Posted on 02/25/2006 3:00:55 AM PST by Cannoneer No. 4
February 24, 2006: The recent controversy over the acquisition of the British firm Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company, by Dubai Ports World, a state-run company in the United Arab Emirates, has been largely a matter of heat opposed to light. This is largely because of a number of myths that have quickly circulated throughout the blogosphere. These myths have led to a lot of controversy that has cast one of the strongest American allies in the Persian Gulf in a poor light that is undeserved.
First, a look at the United Arab Emirates is in order. This is a country that has been a long-standing ally of the United States since 1971. The UAE was part of the coalition to liberate Kuwait in 1991, and also has supported the United States in the war on terror (including, among other things, providing access to a deep-water berth that can accommodate aircraft carriers, use of a training facility for air-to-air training facility, airfields, and logistics support). It is a country that has proven largely inhospitable to al-Qaeda (instead, the focus is on business), sent forces to Afghanistan to protect the construction of a hospital that they donated and built, and also has sent humanitarian assistance to Iraq while also providing a location for training Iraqi police. In 2002, the UAE also captured a major al-Qaeda figure, Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri, who was involved in the attack on the USS Cole in 2000, and handed him over to the United States despite threats from the terrorist organization. After Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans in 2005, the UAE donated $100 million for the relief efforts. Both Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and General Peter Pace have described the relationship the United States has with United Arab Emirates as "very close" and "superb". It would be interesting to know what sort of information Michelle Malkin has that would override the judgment of Rumsfeld and Pace. Her characterization of the United Arab Emirates as "demonstrably unreliable" is not just factually challenged, it is slap in the face to the strongest ally the United States has in the Persian Gulf.
One of the other things that has been ignored in the anti-UAE diatribes from Malkin is the fact that the United Arab Emirates is a Middle Eastern country where religious tolerance is the rule. The UAE's constitution guarantees freedom of religion (albeit it declares Islam as the official religion), and largely permits religious freedom. In 2003, the UAE shut down the Zayed Center for Coordination and Follow-up, which was publishing material that promoted anti-Semitism and Holocaust denial.
Second, nothing will really change at the ports, particularly with regards to security. Security will remain the province of the United States Coast Guard and the Department of Homeland Security. In another fact ignored by the scare campaign, the UAE has the only port in the Middle East that is part of the Container Security Initiative. Dubai Ports World has also agreed to mandatory participation in other programs to improve security and to prevent the illegal shipment of nuclear materials, and will also provide documents on internal operations on demand and has agreed to cooperate in future investigations. The deal was also scrutinized by the intelligence community, which found no problems. The only thing that changes hands is who owns the company that will handle the day-to-day operations (often performed by American longshoremen – usually unionized). Dubai Ports World also bought out the port operations of CSX in 2004 – with no real issues.
Third, several claims have been made regarding connections to 9/11, specifically the fact that two of the hijackers were from the UAE. First, none of the critics have any proof that either the government of the UAE or Dubai Ports World was involved in the attack. By the standard of these critics, the United Kingdom would be held responsible for Richard Reid, or Germany would be responsible for the Hamburg cell that planned the attack. Second, the United Arab Emirates have stepped up efforts to make money laundering less easy after Dubai was used as a financial conduit for the attacks (again, there is no proof that the UAE or DPW were active participants in the laundering). It should also be noted that at least two Americans have worked with al-Qaeda (Johnny Walker Lindh and Jose Padilla) as well.
The last thing to consider is that in the day and age of the Internet, this debate is not staying inside the United States. Past irresponsible comments (like those by Senator Richard Durbin concerning Guantanamo Bay) have spread across the world very quickly. The scurrilous comments directed at the United Arab Emirates by Michelle Malkin have the potential to assist al-Qaeda recruiting in that country, and thus do more damage than the port deal would have done.
Really? Is that the truth? Well let's see here, UAE was one of only THREE countries in the ENTIRE world to recognize the TALIBAN as the legitimate government of Afghanistan. I think we all can see where their true loyalties lie, and it sure the heck isn't with the religious tolerance crowd!
We can do without these anti-truth diatribes from the Michelle Malkin basher Harold C. Hutchison.
Where will you move the goal posts after the UAE establishes diplomatic relations with Israel?
I hope the word in the UAE is that the hysteria is dying down in the States now that more people are aware that American real estate -as in ports - is not being sold to DPW.
Please keep us informed. It is great to have Freepers everywhere.
If the alliance with UAE goes bad///
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They will be operating under contracts with the local Port Authorities. Contracts must have clauses that will address "alliances going bad."
...even the President had no idea what was going on.
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about the decision of the SFIUS panel, because it is secret. He surely is aware of the considerable alliance that we have with the UAE in the present day. The harbor in Dubai is holding more of our ships than any other port in the world. The plan for shipping security begins abroad, not in our terminal, and they are helping in every way to keep all shipping secure.
But this need for Americans to "know" how our shipping is being protected, and demanding that chapter and verse be spelled out on the security measures in place, will give any opportunistic enemies more info than employees of this company would.
Stop being a smartazz.
I stated what was necessary- formal recognition of Israel and diplomatic relations.
No one here has given an adequate assurance about that or response to it.
i wasn't being sarcastic when i asked about your connections to dubai.
there are (or were) people in the bush admin who have/had connections with the chinese govt. the bush family has had long-standing business relationships with the saudis. (we have all criticized the clinton admin for this sort of stuff--i think we should ask questions if repubs are doing it also.) i will ask anybody who supports the infiltration of vulnerable parts of our infrastructure by questionable foreign governments what connections they have.
back to dubai: prior to 2001, dubai apparently aided al qaeda; they apparently still aid Hamas; both hamas and al qaeda have killed Americans. why should we let dubai run the ports?
That would be crazy. Fortunately we have no intention of allowing the to "run the ports"...but of course you already know that.
i'm not an isolationist. i generally support free trade. i just don't like any organization that supports hamas, whether it is some wealthy oil sheiks or the pcusa. we wouldn't turn the ports over to hamas, so why should we turn the ports over to an organization that supports hamas?
You asked about the teens I work with, and I have found something extremely encouraging about them: No matter what their cultural background they are very conservative when it comes to defense and the WOT. I do see plenty of liberalism in social issues but one area is particularly interesting, and that's abortion. I have been rolling along in a debate with a young liberal (in good humor, not knock-down, drag-out argument) and when I off-handedly mention that I'm sure they're pro-choice, I am usually interrupted and told either they are against abortion or are very troubled by it.
At the same time, some very liberal people who live in this very liberal part of the country--Boston--are waking up to the dangers of multiculti, because they see it in action. They're certainly not there yet in terms of this, but they aren't as sheeplike as the Kumabya Klan.
I enjoyed your post. Have a good one.
You stay up all night thinking of that one? Talk about a weak insult. Next you'll be saying "You belong on DU and you like Hillary!"
Silly.
i checked some middle eastern news sources, and they don't have any references to dubai denouncing hamas yet.
i think we might have to wait a little while before that happens.
and remember, the way things work in dubai seems to be a little different from the way things work in the US. i will try to find out if ISP's in dubai are allowed to host pro-israeli web sites. i suspect they can't.
how about ANY response to that?
According to GEN Franks, who has a helluva lot more credibility on this issue than Michele Malkin or anybody on this thread, the UAE's diplomatic relationship with the Taliban was useful to him at the start of OEF.
UAE was one of only THREE countries in the ENTIRE world to recognize the TALIBAN as the legitimate government of Afghanistan.
I see that talking point parroted like a mantra on thread after thread. Did Kos send you over here?
This should cause you some distress: the Unites States recognized Adolf Hitler as Chancellor of Germany and maintained diplomatic relations even after Germany invaded the Soviet Union.
You can do without what he has to say. Refute him if you can. Don't whine about it if you can't.
When your whole argument is based on lies and fear you try to avoid discussing the truth.
i keep getting criticized on these threads, but i am still waiting to hear what this dubai company will actually be doing.
and remember, dubai, which owns this company, supported al qaeda, the talaban, and hamas.
i might let them run macdonalds or petco.
keep going.
i'm sure you are winning the debate!
Do you know?
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