Reply #17: I agree, in part, with what you've said too. [View All]

[Wordie]

The lobbying firms on K street are working over time, right now, on this issue. The Administration staff is working overtime, right now, on this issue.
It is really important for us to really understand the facts concerning this deal, no matter who is lobbying for what.

You see, critical thinking on this issue is a must. And I think that the given situation should be thought through very seriously. It is that important.

For me though, the issue is truly security and the best for our country. And on the face of it, there are serious issues having any foreign country own our ports, regardless of who owns them now or past procedure.

I agree with your point about critical thinking too, and so offer this link to another thread, that points out that the deal is not for "ownership" at all; it doesn't involve security; and there will be no effect on US jobs or unions: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x493956
It seems to me to be crucially important that we understand the actual facts of the deal - its details and scope - before making judgements about it. And we need to do that also, in terms of understanding what the UAE is really all about. There's a lot of emotional misinformation floating around out there.

I also agree that it complex and is not as simple as racism, or anti-arabic, or some of the other silly explanations that I have heard.

I would completely agree that it's not as simple as racism or anti-arabism, but do point out that that very clearly is what is driving some of the opposition. That doesn't in any way mean that all opposition is automatically racist or anti-arabist, but I have noticed that some who clearly are Islamophobic, for instance, are milking the general concerns over this deal for all they're worth. Michael Ledeen is a good example. We need to carefully analyze the info we receive for possible biases, and take a sceptical approach to much of it.

This should be a honest discussion in this country of where we are going and how we are going to get there.

And that, I agree wholeheartedly with. Although I've come out strongly against a rush to judgement against the UAE, I still am not certain of where I stand on this deal itself. The reason, I think, is that so much more factual information and reasoned discussion seems to be required before I can truly understand all the ramifications of the deal.