This was a windfall for all American socialists and great ammunition for the Beast herself.
Posted on 03/12/2006 2:59:23 AM PST by PrinceOfCups
DP World will not manage six ports in the US as initially agreed, but the aborted deal has achieved for Dubai an outstanding triumph by any yardstick.
First, and as Ghassan Tahboub, media manager in the executive office of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, said, it is an invaluable lesson. "It was an exercise you have to live with, win and then learn from. This was America. There are lobbies, politics and interest groups, and Dubai found itself in the middle of a jungle. In the end I have to thank everybody there for this lesson," he said.
Then, Dubai has gained the greatest international publicity possible and people anywhere can now name the emirate that has laid bare an obstinate mindset of racial discrimination and ethnic prejudice that no public relations gloss will ever cover.
It has also shown beyond any doubt that its amazing success story has never been a cheat and that the geographically small emirate could now compete with the most advanced economies of the world.
Cairo in the 1950s and Beirut in the 1960s succeeded to define trends, but it was mainly on political issues. Dubai in the 2000s thanks to its pro-globalisation trends is showing values that promote success and prowesses that indicate leadership and triumph.
Dubai has demonstrated that while it is moving vibrantly ahead with globalisation, other countries that have always championed free trade are now shackled by a xenophobic tsunami and are likely to feed a global backlash against globalisation.
It has shown the world that the US economic anxieties are being senselessly fuelled by nationalist sentiments that seem to be inexorably on the rise.
The port deal debacle has also proven that Dubai possesses a broader mind than the US when it comes to welcoming and promoting investments and that its openness is genuine and not decided by race or creed.
Last week, US Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez told Gulf News in Manama that the decision against DP World was not racially motivated. Either he was not aware of the strong anti-Arab powers within his own country or he did not wish to hurt our feelings.
Either way, the truth is here for everyone to see and contemplate: Dubai is an economic power that is re-writing books and all those who opposed the port deal should think in that direction and should appreciate that it too can cancel deals.
US economists were quick to bandwagon the belief that the flap over the ports acquisition is unlikely to make a consequential dent in foreign investment flows into their country. But Arab analysts predict that this unwarranted hostility will certainly affect Arab investments in the US and will make US assets less attractive to Arab buyers.
Economically, DP World's takeover was never a special case: a state-owned company from the Middle East is buying an American asset already managed by a non-American entity. Suddenly, ethnicity, tainted by hostility and envy, and not a proven success record, became the guidelines to assess the deal.
America has always been comfortable with most multinationals that invested in the United States because they came from Western countries and are unlikely to be subject to such scrutiny. However, the United States is obviously becoming a less welcoming place for investment from Arab countries.
The port deal opponents should appreciate that their public statements might secure them some political benefits, but will most certainly have grave economic consequences.
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
@@@@@
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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