Posted on 03/09/2006 5:31:15 PM PST by jmc1969
Gen. John Abizaid, the top U.S. commander in the Middle East, took an unusual step for a military leader Thursday, criticizing opposition to the attempted purchase of some U.S. port operations by a Dubai-owned company, calling it "Arab and Muslim bashing."
Abizaid, a grandson of Lebanese immigrants, and other military officials were asked about DP World's withdrawal from the deal as they left a briefing of lawmakers on Capitol Hill.
He said the United Arab Emirates, of which Dubai is a part, is vital to the military's stake in the Persian Gulf region. The Navy heavily uses the port there.
"I am very dismayed by the emotional responses that some people have put on the table here in the United States that really comes down to Arab and Muslim bashing that was totally unnecessary," Abizaid, who just returned from Iraq for meetings in Washington, told reporters.
Abizaid speaks fluent Arabic and holds a masters degree in Middle East studies from Harvard. He is commander of the U.S. Central Command, which includes Iraq.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
Most don't know the deal has nothing to do with selling ports.
Yeah, discussion will continue and maybe somebody will write a book. In the meantime this appears to be done. What's next on the agenda?
The ones shouting the loudest against the deal sure know.
Willful ignorance, if you ask me.
A final solution to Wahhabism and Sharia Law governments.
Well, we'll have to wait to see what the MSM, the liberals, or the Unappeasables right here at FR come up with.
Shouldn't be too long.
State Dept. trashes UAE rights record
WASHINGTON - The State Department's human rights report ripping the United Arab Emirates landed with near-perfect bad timing for the White House yesterday in the middle of the ports sale debate.
Rep. Peter King (R-L.I.), who raised the initial alarms that have now been taken up by the GOP House leadership, said the report knocked down the White House's argument that the UAE was a reform-minded nation.
"This shows that they're a very regressive, very oppressive, nondemocratic regime," King said.
The section on the UAE in the State Department's annual survey of human rights worldwide cited UAE abuses ranging from the flogging of prisoners to international trafficking in prostitutes and in young boys used as jockeys in camel races. The report also charged, "There are no democratically elected institutions or political parties. There are no general elections."
published on March 9, 2006
The cooperation is based upon us not telling them that just because their country's name has the word "Arab" in it we won't let one of the companies they own a large share in run stevadore services on a few terminals, despite their having let us put our customs agents in their ports, and otherwise cooperated with us.
Gee ... could the AP be any more obvious with this article?
Right. Let's do an across the board banishment of ME airlines. These Freepers against this port deal are against foreign investment and for "neo-protectionism", they're just afraid to admit it.
No. it means that he is going to give them a taste of what we are getting from the UAE, and what we will lose if the Congress doesn't knock off the demogoguery games THEY are playing.
Buchananism is still alive and well.
Please count me in.
I work at CENTCOM HQ. The UAE has helped us out in many ways - primarily behind the scenes on classified matters. Our ports would be no more/less secure had the deal gone through. In fact, our ports are relatively secure. There are those who know that such information is classified and that we can't give specifics and take advantage of it.
Yep .. I was one that wanted to learn more .. but Congress with their closed minds shut the process down
You know i disagree with you that they dont admit itlol. I was shocked how many people come out and basically say they are anti free trade
Name a port China operates. I'll give you a hint, it's not Long Beach.
THe East and West entrances to the Panama Canal.
Just a bit of my ignorance. They recognized the taliban. They don't recognize Israel. They fund hamas. They launder money for terrorist organizations. They are cozy with iran. They facilitated nuclear proliferation to iran.
Yep. DPW didn't want to meddle with the unions, they never have, and I can understand why. Which is why the Longshoreman filed that lawsuit in NJ, at the graces of their goofy governor Corzine, and incompetant senator Menendez.
What. Your in military. You have no voice here. If you lived in the region then we def dont want to talk to you. The only people who are coorrct are the ones that the closest they ever got to the middle east is watching Charleston Heston in Moses each year around Easter
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