Look---this shakeup in the relationship is just one of a hundred pieces of fallout that started after 9-11 and will continue in some form for YEARS/ I understand who is playing this for politics, and WHY, but automatically going to Bush's side because the Dems and some Republicans are using the issue just leads to more of the usual partisan stasis. It gets us nowhere. This Ports deal may be the beginning of a disentangling process with these people , who, I would remind everyone, would not even EXIST as players on the world stage were it not for their good fortune to be sitting atop a precious natural resource/ And if the "Royals" in Dubai are truly as peeved as reported, just how important IS it to them financially, strategically, or any other way to keep this deal?
cAN'T THEY FIND SOME OTHER PORTS, OR SOMETHING ELSE TO DO WITH THEIR UNEARNED BILLIONS?
I hope this begins a process of let's call it "creative isolationism", but it will be a long , slow process.\\
I'm patient.
An Arab royal family goes against its own popular opinion in order to help us in the War on Terror, and then, we turn around and spit on the family. It's not a good way to make friends and influence people.
It's not like the port of Miami or Philadelphia is going to be overrun by Arabs, displacing the current workers. This deal is just a business transaction at high managerial level, and it has limited effect on the composition of most of the work force.
By the way, "creative isolationism" is not our policy. As a matter of fact, Dubai has gotten closer to the US after 9/11. Additionally, we invaded Iraq in order to create a model friendly government, not to isolate the Arabs.
Long Live Isolationism (Sarcasm beyond belief).