Posted on 03/12/2006 2:59:23 AM PST by PrinceOfCups
Best check that out.
Whatever his blogging skills, you still must reconcile the points he makes (and very cogent points, at that)
Has Dubai ever done a full page ad denouncing terrorism, and stated that they believe Israel has a right to exist?
Are you telling me you are unaware of the visa requirents for dubai? Please, allow me to enlighten you.
"The three entry requirements of obtaining a visa in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and its seven emirates (Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah, and Fujairah) are that you are not a citizen of Israel, that your passport doesn't contain Israeli stamps, and that your passport is valid for at least 6 months before your arrival. Information about the various UAE visa categories are explained in detail below."
You best check it out.
Just because there's a law, or a standard, doesn't mean it's enforced, or that it's enforced everywhere uniformly in the same country.
Dubai has a free-trade zones of note ~ I looked for the standards applicable there and didn't find any. What did you find?
" there is an honorable position within the conservative movement for the positions that GWB is taking"
Well, frankly, there is no honorable position a conservative can take on this ports deal - either pro or con, at least the way the deal unfolded.
If you are conservative and supported it:
* You implicitly support big government advocating for deals that ought to be left in the private sector
* By advocating early you appear to have little concern for security issues
If you are conservative and are against it:
* You are against the free-flow of capital
* You implicitly agree that Congress/gov't in general should have review powers over investments.
By reacting hysterically in putting the veto issue on the table so quickly, GWB made a significant tactical blunder which allowed the Democrats a win-win (from their point of view)
The real issue is how americans have the expectation that government should be involved in financial transactions - and that they are so ignorant of how a capitalist system works (or should work)
This was a demonstration of how ingrained socialism is within the average Americans thought process.
No, there was no good solid conservative position to be taken in this deal, once the veto was on the table.
The reaction has not been so much rage or anger but a sense of profound dissapointment. The places will be as friendly to westerners as ever I suspect. Unless congress does something stupid again. BTW thanks for serving
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I certainly hope so. Disappointment is my major emotion over this deal, too. The sheer vapidity of our congressmen has really brought me down.
Correct. I would not sell Dubai/UAE a nuclear enhancing centrifige, or sensitive encryption software used in communications and weaponry.
Now would I sell them a company whereby they control which ships harbor (and when) at US ports, not to mention the other valuable insights such a deal would give them about Philly, NY, Miami, Newark, etc.
I am a newspaper reporter and I am constantly writing stories about refugees jumping off of cargo ships coming up the Delaware River to deliver products.
Yes it could happen to any ship, but why increase the odds by facilitating commerce fully controlled by a Muslim government.
Good point.
But you must also realize that if not for the billions of US dollars going to the Dubai/UAE monarchy each day, they would likely run back to their Christian-Judeo hating friends.
Money is a very powerful incentive to "friendship". And consider that Dubai is addicted to our dollars just as much as we are addicted to their oil.
If the dollars were suddenly cut off, they'd go into withdrawal, and it wouldn't be pretty.
Why would you spout such untruths. Just what dollars does the US give to UAE. We lease port terminals for the Navy from them. We do about 10 billion in trade which is a wash. We do not get oil from the UAE they are not allowed to dock in our ports. Remember In addition oil is but a small part of their economy. Trade is their prevailing economy. Just what dollars are you going to cut off. You are going to pull the US navy out of their ports? Since the US fit they have already said they are going to start restricting some US navel access. If you pulled the whole US Navy the British would be there in a fore night.
It is the opposite, the UAE has given over 2 trillion dollars in contracts to 500 different American companies in the last 5 years and brought up your debt. Two trillion dollars is not small change even for the US. These contracts are not exclusive, they could just as well have gone to Britain or Europe. Even now US business is extremely worried while politics remain ignorant. The simple act of not renewing the contracts would send the stock market in the toilet and wipe out a large portion of American wealth. Dubai is a far modern city than any in the US and many US and British citizens are moving there.
You are not the bully you think you are!! The UAE does not need your dollars, they need a place to spend their dollars and you are not exclusive. They do not need a Army, Navy, terrorists, Islam, or any such to promote our downfall. They only need to; one, have nothing to do with us and two, spend their dollars elsewhere. The port deal has made that possible and it seems we wish our own misfortune. Twenty years ago the US owned 75% of the wealth in the world, today it is less than 50% and the projection is that in another twenty years it will be less than 24%. Let politics keep refusing trade and our prospects will be even less bright. Christian-Judeo hating friends or Islam hating friends need not be a factor. They are both fanatics.
bayourant is a leftist? I believe his position, if I may speak for you, bayourant, puts him squarely in support of the president. No?
This was a windfall for all American socialists and great ammunition for the Beast herself.
"Foreigners" with millions of dollars to spend, dontcha mean?
You can't take a country that's barely out of the early bronze age and turn it into a modern, 21st century state without importing skilled folks.
A office of Israel in Dubai?. Its already there. Payments go both ways, they are partners, what about the substantial $$ payments DP makes to ZIM. I didn't know Israel was involved in the port deal but you would make it so. You would govern me and others only on your religious beliefs, No Thanks
Considering it would be about 20 times their annual GDP of a little over $100 billion and 200 times their reported trade with the US of about $10 billion, indeed, it's not small change for the UAE. Or, at 1 1/2 years our annual exports, not small change for the US either.
Forgot to mention that $2 trillion is virtually all of our foreign held debt, and over half our publicly held debt. If true, they own us already.
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