We heard you loud and clear(UAE poll of business its not pretty)

03/12/2006 12:00 AM (UAE) ^ | 03/12/2006 12:00 AM (UAE) | Gulfnews

[bayourant]

http://www.gulfnews.com/opinion/editorial_opinion/nation/10024757.html According to a Gulf News poll, 64 per cent of readers say the DP World affair "changed their opinion for the worst" about investing in the United States. A number of businessmen told the newspaper yesterday that Arab investors would think about other destinations. The majority agreed that DP World has been forced out of the US port operations due to "racism".

President George W. Bush admitted Congress has sent the "wrong message" to the rest of the world.

We don't feel that DP World lost. It in fact won the respect of the international business community when it won the bid to acquire the British P&O Company. It gained the admiration of the political community when it showed the maturity to bow out with grace.

Nevertheless, the whole affair served as a lesson for other Arab companies who may have thought of investing in what has proved to be a hostile US atmosphere. All the free trade talk proved to be just empty rhetoric. Another irony is that the Democrats, the supporters of globalisation, were the key opponents of the deal. There must have been something else behind the sudden change of heart.

It was definitely not the concern for national security, as they fully know the Bush administration had run a meticulous review of the deal, which established it was not a threat. Was it the "Israeli element" as some have suggested? Maybe. Otherwise, why would some Congress members bombard the

DP World executive, during last week's hearing, with questions about the Arab boycott of Israel? Did they want to force the UAE to end the pan-Arab boycott of Israel in order approve the deal?

These questions need to be investigated. But the fact remains it was an ugly scene in Washington. Other foreign-owned companies run US ports but they were not Arab. That is the message.

And we got it.

[bayourant]

And a Letter to the American People from a big UAE blogger

Letter to the American People

Congratulations. For today is the day of victory for the communists who adore state control, terrorists who snicker when America casts away its allies, and opportunist senators who manipulate the US populace to serve their own needs.

Today, both the Emirati people and the American people have lost. Today for one of the first times in my life, I feel that America has begun a spiral of racism and overprotectiveness that will affect it greatly in the future. They could have placed any restriction or rule on this deal, but the choice was to ban the sale, instead of being proactive creative and intelligent, and actually controlling it to serve your interests. You could have forced DP to make your ports 10 times secure than they once were. But you didnt. People will think twice before doing buisness with America. They will think twice the next time an American says "We believe in freedom of trade". They will be weary of opportunist senators and overpatriotic uneducated people screaming on the radio how much they dont want the deal to commence because of the race of the people involved. But this does not concern your Senators, when asked about the Implications of it, as Gulf Airlines buy Boeing Planes in the Hundreds, one went to the length of saying

"Boeing will continue to operate with or without Gulf orders"

But what does that mean to him ? To him it means that when he retires, Boeing will still be there. But to you Americans, it means that people will lose jobs. This is very much like the swindling and career opportunism that went on in the Roman Senate, the last International Empire.

Please enlighten me. Do the American people think that they can win the war on terror by themselves ? Did such an insane over-estimate ever exist in the heads of those who have no idea about strategy ? If America is to win this war, it needs every single ally that makes himself available.

What would happen to the American war effort, if one day the UAE ceased to exist ? We help and stand by the US, and this is what we get ? You attempt to embarass this country in front of the world, because all it ever wanted to do is to become great not by killing, but by trading ?

And what is your argument ? 2 UAE passport holders that participated in the 9/11 attacks? Do you think we ordered them to do that, or wanted them to ? Then why are we responsible for it?
And then what is your other argument ? That George tenet of the CIA said that the UAE government was meeting with Bin Laden ? Remember Operation Infinite Reach, the Bombing of the Al Shifa Factory, 5 years of not finding bin laden, 3 years of not finding Zarqawi, 9 months of not Finding Saddam Hussein and you have the Audacity to say that 'we think that bin laden was with the UAE government' and to say that your Identification capabilities are proper?. I could say "Oh, Hillary Clinton met with Bin Laden in Dearborn Michigan" It would be a lie, but if my name was George Tenet, the media would pick up on it immediately.

Whats your other Argument ? That we are Muslim or Arab ? There are 300 Million Arabs. There are 1.2 Billion Muslims. If we were such a terroristic race, then why isnt there a world war ? How many of these people do you think are terrorists ? Of the 300 Million ? I will allow you to over estimate 300,000. Even that number is ridiculously enormous, probably a 10 fold estimate. Meaning that in every one thousand Arabs and Muslims, there would be one of them which has had connections with terrorism. And if your definition of a terrorist race is like that, then I would seriously ask you to reconsider your international alliances.

The Final argument is that we would endanger your country. We my friends have a history of cooperating with the Israelis in our ports. We do not even officially recognize the Israelis. The Israelis who are not only 10 times better than you in HUMINT, but that have one of the best Intelligence agencies in the world, pound for pound far better than the CIA which has gotten outsmarted by the Soviets, the Israelis, and even Bin Laden.

Today Bin Laden snickers at us all, Americans and Emiratis
http://aethoughts.blogspot.com/

[garylmoore]

And the little piggy went waah, waah, waah all the way home.

[onyx]

Very sad and so damn unnecessary.
Ignorance, lies and hysteria prevailed.

[bayourant]

Its not pretty folks. This blogger above is expressing a lot of hurt many uae bloggers are exhibiting. Go look at the comment section if you want too. UAE bloggers are not the only ones but alot of Americans that have actually been there are outraged. The USA has embarrased them in front of the world. I know alot of people want this issue to go away. But remember its our military, intelleigence agencies, american business and workers that will have to pick up the pieces.

[onyx]

Ping to the UAE's response.

[zarf]

But remember its our military, intelleigence agencies, american business and workers that will have to pick up the pieces.

...and the pricks in Congress will blame the Executive branch for any negative fallout.

[Rokke]

"But remember its our military, intelleigence agencies, american business and workers that will have to pick up the pieces."

The ignorant masses ruled the day here, and we will be paying the price for years.

[bayourant]

I know. I wish people would realize how this affects real life Americans that have to deal with this.

[nopardons]

bttt

[bayourant]

My favorite line from the blogger was this


"They will be weary of opportunist senators and overpatriotic uneducated people screaming on the radio how much they dont want the deal to commence because of the race of the people involved. But this does not concern your Senators, when asked about the Implications of it, as Gulf Airlines buy Boeing Planes in the Hundreds, one went to the length of saying

"Boeing will continue to operate with or without Gulf orders"

But what does that mean to him ? To him it means that when he retires, Boeing will still be there. But to you Americans, it means that people will lose jobs. This is very much like the swindling and career opportunism that went on in the Roman Senate, the last International Empire."

Isnt that the darn truth

[onyx]

Isn't that the darn truth?





Yes, sadly and regretfully, it is.
Congress knew better too.
UGLY politics and the GOP willingly assisted MSM and democrats.

[ansel12]

"due to "racism".


I was okay with the sale. I would like to know, since we have become a multiracial country, when do we cease to be considered some pure aryan white race country. Every issue of national interest seems to be described in "racist" terms. Are Middle Eastern Muslims a race ? Are Americans a race?

[Chickenhawk Warmonger]

What astounds me about this whole thing is that NO ONE is reporting that Schumer was in cahoots with Eller and Co - the ones that filed the suit against DP World. The attorney for Eller & Co. actually sad that if it hadn't been for Sen. Schumer the issue of the ports would never have gotten any traction. The atty approached Sen Warner 2months ago about the deal and when he got no response, he went to Schumer. Now there are reports that Eller & Co may be in the running to buy at least some of the DP World leases here in the USA. Eller couldn't afford to buy out P&O but they can afford to pick up a few of the US leases. Sweet deal for them, Huh? Schumer played the RINO's like a fiddle...

[onyx]

Free Republic Opinion Poll: Is the failed port deal bad for America?

Composite Opinion
Bad	32.1%		509
Actually, it's good	21.8%		346
Really bad	19.5%		309
Not so bad	11.3%		179
Not bad at all	8.8%		139
Undecided	6.5%		103
	100.0%		1,585
Member Opinion
Bad	32.6%		272
Actually, it's good	20.4%		170
Really bad	16.6%		139
Not so bad	12.9%		108
Not bad at all	9.6%		80
Undecided	7.9%		66
	100.0%		835
Non-Member Opinion
Bad	31.6%		237
Actually, it's good	23.5%		176
Really bad	22.7%		170
Not so bad	9.5%		71
Not bad at all	7.9%		59
Undecided	4.9%		37
	100.1%		750

[ More Opinion Polls · Return to Forum ]

[jazusamo]

It never ceases to amaze how our Congress can draw things out for months that mean practically nothing.

Something comes along as important as this is and they blow their minds and won't even let the process take place that they enacted the laws to govern that process.

This whole process was controlled by emotion and the desire to be reelected.

[Rokke]

"UGLY politics and the GOP willingly assisted MSM and democrats."

When your ally is the media, you are on the wrong side.

[HarmlessLovableFuzzball]

I was with Rush from the beginning. I wasn't for or against it at the time, just that we didn't need to get caught up in the political Tsunami that was sweeping the nation, but stop and think what the deal was about.

[BigSkyFreeper]

Congress and those people who went through these last 3 weeks in a state of mass paranoia and hysteria ought to be ashamed.

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

One of the worst parts of all of this is that the MSM got a victory after years of trying to set the agenda by leftist spin and reporting half truths as facts. The UAE had little hope of the truth getting out and fair treatment in this whole affair.

This proves that the MSM isn't as sick as we thought it was, a danger for all Americans.