John Kerry: Israel Boycott Calls Dubai Ports Deal Further Into Question

[kerrygoddess]

John Kerry: Israel Boycott Calls Dubai Ports Deal Further Into Question
February 28th, 2006 @ 10:49 am

According to a story in today’s Jerusalem Post, The Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation, an entity wholly owned by the Government of Dubai and the parent company of Dubai Ports World, participates in the Arab League boycott of Israel.

Below is a statement from Senator John Kerry on this story:

“The Administration’s mismanaged and misguided debacle of a ports deal has just gotten even worse. Not only did they skip the required national security investigation, now we learn that the parent company of Dubai Ports World actively participates in the Arab boycott of Israel. This boycott not only violates at least the spirit of U.S. law, it is inconsistent with everything we believe in as Americans. We should not be rewarding companies that support discrimination against our key strategic ally and the Middle East’s only democracy.

MORE & LINKS - http://blog.thedemocraticdaily.com/?p=2083

[DS1]

1. HA HA

[blm]

4. This should divide the pro-Israel conservatives from the BushInc fascists

.

[FreedomAngel82]

12. And show Bush's true colors too

How he doesn't care about ANYbody unless it's about him and making money. Whether it's Israel, Iraq, Iran, Palestine. He only cares about one thing: money.

[rodeodance]

2. well, ---bringing in Israel is bound to make more angry.

[blm]

3. Senate Commerce hearings today on Port deal - Scheduled for 2:30.

I hope we get a good inquiry about the behind the deal deals.

[Frustratedlady]

5. And, How Is The Carlyle Group

connected to this Dubai group? Is there anything this administration does that they AREN'T connected to?

I heard something about it on CSPAN, this morning, but didn't catch enough to know what they were referring to. Just saw the quick glances when that group was mentioned. (Sometimes, you can learn more from the guests' eyes than their mouths.)

[chaz4jazz]

7. I believe 8 billion dollars invested in Carlyle from Dubai eom

[Frustratedlady]

11. That's a Bunch. Thanks!

[FreedomAngel82]

13. To answer your question

of course not. EVERYthing is pre-planned. Only thing they have to worry about next is the timing.

[Kolesar]

14. bush*41's Harken energy was connected with Bahrain

that was in Molly Ivin's book--the short and happy political life of GWB. I don't recall the whole deal, but it was obviously for influence with Old Bush.

[libodem]

6. Why haven't we insisted on Democracy in Saudi Arabia?

I think they ought to believe like we do before we deal with them. Let's bomb them. Shock and Awe, baby! We should bomb France and Canada, too. They have been kinda contrary, in their support of depopulating Iraq, for our oil needs. Jerks.

[Tom Joad]

8. Why is it wrong to have sanctions against a State that violates

international law?

Many of us welcomed sanctions against South Africa. Many of us support sanctions against Israel, that has similar policies.

Unfortunately, it is true, that like Bush, Kerry has been a fervent supporter of Israel's most extreme policies.

[The Magistrate]

9. It Would Be Better, Mr. Joad,

To refrain from turning this into an Israel v. Palestine wrangle. There is a forum dedicated to that, as you well know.

The topic is a question of political effect in the United states, not the rights and wrongs of the Levantine trifle....

[Tom Joad]

15. Sorry, I will refrain from bringing up the subject of international law

into the general discussion area.

[RazzleDazzle]

16. See that you do

:P

(I was on my way to warn you that you'd just done a no-no.)

[tatertop]

10. Good point

[Wordie]

17. No UNITED STATES Senator should be taking sides in a dispute between

two foreign allies, by pretending only one side has merit. I agree with you, Tom, and am very disappointed that Kerry, as a UNITED STATES Senator has taken a stand supporting a country that has been condemned as taking actions which are illegal under international law. It's too bad that more UNITED STATES citizens are not provided an opportunity to learn about how policies like these affect them, and the UNITED STATES. And about how much of their taxes, as UNITED STATES citizens are going to support these illegal actions by Israel. Kerry would have done much better to take a broader view, imho.

This is too bad; I had been really very impressed with Kerry's stand on the Alito nomination and the filibuster, where he had the courage to take an unpopular stand because it was the right thing to do. This is different. I wonder if he's even aware of the Human Rights Watch open letter to President Bush, for instance, urging him to modify UNITED STATES policy due to what's happening there. In fact, in the letter, Human Rights Watch urges the UNITED STATES to take steps to apply economic pressure on Israel: http://hrw.org/english/docs/2005/12/27/isrlpa12346.htm

Perhaps someone should send Kerry a copy of the HRW letter.

[NoMercy]

18. Kerry is being reasonable: He is raising questions, not demagoguing

the way some others are.

[Wordie]

19. I don't know about that...

This boycott not only violates at least the spirit of U.S. law, it is inconsistent with everything we believe in as Americans. We should not be rewarding companies that support discrimination against our key strategic ally and the Middle East’s only democracy.

That seems pretty one-sided to me. He leaves out the part of how the UAE has said it would recognize Israel (and I presume end the boycott) when Israel honors international law and ends it's illegal occupation. His statement doesn't seem to recognize that there are legitimate reasons for the boycott. I don't think we should choose sides between two United States allies. I'm disappointed in Kerry for this.

[sandnsea]

20. Did the UAE recognize Iraq?

Do they recognize other countries who violate international law and UN resolutions? Yes? Ah, that would be the difference then.

You are so transparent.

[Wordie]

22. Yes, frankly, I am pretty transparent. You on the other hand...

I really don't understand what you're driving at when you call me transparent. In that, you apparently aren't being transparent. Could you explain?

And I think the issue is the United States, isn't it? I really don't know whether the UAE recognized Iraq. Did we? Did Israel? Does any of those issues really matter?

[WildEyedLiberal]

23. The point is why focus on Israel when there are other countries

breaking international law? Did UAE recognize the Taliban in Afghanistan? Do they recognize all the other Middle Eastern countries with brutal human rights records? Why discriminate against Israel, unless they simply want Israel wiped off the map?

I really don't understand the apologetics for Arab anti-Semitism here. When Islamic countries in the Middle East have perfect human rights records, then they can start bitching about Israel.

[Wordie]

25. I don't know the history well, but did all those who boycotted S. Africa

also boycott any country that had a record that wasn't perfect? I'm not a history buff, but my prediction is that the answer is no. And I don't think that objections to an illegal occupation can be considered discriminatory.

I think you missed my point, and revealed more about your own underlying assumptions in your post than perhaps you recognize. Do you really believe that all countries (or persons, for that matter) that oppose the illegal Israeli occupation are "anti-Semitic"??? And you forget that the issue is what the UNITED STATES should be doing. I say we shouldn't take one side. Do you really think that saying that my own country shouldn't take sides justifies your accusing me of "apologetics for Arab anti-Semitism."

There are two sides to the Palestine-Israel conflict, which our own UNITED STATES government too frequently seems to forget. Presenting the side that is less-flattering to Israel does not an anti-Semite make.

[WildEyedLiberal]

26. You're disappointed because Kerry brought up UAE's anti-Semistism

I didn't say YOU were anti-Semitic, but the UAE almost certainly is. Kerry also spoke out against the horrible Holocaust-denying comments of Iran's president. The truth is, there is a lot of hatred for Israel among Arab countries, and it's not because of Israel's "illegal occupation." It's about anti-Semitism. Arab countries refused to allow Palenstians to emigrate to their countries, and were opposed to the creation of Israel before its boundaries were ever drawn. I think the Palestinians have a case for statehood and I'm not going to pretend that Israel hasn't done anything wrong. But let's not pretend that countries like UAE only object to Israel's Palestinian policies. They object to Israel's EXISTENCE, and I agree with Kerry - that kind of bigotry simply should not be tolerated.

[sandnsea]

24. I answered your post

If it doesn't matter to you whether the UAE recognizes Israel or not, why'd you make the post?? :shrug:

[Mass]

21. Are you also disappointed with Boxer who had the same position

At least, they are not saying that we should not deal with Arab nations, which is better than most Democrats.