[R-G] Senator: NAFTA Superhighway is nearly a reality

[Anthony Fenton]

Copyright 2007 The Tulsa World
Tulsa World (Oklahoma)

September 29, 2007 Saturday
Final Home Edition

SECTION: News; Pg. A17

LENGTH: 437 words

HEADLINE: Senator: NAFTA Superhighway is nearly a reality

BYLINE: RANDY KREHBIEL World Staff Writer

BODY:


State Sen. Randy Brogdon, R-Owasso, said Friday that the so-called  
"NAFTA Superhighway" is "close to reality" and is being built for  
"transporting goods and people from Mexico and China."

Brogdon made the remarks during a news conference at Tulsa  
International Airport for the Oklahomans for Sovereignty and Free  
Enterprise conference being held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at  
the Renaissance Hotel, 6808 S. 107th East Ave.

The organization, which uses the acronym OK-SAFE, believes that the  
Bush administration and business interests are conspiring to  
effectively merge the United States, Mexico and Canada by lowering or  
eliminating trade barriers and national borders.

"I have recognized over the last couple of years a concerted effort  
to undermine the nation's sovereignty -- not only the nation's, but  
the state's sovereignty, as well," Brogdon said.

Of particular interest are the North American Super Corridor  
Organization and the Security and Prosperity Partnership.

OK-SAFE and similar organizations say NASCO is planning an  
internationally con- trolled multimodal transportation system from  
Mexico to Canada that would be financed in the United States by  
"public-private partnerships."

They say a series of toll roads and railroads being built across  
Texas in partnership with the Spanish company Cintra foreshadows the  
coming of a nationwide network of privately owned transportation  
systems.

They also warn of a NASCO pilot project to place tracking monitors on  
cargo, saying the equipment is being made by the Chinese.

The company building the trackers is Savi Networks, a joint venture  
of the American electronics firm Savi, a subsidiary of Lockheed  
Martin, and Hong Kong-based management company Hutchison Port Holdings.

NASCO's Web site says it is a nonprofit organization dedicated to  
economic development and multimodal infrastructure, security and  
technology improvements along Interstates 35, 29 and 94 and their  
connecting routes in Mexico and Canada.

It says it is not building or encouraging the creation of a "NAFTA  
Superhighway" and does not advocate the elimination of international  
borders.

OK-SAFE says the Security and Prosperity Partnership, created two  
years ago to discuss trade and security issues common to Mexico,  
Canada and the U.S., is an unconstitutional alliance forged by the  
Bush administration to lay the groundwork for a North American Union.

A U.S. government Web site says the partnership is "a dialogue to  
increase security and enhance prosperity among the three countries.  
The SPP is not an agreement, nor is it a treaty."

Randy Krehbiel 581-8365 randy.krehbiel at tulsaworld.com