[FreedomNeocon]

I was saying this all week to other FReepers who were saying things like "Why even take a chance with arabs renting a terminal".

I said, why are you so quick to make enemies out of every arab nation. To tell them it is USELESS to even try to ally with us because you are screwed anyway because you are "a-rab".

I asked, "Don't you think that is MORE dangerous to National security?" and they acted like it was some stupid question. They asked "who is saying we want to make them all our enemies?" and "if you can't quote it, then its just your spin".

It will be VERY sad if we make a few more MILLION enemies just because some people can't get over their personal issues with "a-rabs" or "Muslims" and would ignore every other aspect of the UAE history, the security checks it has already gone through, or various "pros/cons"... blinded to everythig else, just because of some (sometimes understandable, and hopefully temporary) psychological dysfunction.

[Bahbah]

It will be VERY sad if we make a few more MILLION enemies just because some people can't get over their personal issues with "a-rabs" or "Muslims

And how amazing is it that it is by and large dems who have come out screaming about this.

[PrinceOfCups]

The problem is that most folks back in the good ole USA don't realize that the Arab population is diverse---and there are REGIONAL politics involved. Shiite Iran is just a stones throw away from the UAE. That is not a comforting feeling for the locals, especially with nukes on the way. The UAE favors Yankee business and goes out of it's way to give the BIG contracts to American businesses. But if they see that their strategic alliance with the USA is not on sound ground, they will look elsewhere for their security needs. BTW, the UAE is Sunni, but UAE Sunnis are NOT Saudi Sunnis. The point: even the religious sects are not monolithic. The folks back home (including our Republican Congress folk) have MUCH to learn about the politics in the Middle East.

[Charlotte Corday]

just because some people can't get over their personal issues with "a-rabs"

I will immediately get over my "personal issues" with any "a-rab" government which officially
(1) recognizes Israel's right to exist as a Jewish State and
(2) freely permits the preactice of all other religions within its borders.
That's all it takes. "A-rab" ethnicity has zip to do with it.