Posted on 02/26/2006 7:13:10 PM PST by A. Pole
Dubai Ports World is not a security threat. And the UAE is a friend.
The brouhaha surrounding the Bush administration since it gave the green light to a United Arab Emirates company slated to manage six major U.S. ports has nothing to do with homeland security. Allow me to give this episode its proper name: Islamophobia.
This UAE company - Dubai Ports World - is a commercial administrator. They are not a security company, and should the deal go through they will not be in charge of security at a half-dozen U.S. ports. That responsibility remains tight in the hands of our U.S. Coast Guard and Customs officials. Meanwhile, the same longshoremen and stevedores will be hauling containers. Moreover, the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (a multi-agency panel which includes seasoned representatives from the departments of Defense, Treasury, and Homeland Security) has vetted this deal and given it their seal of approval.
None of the eager critics of this business transaction can furnish a scintilla of evidence that the Bush administration hasn’t done its security due diligence on DP World. And so far, no one has proven that the security-vetting process of the executive branch is flawed. Instead, what we have here is a perfect storm of bi-partisan criticism based on a combination of nearsighted protectionism and xenophobic anti-Arab sentiment.
An amusing component of this flare-up is the sudden call to arms of the dovish Democrats. Aren’t many of these vocal critics the same folks who opposed the Patriot Act? Isn’t this the same posturing chorus that opposed NSA surveillance of al Qaeda phone calls? Didn’t these same folks want immediate withdrawal from Iraq? Why the sudden about face?
The entire case against the DP World deal is built on nonsense. The UAE is an American ally in an unsettled Middle East - and an important ally at that. They are exactly the kind of Arab country we need in our ongoing, critical mission in the region and the broader war effort. The UAE is not unlike our good friend Jordan, and is a whole lot better than Egypt and Saudi Arabia. The Wall Street Journal correctly pointed out this week that
"Critics also forget, or conveniently ignore, that the UAE government has been among the most helpful Arab countries in the war on terror. It was one of the first countries to join the U.S. container security initiative, which seeks to inspect cargo in foreign ports. The UAE has assisted in training security forces in Iraq, and at home it has worked hard to stem terrorist financing and WMD proliferation. UAE leaders are as much an al Qaeda target as Tony Blair."
Deputy Defense secretary Gordon England told a Senate panel that "The UAE today is a good friend and a good ally. They stand side by side with us in the war on terrorism." For the Pentagon, the UAE offers the region’s only deep-water port and dry-dock facility, large enough to take in aircraft carriers and nuclear subs. Two of its ports, including the DP World-administered Jebel Ali Port in Dubai, host more U.S. naval visits than any other facility outside the United States. The country also hosts major air bases for U.S. refueling and surveillance flights.
Additionally, UAE central bank officials have strengthened anti-money-laundering and terror-financing laws and have greatly increased oversight of their financial system. The UAE is also the only country in the Middle East that allows U.S. customs inspectors to check cargo headed to America.
Could Bush have done a better job in handling all of this? Sure. The president made some clear political marketing mistakes. In particular, he should have opened up the black-box of executive review and shared it with members of Congress. Transparency in government is always a good thing.
But in the end, America ought to honor its word. We have a duty to keep our promise to Dubai Ports and the UAE, a country that deserves the same fair treatment we give all our allies. There is no room for prejudice or bigotry here.
Make no mistake about it. What is going on right now on cable news channels, in the newspapers, and over the Internet is simple Islamophobia. The Democrats who are vocally against the deal are assuredly motivated by political gain. But Republicans should know better. If we’re to win the fight against the Islamofascists, a tiny minority of the Muslim community, we cannot afford to erect political, trade, or commercial barriers against those Arab nations who have aligned themselves with the U.S. in the terror war and who wish to do business with us as part of that alliance.
Repulsing them is just plain stupid. Tearing down barriers to promote global connectivity is a much better strategy wherever it makes national-security sense.
Dubai has offered their help. We should take it.
That's like saying "I don't trust Italians because of the Mafia. I don't trust Columbians because of Pablo Escobar. "
No it's not.
not quite the same
You are saying Islam or Muslims are the enemy. We are saying that terrorists who use Islam as a screen to commit mayhem are the enemy.
Questions number 3,4,5 are about the Bush Administration.
Only question #6 is about security so we will address that.
6)Any company in DPW's position would be able to compromise security in the following manners. A)Issuance of L-1 visas B) Knowledge of security protocols. C)Ability to alter shipping container info.
A) The UAE could get their brother Muslims brothers at the ports to get the visa's. B) For the UAE to pay 6.8 Billion to get protocols is ridiculous. The Saudis Know them and the Chicoms will trade them for oil. C) Explain how and why they would do this.
"not quite the same."
It is the same.
My biggest concern is for our nation here at home and our Navy. Parking ships where bin Laddens men can pop them with shoulder fired weapons is not smart. This isn't a What IF as it has "Done Happened" once over there. In 4 years we got to anchor in one foreign port and that was 1970's France. In todays terrorism climate throughout the world I would not moor a carrier or other deep draft ship in any foreign port.
The port deal doesn't make me near as angry as the shipyard deal does with them. That was way over the line and guess who's idea it was? Slick Willies! So what do you say now?
Admiral Hiram Rickover the father of the Nuclear Navy considered security and reliability so important that he himself personally choose each and every nuke officer in his day. I wish our current leaders had that mans and a few others common sense.
It would look like hell on earth.
terrorists who use Islam as a screen to commit mayhem are the enemy.
and a huge majority of the rest of them sit by silently and do nothing about it..and say nothing about it ...
And they allow us to use their ports -- for a fee.
Yes, we're allies, and maybe someday, friends. For now, friendship is too strong a word to describe the total relationship
And, there was a time when Italians were looked down upon because of the mafia. But no where near how muslims are looked down on for 911...not even close.
Someday the UAE might not be run by a sheik who likes us -- but they'll still have the ports...
It is FACTophobia. I swear, some people are just immune to information.
just cheer in the street when it happens.
Actually, I disagree. I read that the UAE has been one of our better allies in the GWOT. (Probably better than France, Germany, Russia combined from what I see.) I read that they have tried to control extremism in response to the fact that two hijackers were from the UAE. I also read that they will NOT be in control of the security on the ports.
All these things seem good to me. So what is the problem?.
I'm not sure that we can spread Democracy in the middle east, but I sure want to support moderate arab nations that seemingly support and share our goals.
Sorry, but this reminds me too much of the journalists at the Katrina aftermath jumping to conclusions before the facts are in. I haven't seen anything to suggest otherwise.
Let the flaming begin!
"These deluded worshipers of the pedophile priest have been the scourge of the Earth for nearly 1,500 years..."
WHO are you talking about?
Islam and Buddhism have been around only since the 7th Century, so they can't be it ....
What's your definition of moderate? The UAE supports Hamas -- do you consider that to be a moderate position. Because that strikes me as a little strange when we take to calling countries 'moderate' even though they support terrorist organizations.
You got to read the freakin Koran from the world it cam from. A very rough tribal place. Gosh have yall read the OT. Same thing except the Koran is made up and the bible is the word of God imho. But anywho same premise applies. Also deceit can be found in the Bible to win over an enemy. You see that in the OT book of JUdith. I could on and on and on. The key is to recognize that this Islamic Radicalism that you see in some places will too pass. We just have to outlast it before we blow ourselves up.
Ok, I suppose that sounds good.
...and I want to support those moderate arab nations by letting them manage our PORTS!
Ok, that doesn't sound so good anymore. Sorry.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.