[beyond the sea]

This whole thing is a teapot tempest, in my opinion. Saudis, Chinese, Taiwanese, Canadians, Kuwaitis, Malays, Germans, Brits, South Africans, Brazillians, Greeks and others have run port operations here for DECADES, as we run port ops overseas..... AND, This nation is an ALLY, and arguably the most WESTERN of Middle-east Muslim countruies!! This is a knee-jerk reaction, and the more FACTS I learn, the more I can't see where the outrage is from, other than an attempt to hurt Bush......

I tend to agree.

[eastforker]

The only thing I can figure is that some deal was struck with the UAE for us to use it as an operating base in case Iran tries to shut down the staights of Hormuz. Those straights are 800 miles from baghdad but the UAE sits right on it. Close enough to use attack helicopters along the southern Iranian coast if need be.