Dubai has triumphed

Gulf News ^ | March 12, 2006 | Habib Toumi

[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.

[Lazamataz]

At least you were honest enough not to deny that you are a paid poster for the GOP.

I'll give you a tip of the hat for that.

[SJackson]

Yes, I know. Israel has been talking to the UAE for several years. You said

A office of Israel in Dubai?. Its already there.

Maybe one day it will be.

[jec41]

A fast-developing region with a total population of 350 million, the Middle East and northern Africa are emerging markets with expenditure on healthcare predicted to rise to new heights in the next three years. (includes Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Yemen). The new Esco representative office serves as a local contact point for all sales and technical enquiries and is located in Dubai, the Middle East's economic hub, to facilitate the establishment of a regional support system.

[MamaB]

I would sign, too.

[Cecily]

I guess I as a non-Jewish American can't visit the Emirates, because I have Israeli stamps in my passport. Oh well, so much for the openness and broad mindedness of Dubai.

[jec41]

I think two trillion dollars in contracts is an exaggeration. The implication that they buy 2 trillion in debt is wrong, as is, to my knowledge, the presence of a presence of the Government of Israel in the UAE. Exaggerations don't help make either case.

I did not not make such a implication . I said they brought US debt. You said tw trillin in debt. You implied that to support your thought. I said two trillion in contracts, and that they do. One construction project is over a trillion alone. The man made islands off UAE. Some of those contracts are as long as 10-50 years. The total of all UAE citizens are only 860 thousand. Only 20% work They are all wealthy. Almost the total contruction and operation of UAE is mostly contracted to other business in other countries. US businesss has many of the largest contracts but not all. In all 500 American companies have contracts in the UAE.

[Louis Foxwell]

I understand that you see everything through your perspective, but considering that an unheard of 60-80 percent of the American public hated this deal, do you really think Prez GWB and the GOP are gonna gain?

____________________________

As I said in my post, GWB gets no credit for this one. The American people, however, will come to understand that this was a put-up job. Terminal management has nothing to do with security. It is a private sector activity involving the movement of cargo. Security is provided outside this activity by a variety of government agencies including Port Authority, Customs, FBI, Homeland Security and others. The Federal government is constitutionally charged with direct responsibility for port security, not terminal activity.
DP is directly responsible for a substantial portion of the US Naval Fleet's terminal interface overseas. They are a legitimate and sophisticated terminal management business. This will become clear once the dust settles.
The Democrats and certain Republican cowards have sacrificed long term interests for short term gain. Our president is, thankfully, unwilling to make such bargains with the devil.

[jellybean]

no one with an Israeli passport or a passport that dares to bare an Israeli stamp on it can step foot upon the shores of his terrorist haven. (not that any of right mind would want to)

You have no idea what you're talking about:

Yediot Ahronot: Trade-diplomatic Israeli representation in Dubai
United Arab Emirates-Israel, Politics, 9/3/2005

The Israeli flag is hoisted in Dubai
United Arab Emirates-Israel, Politics, 9/17/2003

UAE closes Zayed center because it promotes anti Semitism
United Arab Emirates-Israel, Politics, 8/18/2003

Telephone lines opened between the UAE, Israel
United Arab Emirates-Israel, Politics, 9/20/2003

Note the dates on all those articles are well before the current hysteria surrounding this deal.

[Cecily]

He doesn't know what he is talking about? I just copies this from www.emirates.org:

"Visa Requirements
The requirements of obtaining a tourism visa to 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, and that your passport is valid for at least 6 months before your arrival. Below is a list of tourism visas that travellers can obtain in order to enter the UAE."

Well, maybe I can visit since the part about having Israeli stamps in the passport is gone.

[Huck]

Soooo...how much are they paying you?

Well, I just left corporate, but up until that point, M-F, I was making good money here. But I wasn't technically paid to be here. I had other work I was supposedly doing. I was making good money to hang out here.

You are the one standing with the chicken little GOP'ers.

Since when? I don't think I've ever been happier or more optimistic than I am right now. I was mostly ambivelant about this issue. I thought we would have more time to learn more about it. But it looks like it'll work out. Not the end of the world. Now why don't you quit with the attempts to insult and make your points if you have any?

[Huck]

Sorry, forgot this part:

Now why don't you quit with the attempts to insult and make your points if you have any?

I was responding directly to Laz, and only Laz, who first brought up the subject of someone here being on the payroll. I responded to him. Anyone else who got involved in the conversation, butted in, and could just as easily butt out. How do you like me now?

[TexKat]

Its the truth. The UAE was very graceful in how they withdrew not to cause our relationship or our President any more trouble.

Yesm I'm sure that was right up there at the top of their list. (sarcasm off)

[bayourant]

Well that whats the news reports quoting all the Govt sources have been saying

[daybreakcoming]

How do you like me now?

LOL " Now that you're on your way"? Even better! :o)

Would you mind sending me a copy of the memo that Mr Jim sent out stating that private conversations could take place on the forum without others "butting in"? Maybe you should use FReepmail from here on if you feel your privacy/space might be invaded by buttinskys.

[TexKat]

Israel talks to UAE

Last Updated: 21/06/2004

Do you have anything current?

[Huck]

It's not a rule, and it's no skin off my nose. It just strikes me as odd that someone would butt into a conversation, apparantly without bothering to see where it started, only to be a nuisance. What's the point?

[Cecily]

Check out this current one.

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1139395517776&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

[eeevil conservative]

bookmark

[airborne]

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.

Not if you're selling nuclear triggers to Iran.

Some things are more important than a profit.

[airborne]

Change "selling" to "shipping"