Is the U.S. at War with the United Arab Emirates?

[cal04]

Is the U.S. at war with the United Arab Emirates?

This is not an abstract question. In fact, it goes to the heart of Bush's "war on terror." And if we are at war with UAE, is Bush committing treason by putting its government in partial control of U.S. ports?
Bush's "war on terror" began officially on September 18, 2001, when Congress approved Bush's "Authorization for the Use of Military Force", which states:

That the President is authorized to use all necessary and appropriate force against those nations, organizations, or persons he determines planned, authorized, committed, or aided the terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001, or harbored such organizations or persons, in order to prevent any future acts of international terrorism against the United States by such nations, organizations or persons.

AUMF is a critical document in post-911 history, as it provided the legal basis for the invasion of Afghanistan, which aided and harbored Al Qaeda.
Bush claims AUMF also provides the legal basis for the entirely new category of "enemy combatants," which allows Bush to lock up whoever he wants in prisons around the world, including American citizens in military brigs in the U.S. Many view this exercise of power as nothing less than dictatorial.

Bush also claims AUMF authorizes him to use the NSA to spy on Americans without a warrant, which many consider an impeachable offense, and which is under close scrutiny in Congress.
And Bush claimed AUMF authorized the invasion of Iraq, even though no ties between 9/11 and Iraq were ever found:
(2) acting pursuant to the Constitution and Public Law 107-243 is consistent with the United States and other countries continuing to take the necessary actions against international terrorists and terrorist organizations, including those nations, organizations, or persons who planned, authorized, committed, or aided the terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001.

Bush's lawyers wrote the AUMF as broadly as possible, to include not just the 9/11 hijackers and Al Qaeda, but anyone remotely connected to them. Taken together, these are our enemies in the "war on terror," which according to Bush will never end.
So is the United Arab Emirates covered under AUMF, and are we at war with it?
UAE has many ties to 9/11. Two of the hijackers were UAE nationals, including Marwan Yousef Al-Shehhi, pictured above. Five of the 19 hijackers flew to the U.S. from UAE. Money for the 9/11 attacks was transferred through UAE. UAE was one of only 3 nations to recognize the Taliban when they supported Al Qaeda - and they still recognize the Taliban as the legitimate government of Afghanistan, according to Rep. Curt Weldon (R-PA).

Under Bush's broad interpretation of AUMF, I cannot see how we are not at war with UAE.
And if that's the case, then Bush is committing treason by putting the UAE government in partial control of our vital ports - including 40% of our military supply chain.

Bob Fertik
http://www.democrats.com/war-with-uae

[Lerkfish]

1. yes, and yes.

[magellan]

2. Yes, one of the real issues!

You get a K&R from me for laying out the hypocrisy so well. :)