NYT: Dubai Sees Bias Behind Storm

[sabra]

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/23/national/23dubai.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

Dubai Sees Bias Behind Storm

The debate over whether a state-owned company, Dubai Ports World, should take over management of port terminals in several major American cities is seen as a mixed blessing in Dubai, a city that has been trying to raise its profile on the world stage.

"Indirectly, this is a sign of success,' said Sulaiman Hatlan, editor in chief of Forbes Arabia and a prominent analyst in the city. "It means Dubai is now on the international stage. I was shocked that such a strong reaction occurred. But it's also a test of what the Americans have been teaching, preaching and promoting since 1992, globalization"

In rapidly growing, cosmopolitan Dubai, there is no getting past the sense that the heart of the issue is that it is an Arab city.

"The whole thing is racist," said an official of the United Arab Emirates who insisted on anonymity because he was not authorized to speak for attribution. "Just look at the words they used. 'They're giving it to an Arab.' "

[Erika]

1. Do they enslave boys? Are women treated as inferior?

Are they a democratic society? Someone needs them to answer these questions before we turn over one $ to them.

[GrumpyGreg]

21. What about China?

[nebula]

24. UAE makes China look like a champion of human rights in comparison

[Orrin_73]

28. Thats a big lie

There is absolutely no proof of that. The UAE is one of the wealthiest nations in the world. The UAE's per capita GDP is on par with those of leading West European nations. cia factbook UAE

[regnaD kciN]

29. You're correct, but...

...the "we hate Ay-rabs" club has already made up it's mind -- no use confusing them with the facts.

:eyes:

[saigon68]

34. The definition is do they wear diapers on their heads ?

Representative John Cooksey (R-LA) said on a Louisiana radio program, "Someone who comes that's got a diaper on his head and a fan belt wrapped around that diaper on his head, that guy needs to be pulled over."


link http://dc.indymedia.org/newswire/display/13036/index.php

[smtpgirl]

2. So are there any US

companies doing business as port managers in Mid East countries?

[Erika]

6. But we are an occupier of one country, Iraq

We manage their whole country. Does this matter?

[smtpgirl]

8. the US is an occupier of Iraq

by choice.

Many foreign countries will not let any nation own more than 49% of any company based in that nation

[smtpgirl]

12. say for instance

North Korea, China...?

[Erika]

15. W only occupies innocent countries he can bully

North Korea and China are countries he can't bully. N Korea is protected by China. We owe our soul to China with our national debt. W won't fight his banker.

[smtpgirl]

16. my point

so why do we bully nations like Iraq, Afganistan...again (1980's) that is why we did not go to the summer olympics. How about Croatia, Darfur?

When will the genocide stop in Darfur?

[PaulaFarrell]

36. don't think are any US companies on the world stage n/t

[Cha]

3. And where were the

17 or so 9/11 hijackers from? Where's fucking "homeland security"? As if..there ever was one.

Who benefitted from 9/11? And who wants to sell our ports to home of the infamous 9/11ers?

[Erika]

17. Homeland Security? What's that?

Did they oversee Katrina and the sale of our ports to a country with human rights violations?

I think they are defunct.

[smtpgirl]

20. so why is this news for us?

deep down in our hearts, we knew something like this would come to fruition

[smtpgirl]

19. there was NEVER any "homeland security"

[regnaD kciN]

30. Well, I can tell you one place they WEREN'T from...

...namely, the UAE!

[madrchsod]

4. bitch to your boy

he`s one how started this shit. we have heard it`s the terrorists from the middle east-arabs- that are going to destroy the usa...ya we ain`t going to give it to an arab cause george said arabs were terrorists

[SHRED]

5. We are bias...we have over 3,000 reasons...

Those fuckers, who control the purse strings, have a lot of nerve to pretend to not know why.

[Erika]

11. W and his minions like Rush, Beck, Coulter

have told us the dangers of what they term islamfascistpigs. They didn't exempt the UAE.

[smtpgirl]

13. EXACTLY

3,000 reasons, WTC, Pentagon & PA too

[smtpgirl]

18. A Woo Woo to you

WOW, I am glad that you said that.

[regnaD kciN]

31. So, every Arab was responsible for 9/11...?

A lot of people here seem to like taking Bush and his minions (justly) to task for claiming a Saddam-Osama connection, but then seem to have no trouble turning around and assuming that any Arab or Arab government (even those governments that al-Qaeda came into existence to overthrow) was involved in or at least responsible for the 9/11 attacks. :eyes:

[Skittles]

32. do they recognize the Taliban as legitimate?

THAT IS ENOUGH FOR ME

[BoneDaddy]

35. I can see where you...

are coming from in that you want to make it clear that not every Arab individual, group and country, for that matter is not evil, out to get the West and is fundamentalist in their religious expression. That is very noble and just of you and should be applauded.

But, and there is a HUGE but here. But, right now, at this particular time in history, we do not have a good relationship with the arab muslim population. Many do not like us around the world and our villified in muslim press and among the populace. We are considered satanic by the fundamentalist muslim community. With Iraq, Bush's lil crusade into the mid-east has turned even moderate muslims against us. Not to mention most recently the inflamation caused by the "cartoons". With the mid-east/west schism ever widening, I think it is extremely pre-mature, if ever, to sell 6 ports to the UAE and walk away feeling safe.

Is it possible that the UAE could operate the ports in a very efficient, effective and safe manner? ABSOLUTELY. Could it also be used as a way to smuggle people, weapons and other dangerous goods through? ABSOLUTELY.

I for one am not willing to take that chance.

[rpannier]

7. If he thinks it's racist...fine

but that doesn't change the facts that our ports should be run and guarded by Americans.

[iamthebandfanman]

9. sheesh

i love it when someone with no real rebutal throw out the bigot card.
its an easy way out of an explination.
no doubt there are some right-wing people who are against it outa racial issues, but not the entire country, sorry UAE.
when will they realise its their actions as a government, not what they look like.

as far as globalization, if they hadnt noticed we've changed our mind that since the economy slumped off.

[smtpgirl]

14. Second that

I want my ports transportation and security guarded by US

So the last 5 years were a farce? Terra?

What did you expect from us "Murikans"?

[cantstandbush]

10. How dumb are they? Didn't they know the US is a biased nation? n/t

[KittyWampus]

22. Sulaiman Hatlan- "This is a high tech lynching"

:puke:

[Sarah Ibarruri]

23. They want to be in the world stage, huh? They'd better begin by...

1) Ending their slavery of two, three, four and five year old boys.

http://www.uaeprison.com/camelkids.htm

2) Public floggings of women (even outsiders), for things men are not punished for.

http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGMDE250032004?open&of=ENG-ARE

3) Letting women have equal rights. They don't. (Plenty of the web about that).


As for American ports, I say, HANDS OFF! Bush and his clan of criminals need to move to the UAE.

[bobthedrummer]

25. They might be getting ready to move there via their British Estate

Agents
http://www.dubaipremier.com/

[LiviaOlivia]

26. The Bushies lust for money

is unGodly, hideous and murderous. How many people will be undone by corporatism?

[lovuian]

27. We have arabs and muslims in America and they are happy

No the issue here is that Dubaii supported Osama bin Laudin thats the issue here!!!

[AntiFascist]

33. Many of us are biased against the BFEE.....

they can take that any way they like.