Bottom line on the UAE and the ports

[UTUSN]

The tone-deaf Shrub regime is claiming:

1) that the UAE is our ally against terror, and that

2) absolute safeguards for our national security are in place.


Guess, what, Shrub----it DON'T MATTER! The bottom line is that the UAE funded and fostered the opening shot, and this means ---that perpetrators and abettors SHOULD NOT PROFIT from the crimes, period.

Where are the Freedom Fries fighters who were willing to pursue France over total-LESS? Where is O'LOOFAH, who is willing to froth to the end of his anchor desk? Where are the Minutemen, TANCREDO, Lou DOBBS, and MALKIN, who claim that national security and enforcing the law are their ONLY motivations in militarizing and fencing the border (with Mexico)?

[still_one]

1. it is more than that

WE SHOULD BE TAKING CARE OF OUR OWN PORTS!!!

[UTUSN]

2. What if CARTER or CLINTON had done this. n/t

[still_one]

4. It is nice to suppose what ifs, but in my view the only thing that matters

is that it is THIS administration that did this. How can his so-called "patriots" defend him is beyond me

[sam sarrha]

5. take care of the borders too, 10% going on 12% of Mexico's poor have been

exported to the USA to raise the living standards of the 'Have It All's' in Mexico which has a standard of living second only to FRANCE..!! it is costing the US more than just schools and medical care, lower wages,

i have lived in communities that where victimized by the exporting of Mexico's poverty, i couldn't get a job if i didn't speak mexican, and if i did it was barely over minimum and controlled by gangs or 'Families that will run you our if you are white.. i was glad to get out of California.. then El Paso.. but landed in the heartland where everything is being sent to china..

things are a mess and getting worse.. if you have a cushy job and drug gangs dont tag your F'n house, dont flame me

[sam sarrha]

6. i mistyped the previous heading.. that's 10% of the population of Mexico.

[UTUSN]

8. O.K., not flaming at this point, but a wee place to start might be

to call that language "Spanish" instead of "Mexican". Otherwise, it would be like calling this language "Gringo" or "Anglo-Saxon" instead of "English".

[Greyhound]

3. One point Lou Dobbs went ballistic over this last week when it came out.

I'm also pretty sure the Minute Men have something to say about this too.

[judy]

7. What ever makes anyone think that BushCo

Has ever, at any point had the interests of this country and its people at heart?
They don't. So there is nothing weird about this deal. That's what they do.

They will do whatever suits their own private interests...As Cheney said about something else, I can't remember what, "this is our due". It amazes me that we are still acting surprised at everything they do.

I'm with Mike Malloy on this one. They are a bunch of gangsters who will stop at nothing to get what they want.

Let's remember that we don't even know the truth about September 11th 2001. Why should we believe their story even enough to be afraid of a UAE company running security in our ports? How do we know that the UAE funded and fostered the opening shot anymore than BushCo themselves? Even without tin foil, we have enough evidence that they aided and abetted the attack that for all we know they roped in the UAE, and are now rewarding them for their loyal services.

What do we care what O'Reilly and the others are thinking? When have they ever made sense? And what is Patriotism, if not in the words of Samuel Johnson, "the last refuge of scoundrels"?

[JCMach1]

9. This will be the only time you will EVER hear me say this

The Bush administration is right on this one...

This is a legitimate business deal completed with honest means. That cow was already out of the barn as the ports were controlled by the British. The Dubai Government had no direct connections to 9/11 beyond the connections of any of the countries where the terrorists resided over time.

National security (and everything else) has and is being sold down the river by the elites in the US. At least with this company the ports will get the needed dollars to modernize to help prevent terrorism. Meanwhile, good American union member dock workers will continue to do their job.

People are raising the smokescreen of xenophobia and racism once again on the left and the right. IT doesn't shock me, but it disgusts me.

The UAE are our allies... Allies... I live very near (stone's throw) from a military base here in the UAE. Just a few weeks ago, I bumped into a squad of FRENCH soldiers. What were they doing? I found out from them that they were there training Iraqi police officers. I also bump into many American soldiers around the UAE as well. In all seriousness, without the UAE's unwavering support it would have been almost impossible for the US to have carried out war on Iraq. The ports here are that important to regional trade and logistics.

I personally don't agree with that war, but the UAE has constantly been at the side of the US. Should a crisis come to a head in Iran, the US will have to proceed with its UAE ally.

The UAE is not Saudi Arabia... not even close!

I can leave my house today, go to church or mosque with the poorest of the poor here. Sit in their homes... and you know how much danger I am in from terrorism. Almost zero... nada...
Not only that I could leave my keys in the car with the motor running and when I come back the car would be there.

Did you know that the UAE is now moving very quickly towards Democracy? Did you know that women have full and equal rights here? Did you know that women voted in recent elections and were elected to local councils? Did you know the UAE Finance Minister is a Woman? Did you know the vast majority of the country (almost 75%) are expats? Under 25% are actual citizens? Dubai is the fastest growing city in the world and within the next decade will boast the tallest and second tallest buildings in the world. Add to that, the tallest hotel (Burj al Arab) and hugely vibrant economy and you have one of the more interesting and sometimes strange places in the world to live. Less that 1/2 of GDP is now dependent on oil. Tourism, trade, and industry take the lionshare.

Before you close your mind, why don't you try to understand that the Middle-East is not a monolith and that if you truly know this place you can discard virtually everything you read or thought you knew.

[Ksec]

10. Its insane and only done for profit

Thats the secret word. Profit. Profit over all.

The UAE believes the Taliban is still the legit leaders of Afghanistan. They also believe Israel has no right to exist, and should be exterminated.

And our Bush admin is tough on terror?

OMG if this doesnt dispel that notion, nothing will.