The Globe is reporting that public officials are concerned about the arrival of LNG (liquified natural gas) tankers coming through Boston Harbor from Yemen.
“Menino and several other public officials said they would press for the tankers’ cargo – destined for an LNG terminal in Everett as soon as next month – to instead be unloaded away from the city, in light of the failed Christmas Day attempt by a Nigerian man, who trained in Yemen, to blow up a US airliner over Detroit.”
An LNG tanker makes its way through Boston Harbor.
Few sources report that Iran and Saudi Arabia are fighting a proxy war in Yemen. Iran has designs on reclaiming the aptly named Persian gulf. Saudi Arabia is also undergoing succession planning, which is a lateral process (brother to brother) with more room for conflict. The Islamic world would be cheering in the streets if there were ever an explosive hit on Boston.
Geologists call this part of the world megalopolis. One third of the country’s population lives between the Boston and D.C. MSAs. We need to have tankers like this directed to ports that are less populous and less critical to the world in terms of medicine, technology, science and research.
Not trying to by NIMBY about this, but we have enemies. This is just another vulnerability point. It’s not just about a small harbor. It’s about population and resources. We have to consider this on a national scale. Send the tankers to NOLA.
Truth: while I understand your reasoning, the still-devastated NOLA has more than enough problems without having to deal with these tankers. No port, including NOLA, should become a dumping ground for tanks that other ports don’t want.
Disagree. They have to go somewhere. And the value of this city on a national and international scale is far greater than NOLA. Would you like a tanker disaster to set our city back like that? The problem with people today is they are afraid to appear politically incorrect. Everything has risks and costs. The tankers have to go somewhere. Let’s put them somewhere else.