There is much in the Dubai story that we do not know....

[kentuck]

and it is probably stamped "Top Secret"? When John Warner came out this morning, and the manner in which he spoke, I sense there is much more to this story and maybe it cannot be told to the people. But, it may be a "bribe" of sorts. This story was well-concealed, although it was public in some business journals and newspapers. However, it was not publicized to the degree it should have been and the majority of the press missed it.

But, there is a "deal" about to happen. And it is about "national security". We need them more than they need us. They have the ships and we have none. When the producer names the tune, the consumer does the dance. That's the way it is. It may be that George Jr has put us into a hell of a bind. But we will never know..

[I_Make_Mistakes]

1. Did anyone watch McLauglin Group today? It's IRAN!

John, was saying something to the effect that anyone who flies to UAE goes thru Tehran (I don't know if that was literally thru the airport or over), he said "You know what that means", several times.

I tried look for transcripts on pbs.org but didn't know where to look if there are any.

That's why the tone has changed, Iran (I hope it's just a threat tactic at this point) however, there are security considerations that will have to be considered and I think that is what will be involved in the 45 day review.

That's where I think they are going with this.

[norml]

3. They're doing it for the money, nothing else.

Yes, they want to attack Iran.

No, the UAE will have nothing to do with that.

[I_Make_Mistakes]

5. I disagree, that is the bonus. Remember who is running this

WH and it's agenda. We apparently have quite a bit of Military in UAE and one of the shows this morning the issue came up that we might lose the presence if the deal didn't go thru. That was puh puh'd.

You guys should watch McLaughlin, if you don't, (by the way I am an Elenor person) they actually skip all the mass marketing the other's do. Today, I felt like I was in an alternate reality there.

Can someone tell me how to find the transcripts at PBS if they put them up?

[soup]

12. McLaughlin Group Library

can be found here:
http://www.mclaughlin.com/

The latest video and transcripts are for Feb. 17th, though - Not much help for this discussion.

[I_Make_Mistakes]

13. Thanks for trying!

[DoYouEverWonder]

35. That wouldn't be as big an issue

If Bush hadn't pulled the troops our of Saudi Arabia and shut those bases down there in order to appease our 'friends'.

[JCMach1]

7. Other way around... UAE is air hub for the whole Middle-east

[FreedomAngel82]

15. I wonder what he means by that

Operation Northwoods?

[FearofFutility]

38. I didn't watch, but this is Operation Northwoods

http://www.whatreallyhappened.com/northwoods.html

[KT2000]

2. Think you are right

Maybe the rw is flip flopping after viewing some cherry picked intelligence about Iran?!?!

[Skidmore]

21. They are most likely flip flopping because of

some cherry piced intelligence about their private lives gleaned from NSA spying.

[CJCRANE]

4. The Emir

probably said to W: "Gimme the ports or I'll tell everyone who was really behind 9/11!"

[Old and In the Way]

6. Between Son and Dad, I'll bet they are compromised to the point

where they have to do whatever the House of Saud, the Kuwaiti Royal Family, or the UAE Royal Family tell them. They got the goods on this family, no question.

How does this administration's desire to attack Iran make the UAE sale smart? I know they are probably Sunni Muslim's, but they must know that taking out Iran will not ultimately be in their best security interests. I think having UAE controlling 21 of our ports as well as their deep water ports would make us even more strategicly weaker in the long run.

[JCMach1]

8. I posted this a week ago... The US strategically

cannot deal with Iran unless the UAE is on-board.

Also, the UAE possesses the pipeline which is the sole way of avoiding the Straits of Hormuz.

[I_Make_Mistakes]

9. And remember TX was on the map they showed (Military) I

believe and now it's off the map again, at least in the EST area.

[FreedomAngel82]

16. Ding ding ding

You've got it right. It's all about that pipeline that Michael Moore talked about.

[in_cog_ni_to]

28. OH! The Straits of Hormuz......Didn't the Iranians threaten to CLOSE DOWN

the Straits of Hormuz? Holy crap...I should have known this involved Iran.:grr:

[Old and In the Way]

42. From your perspective, would the UAE be willing to side with the US

over Iran? What is your feeling on where the UAE people would be on having their ports used for staging grounds to attack Iran?

[Senator Obama]

10. Iran is no friend of the Arab countries in the region...

I speculate that UAE access is beneficial to protect the Straights of Hormouz against Iranian threats of closure. Given the geography and proximity of UAE ports to the coast and coastal islands where Iran is known to have ship to ship missile batteries, it would put our fleet too close to that Iranian threat. I think our port assets would are better placed where they currently reside in Bahrain which hosts the fifth fleet. That being said, I can't imagine the UAE blackmailing the US to close this deal. All of the Persian Gulf oil states are dependent on the US to defend those waters to insure safe passage of their tankers. It is in the best interest of the UAE, port contract notwithstanding, to cooperate with the US. As far as I know, we do not have substantial military assets in the UAE. They do have a deep water harbor where we have on occasion docked our carriers, but basing them there would make zero sense to me. If hostilities broke out, I would want those carriers based better than 100 miles away out of range of any possible ship to ship missile attack.

None of the oil states particularly trust Iran. And that is particularly true with the lunatic President in charge of Iran at present. In fact, if Iran were to go nuclear the first response from neighboring states such as Saudi Arabia and Turkey is that they'd seek nukes as well. Much of our Iran/Iraq strategy during the wars of the 80's between the two countries was done with an eye towards checking the influence of either country and was done with tacit approval from countries like Kuwait and Saudi Arabia who have legitimate fears of Iran and Iraq perhaps seeking to invade or destabilize their countries. Recall Saddam was looking for a Pan Islamic Empire and none of the current dictators of the surrounding countries were part of his plan even though their countries were. Muslim or not Iranians are predomininantly Persian (51%- (Azurs)/Azubajians(sp), Kurds and other Turkic ethnicities make up the balance I believe) and 80% of the approx 70 million people in the country are Shiite muslims. The Shiite are a minority comprising about 10 percent of the worldwide muslim populaton, with the balance belonging to the Sunni sect. (that 10% may be a little low but they are concentrated in Iran and Iraq). In the 6th century, the Arabs conquered the Persians and installed the Shiite religion. In the past Iran/Iraq wars had been fought over Arab/Persian influence, but in more recent times its been predominantly about territory and boundary disputes. Both of these countries had western installed monarchy's Iran 1953 the Shah and Iraq 1958 the Bath Party. Saddam killed his way up to the Vice Presidency of Iraq by 1975. Apparently, he was a much better shot than Cheney. The Bathists came to power as a result of the West's desire to check the spread of Communism. The Shah privatized the previously nationalized oil company and divided it between Britain and the US.

Obama

[I_Make_Mistakes]

18. First off, if you are Obama, wouldn't vote for you. Let's look at

the Iranian shah, who appointed him? Oh yeah, one of his son's was at my university (Drexel) and SS was really present, wonder why? I was a clueless Frosh 1978!

Then came the Ira Einhorn murder, I was actually partying in the neighbor's apartment next door. The next day the FBI shows up. It is not a boast, but looking back, is this the best that we have to offer?

I had a Pakistani friend at a transferred college, she was the ultimate in knowledge and still fell behind the designated, ASS KISS male, we actually challenged the prof on her secondary standing, because his test score was 5 pts behind the other students, she was first and mine was second. The prof's answer was, he was more questioning in class, but duh, he asked stupid questions that we already knew the answers too!! He was nothing but a suck up as a whole, probably in the current admin, because not one of them have real merits.

Also, shame the Dems for their inability to capitalize of the educational advantage gained by those, who don't have any,(Cheney and Rove) and tell others to get them. How dare those rats, tell others to do what they were too weak to do!

I actually, was engaged at the time, wish I would have reached out further to her. She was the hardest working, smartest (#1, but discriminating by the (smart kids hated this bad guy) professor), girl who happened to be from Pakistan, we graduated in 1983.

I am pretty sure, that the class, would honor her and spit on that prof., sometimes, they are so despicable, that they are so despised that they get the hint.

I visited a few yrs later, he was bye bye!

I love most of what Obama has said, but, we have to let him grow and shine in the political arena, lest we get the Bush, by another party. Obama is up and coming and coming into HIS own. Let him grow into a polished, informed and wholly formed person in the political climate, which is a reality that most of us would ever even want to know.

[Old and In the Way]

43. I understand the religious divide between the Shiites and Sunni's.

But is that enough to overcome the perception of the US taking over the oil assets of the ME? Afterall, if we take down Iran, won't that make all States in the ME less secure from US domination? Are the interests of the Royal families dovetailed with the general populations? I assume most of these people are well versed in the PNAC plans for the ME.

[radfringe]

11. of course there's more to the story

the bushies* are fanatical about keeping secrets and classifying documents -- even a request for toilet paper is stamped Top Secret - or would that be 'bottom secret' :wink: ?

[FreedomAngel82]

14. I do think there is something else going on behind the scenes

Why else does Frist support this deal now? He totally flipflopped and people don't seem to notice. Heh. On the news this morning they were talking about this and showed Frist talking about the deal and how they'll do their "investigation" (ha!) but I think they're just keeping this on the low down while they twist arms with other republicans against this and find a way to make them for it and than get their talking points faxed out to their talking heads. So I expect this deal will be done either by the end of this month or early next month. About another week or so I'd give it. But I think this is some deal from a payback with 9/11 and it deals with their PNAC plans and how funny they're just across the other side of Iran.
And I heard on a show, I think Stephanie Miller's, last week that we will only inspect 5% of what comes through! So that's 95% of shipments that will come through that we won't inspect!

[MiniMe]

19. That is no different than what is happening now. We need to be

inspecting more. That was part of Kerry's points in the debates.

[mrbill]

17. fun fact - poppy seeds are illegal in the uae.............

and don't drink and drive, ewpecially if you're a muslim.

[Neil Lisst]

20. a Royal family with ties to Osama and the Bush family -

21 ports in the hands of a royal family in the mideast

Is Bush mad?

[I_Make_Mistakes]

22. Did anyone watch McLauglin Group today? It's IRAN!

One more time!

Did anyone watch McLauglin Group today? It's IRAN! John was saying something to the effect that anyone who flies to UAE goes thru Tehran (I don't know if that was literally thru the airport or over), he said "You know what that means", several times.

I tried look for transcripts on pbs.org but didn't know where to look if there are any.

That's why the tone has changed, Iran (I hope it's just a threat tactic at this point) however, there are security considerations that will have to be considered and I think that is what will be involved in the 45 day review.

That's where I think they are going with this.


What part of this is the more behind the deal do you not get?

I think you post without even reading, well, reading is a GOOD thing.

[I_Make_Mistakes]

24. OK here is the simplistic view

We want to contain Iran, (possibly do an Iraq on Iran), I am not that cynical but it could happen.

Why?

Look at the threads on oil and figure it out. It will take .00000000000001 intelligence to get it. so if you don't, like you guys say "Whatever".

[Neil Lisst]

33. perhaps you should read my post again

and accept it for what it says

[ladjf]

34. I think that the idea that the UAE is an "air hub" and therefore

we must cooperate with them to have that benefit in case of hostilities with Iran is a bogus argument. There are plenty of other options for air operations. The first bomb attacks of Desert Storm were launched from Barkley Airbase in Louisiana.

[in_cog_ni_to]

23. IMCPO, The idiot made a promise to the Dubai Royal Family

"IF you let us set our "Command Central" and build air bases in your country, we will, in turn, sell our ports off to you. We will give you a piece of America." Now, the idiot is in a pickle because the deal was leaked, BUT...not to worry....he'll just do his back-door deal (when no on is looking) that he was initially going to do BEFORE the info was leaked.

[I_Make_Mistakes]

25. Please I respect you in - look at the previous posts. There is

an Iranian agenda, I am hopeful not war, because that would not be good for us!

[in_cog_ni_to]

26. You're saying they need Dubai to get to Iran? I'm confused.

:)

[morgan2]

30. the us isnt selling anything to the uae

The ports are being sold by a british company to the uae. The only involvment of Bush is approving of the deal, now there is probably some deal struck to get his approval, but any guess as to what it is is just speculation.

[Avalux]

27. IRAN. I've been saying it since last week.

The deal has already happened; Dubai's port has been promised to our government as a base of operations (military, corps) when we attack Iran. Giving the UAE our ports was the tradeoff.

[in_cog_ni_to]

29. BUT...why do we need Dubai when we have SUPER BASES in Iraq???

I don't get it.

[I_Make_Mistakes]

32. Iraq is Um falling apart

[I_Make_Mistakes]

39. And Iraq is stable?

Look, I am older and asked for help to post the pbs McLaughin group info. You guys are more internet savoy, so help. It was right there, Iran is the goal.

I almost transferred to U or P and a girl in a shop (on UP's campus)asked me to reconsider because Penn people were weird (her college of origin), I got the UP, Harvard, Yale etc undergrad mentality, learn for learning sake, mentality. That sounded good to me at first, but, they are learning quite unfocused, and yet supposed to be the elite.

Do a test, go to, an elite campus and observe, it's like they just had no direction, it was the strangest thing that I encountered. My best friend and I, frosh at a very close prox. college (block or 2) went to visit her brother at U of P (which among the Ivies is prolly the best because they actually produce successful people)

YOYO You can live in a learning, pontificating, speculating world, but for God's sake shit or get off the pot. I actually think both sides are useing us as test rats.

We actually have to take into account their backgrounds.

[I_Make_Mistakes]

31. I agree

[Avalux]

41. If you're familiar with PNAC, using Dubai's port is essential -

not only will it be used by our military, but it will be an evacuation point for Iranians before we bomb. There is a strong movement within the country against the current government, we will need to count on them to "take over" the country after we obliterate it (PNAC).

After that, our corporations will set up shop at the port and go in to Iran to rebuild. They'll make tons of money - oh, forgot to mention the oil.

Here's info on the Dubai port, and GE:

In 2003, Dubai Ports World (the company to run our ports) began a "master plan" expand and modernize their port facility, the Jebel Ali Free Zone, to "meet the damand of the Iraqi market". This new facility is now complete:

Dubai Ports Authority (DPA) is on course to complete the new Jebel Ali port expansion master plan on schedule and will be ready to meet the expected demand from the Iraqi market, according to a senior official.

Last year the DPA announced its master development plan for Jebel Ali Terminal, which when completed will offer an extra three major terminals and a total of 82 berths equipped with 125 quayside cranes enabling DPA to handle over 21 million TEUs (twenty foot equivalent units).
DPA has already completed the development phase of berths 11 and 12, berths 22 and 23, the new container empty strip, general cargo berths 37-39 and berth 4. The reshaped quay 4, berth 10/10A, while berths 24 and 25 are currently under construction and to be completed early next year, said a Khaleej Times report. ‘By then Jebel Ali will have excess capacity for this trade,’ he said. To date this year DPA handled 5.2 million TEUs, while the total throughput for the year is expected to touch 6.1 million TEUs.

Meanwhile, Jamal Majid bin Thaniah, chief executive officer DPA, said the general cargo volumes loaded to Iraq through DPA in the last eight months have grown tremendously. It is expected to double, exceeding last year’s volumes by the end of this year, he said.
“Ro-ro units exported through DPA to Iraq have shown same upward trend as January-June figures this year are higher than last full year figures. We have accelerated the investment programme for this and next years to meet such an increase in trade between the UAE and Iraq.”

http://www.oilandgasnewsonline.com/bkArticlesF.asp?Arti...



GE was one of the first companies to benefit from this new facility:

GE Energy has opened a new regional Center Of Excellence (COE) at the Jebel Ali Free Zone (JAFZ), which was today inaugurated by Jamal Majid bin Thaniah, Chief Executive Officer, Dubai Ports Authority.

GE Energy's rental business is the temporary and portable power unit of GE Energy, a US$19 billion global business specializing in power generation and energy delivery technology.

GE Energy's rental business will now carry out its regional operations from its new 200,000-square foot COE, a specialized facility designed to serve the business's smaller regional hubs. Its expanded capabilities will enable GE Energy to meet the increased energy demands of the region which have contributed to the business's growth. The short-term power solutions provider, which has been serving the Africa, India and the Middle East (AIM) region since 2001 from its previous centre, also located at JAFZ, continues to grow and expand its business.

http://www.ameinfo.com/40386.html

[annabanana]

36. ... turn over your ports peacefully

or else!

Just a little protection racket..

[Marie26]

37. My sense as well

Whenever someone from the Bush Admin. talks about this deal, they'll emphasize how UAE is a "Very Valuable Ally" in the War on Terror. It's sort of code words, a wink & a nod - these guys are our guys. Maybe it's helping with Iran, or renditioning prisoners, or funneling money to some operation, but the Bush Ad. is pleased w. the UAE & thinks we should be too. But they just can't quite reveal why.

[spanone]

40. I agree 100000%. Bush* initial veto response was telling.

Why would a president, who according to his own words didn't know a thing about this deal, threaten the first veto of his presidency on a subject he knew nothing about.