If it fractures our diplomatic relationship with the UAE it could very well hurt our ability to project our forces into the ME as well as our ability to gather intel there.
Sleep tight
And that's it in a nutshell. That's what all the "War on Islam" folks just don't get. Heaven forbid we actually have a bit of strategy. Heaven forbid we actually try to use the Middle East against itself.
This whole thing makes me sick. I thought at least on FR there'd be more rationale than in the general public. I guess when it comes to hysterics, everyone is susceptible, even the "intellectuals".
Let's get real, these "allies" of ours in the ME aren't really friends, we're allies because we need each other, even though we hate each other's guts.
The government of the UAE may well not harbor nasty intentions towards us, but that isn't the point at all, and it's amazing how many people stubbornly don't get it.