Dubai threat to hit back (UAE Threatens Against Boeing and US Bases Support)

The Hill.com ^ | March 9, 2006 | Roxana Tiron

[wmfights]

"Clueless. It is the president who has tried to make Americans appear just a tad more open minded than most people actually are."
_____________________________________

We have ample reason to fear the muslims. However, that being said unless we are prepared to commit genocide and kill every single muslim in the world we are going to need a way to bring them out of the dark ages. I can't think of a better way than doing business with them and bringing them the benefits of modernity. Eventually a society that enjoys the benefits of a civilized, modern society will become peaceful.

[RightWhale]

Good one

[Peach]

Our military will be kicked out of countries that have previously supported us. Look at how much money the taxpayer will save!

Uh, quite the opposite.

[Flux Capacitor]

I've been keeping an eye on this FR poll that the pro-porters were crowing about not so long ago.

It appears that composite support for this deal is no longer a majority. Member support, in the high 50s a couple of weeks ago, is now 50.6% and sinking fast.

Rasmussen took another poll and found national support still below 20%.

Love it.

I also love watching so many people who up to now have claimed to be "Reagan conservatives" proudly blowing off Ronald Reagan's fundamental faith and belief in the wisdom of the American people.

-Dan

[justshutupandtakeit]

It is "vindictive" to respond when the Party of Treason dupes the gullible and clueless into pissing on your head and you remind them of the consequences? In what world?

[MikefromOhio]

LOL

listen to yourself.

Since when have the Democrats ever given a damn about the security of the US?

Never.

You are only setting yourself up for the fall.

I think I will enjoy this from now on. No more posts to you people.

[.cnI redruM]

>>>>so maybe these individuals aren't the right wing anymore.


A lot of them never were. When you stop and look at how disgusting the Dems have really become, it doesn't shock me that a lot of people who are basically liberal vote GOP (maybe 10-15% of what should be a Dem's natural base.)

[cookcounty]

" Businesses in free countries don't operate by making threats to withdraw support for the U.S. war on terror and to evicting the U.S. navy from their ports"

You need to get the bigger picture, namely Finlandization.

Finland, despite it's being democratic, groveled before the Soviet Union, giving them evrything they wanted, because the Finns were a tiny country of 4 million on a vulnerable border with the Soviet Union. Dubai (much smaller than Finland) is sandwiched between Saudi and Iran. They have reached out to us at great risk, and now we appear to be determined to humiliate them by telling them they are not "normal" people. Not smart.

[Sweetjustusnow]

"....say that the same family that has made the UAE safe for us may not have a partial ownership in a multinational because they are essentially Osama-style raghead terrorists."

Excuse me, but it is our own military that keeps THEM safe, not the other way around and as far as being "essentially Osama-style raghead terrorists", that's the only thing that is dead on accurate that you've said.

[george wythe]

And if the "Royals" in Dubai are truly as peeved as reported, just how important IS it to them financially, strategically, or any other way to keep this deal?

An Arab royal family goes against its own popular opinion in order to help us in the War on Terror, and then, we turn around and spit on the family. It's not a good way to make friends and influence people.

It's not like the port of Miami or Philadelphia is going to be overrun by Arabs, displacing the current workers. This deal is just a business transaction at high managerial level, and it has limited effect on the composition of most of the work force.

By the way, "creative isolationism" is not our policy. As a matter of fact, Dubai has gotten closer to the US after 9/11. Additionally, we invaded Iraq in order to create a model friendly government, not to isolate the Arabs.

[clawrence3]

There were a lot of you back when this story broke saying my scenario for a massive global trade war was ludicrous - not sure if you specifically - so, let me just ask you straight up: now that this looks more possible, are you O.K. with a massive global trade war over the transfer of a small fraction of port terminal operations from one foreign company to another?

[hedgetrimmer]

They are an ally!

so we should just hand over the ports?

"The notion of total national security is now a myth. Total security and total defense in the age of globalization are not attainable. The real issue is: with how much insecurity can America live while promoting its interests in an increasingly interactive, interdependent world?"--Zbigniew Brzezinski

[MizSterious]

Yes, you remind me of the geniuses who, just yesterday, said there would be no repercussions. Well, there are. When you welch on a deal, other businesses (and countries) take note and often don't want to do business with you.

[stuartcr]

???

[justshutupandtakeit]

Theirs is NOT full of terrorists that is a LIE.

[Peach]

EXACTLY!

And, as Tommy Franks and numerous military officers have said, the UAE has cooperated in every way we've asked them and provided more intel than we had a right to expect.

[yellowdoghunter]

Ronald Reagan's fundamental faith and belief in the wisdom of the American people.

True, which is why, in the end, the right thing is usually done. Thanks for reminding us.

[sam_paine]

It seems to me this is a win/win for the Democrats. They get to damage the economy, alienate an ally in the war on terror, and make Bush look bad, all while posturing as defenders of our national security. What a coup, and credit must be given to their useful idiots on the Republican side who went along.

Amen.

[PrinceOfCups]

..Humiliating an Arab who has befriended you at considerable risk is idiotic...

It's takes years to build relationships in the Middle East because the culture is risk-averse. Consensuses must be achieved to create a risk-sharing environment among the tribal/family parties. The current stupidity going on in Congress is going to set back USA business interests in the Region for a long time. Watch the money begin to flow back to Europe.

[MizSterious]

This is not "blackmail." It's simpley "Well, if you don't think we're worthy of doing business in YOUR country, you can get the heck out of OURS."