Replies

"It's still a "rogue" Muslim "Las Vegas" as in the Star Wars bar scene where behind glitter and glamor, the rats plot, plan, and play."

Your Star Wars analogy is entirely appropriate and exactly how I described it to my wife. I have never been in a more internationally diverse country in my life. Sit down in a local restaurant and you'd swear you were in some cheesy UN advertisement. Every single person seemed to be wearing styles of clothes representative of a different country. There was even a guy wearing what looked like a Cossack outfit complete with a black sheepskin hat.

"It's still Islamic, and Dubaians still abide in the Koran, right?"

Not only that, it is also Arab. But it is an Arab and Islamic success story. If we have any hope at all of the Middle East moving beyond an Islamic cesspool of poverty and terrorist incubation, it is countries like the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar and more and more Kuwait that will have to lead the pack. There are lightyear's of difference between Islamic countries like Syria and Saudi Arabia, and the UAE and Bahrain. It is very difficult to tell the difference between downtown Dubai and downtown Singapore or even Tokyo. The UAE represents the next wave in cultural development in the Middle East. They have moved beyond an oil based economy and are looking toward the future. And its working.

"Is there evidence the UAE has supported terrorism? Al Qaeda?" etc.

If there is, I'm not aware of any after 2001, and it is certainly overwhelmed by incredible support they've provided us in the War on terror. Remember that the Al Qaeda propaganda involving the UAE that is being circulated by the media is actually an ultimatum from Al Qaeda to the UAE demanding they stop cooperating with the US in the War on Terror.

"Been involved in international money laundering, and third-party arms trading?"

No more so than most European nations.

"Does not recognize Israel as a sovereign nation?"

That has never stopped us from having diplomatic or economic ties with any other nation. Why should it now?

"Your Star Wars analogy is entirely appropriate and exactly how I described it to my wife. I have never been in a more internationally diverse country in my life. Sit down in a local restaurant and you'd swear you were in some cheesy UN advertisement. Every single person seemed to be wearing styles of clothes representative of a different country. There was even a guy wearing what looked like a Cossack outfit complete with a black sheepskin hat."

Lol, unbelievable, eh?

Thanks for an informative, honest, and sane response.

In a recent conversation with a friend, he was quite livid over the fact that W "did not know" about the port deal until late in the game. His belief is that it was a fault of his administration not being on the "up and up" with him and specifically he targeted Cheney as a culprit.

I voiced my disagreement with his assessment and offered to him the proposition that all deals don't originate in the mind of George Bush and that when he learns of things will depend on specific circumstances.

Incidentally, he was not opposed to the port deal per se but the fact that president seemed uninformed of something so vitally important.

What's your take??