- and transmit them to China or elsewhere..."
While the immediate use for the scanner will be to scan food and other
cargo being loaded onto cruise ships, I am concerned that the use of
this scanner could and may well be, ultimately expanded to scan shipments
of cargo entering our ports.
Additionally, the purchase of this equipment undercuts American manufacturers
at a time when our nation's economy can ill afford to lose jobs held
by Americans.
If, as has been speculated, the technology behind the scanning device
was reverse engineered by Chinese engineers and then subsidized by the
government of China, itself, no an unlikely possibility given the statement
that:
Some observers of the transaction have raised questions about the wisdom
of U.S. tax dollars being handed to a Chinese manufacturer, the degree
to which Nuctech may have "reverse engineered" the X-ray technology
originally developed by Western companies, the possibility that Nuctech
may have had its price subsidized by the government of the People’s
Republic of China, and the notion that Nuctech may have engaged in illegal
"dumping" by offering its product below its own manufacturing
costs.
Those
who are responsible for making this decision can be described as knowing
the price of everything and the value of nothing!
It is time that decisions made by our government be focused, first and
foremost, on doing what is in the best interests of the United States
and our citizens.
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We
the People must see our obligation as citizens of this great nation
as not ending in the voting booth, but beginning there. For our government
to truly represent the citizens of our nation, it is essential that
We the People make it our responsibility to voice our concerns and desires
to the politicians who are obligated to represent their constituents,
the citizens of this nation.
That is why I always conclude my commentaries by saying:
You are either part of the solution or you are a part of the problem!
© 2008 - Michael Cutler - All Rights Reserved
