[Petronski]

You make a fundamental mistake when you equate port safety of Yemen with UAE.

Cole was taking supplies portside because that's how the Clinton administration wanted it. That came from the Oval, not the Pentagon. It was an effort to have a presence in port, to be some kind of good will gesture...suicidally foolish.

[cva66snipe]

You make a fundamental mistake when you equate port safety of Yemen with UAE. Cole was taking supplies portside because that's how the Clinton administration wanted it. That came from the Oval, not the Pentagon. It was an effort to have a presence in port, to be some kind of good will gesture...suicidally foolish.

The decision to use that port came from FLAG. Some of whom worked under Poppy Bush as well. Ironically though the reason for the Navy using that port was much like the one in the UAE. http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ship/docs/man-sh-ddg51-001025zd.htm Granted the State Department IMO has no business getting involved with military issues such as this. They were trying to use the Navy as a Diplomatic tool and it failed just as it can at any second in the UAE.