I just think people are building up UAE to be indispensible, and they're simply not. Regardless of our presence there, terrorists still ram rubber boats into tankers, Iran still gets its bomb, mosques will get blown up in Baghdad, and Saudi money will continue to bankroll wahabbism. If there's one good think about this situation, it's going to disprove the notion that we need countries like UAE more than they need us. Take a look at the hundreds of buildings being built in Dubai, and all those cranes will come down if they decided to end their business relationship with the U.S. and kick out the military.
We may need each other equally, but UAE can't walk away from whatever ties they have with us, regardless of the port deal.
You said -- "I just think people are building up UAE to be indispensible, and they're simply not."
Well, maybe not indispensible -- but important.
When you design a plan that you want to carry out, and something throws a monkey-wrench into it, then it's troublesome. And many times it takes much more effort, time and money to compensate for the change in plans.
I would look at it that way. We might be able to get along without the UAE, but then it's going to be troublesome, take more effort, time and money -- to compensate for their loss in the grand plan or scheme (as it pertains to this "war on terror").
Sometimes it's a lot better to give on some smaller things in the beginning, than to go far down the wrong path and try and dig your way out -- later on.
That's how I would see it.
In any case, I think this port deal political hot potato is going to die off slowly now -- with the UAE saying that they're going to sell to an American interest. That's diffused everything, almost immediately.
Regards,
Star Traveler
Please stop with the LIES. There have been no boats rammed into tankers in the UAE.
Of course without LIES the antis will have nothing to say but the silence will be sweet.