It's refreshing to hear someone say that. It should be an obvious point, but a lot of people I've argued with over the ports try to put the UAE on the same level as Great Britain. Obviously, it's possible to make an argument for the deal that doesn't resort to silliness or venom.
And the rejection of this deal tells the UAE we consider them below the level of China and Saudi Arabia, two other countries that currently operate terminal facilities in the U.S.
The UAE has to be wondering "why us"? It would be one thing if we had a history of excluded all other countries from running terminals, or even if we limited it to formal western allies. But we don't. I can't recall us ever rejecting another nation. The UAE is the first.
That's what being an ally got them.
"It's refreshing to hear someone say that. It should be an obvious point, but a lot of people I've argued with over the ports try to put the UAE on the same level as Great Britain. Obviously, it's possible to make an argument for the deal that doesn't resort to silliness or venom."
In a perfect world, these debates would be like brothers fighting over something, always in the context that at the end of the fight they are still brothers.