I'm more than a little surpised at the size of the mess surrounding the Dubai Ports World contracts to run six U.S. ports, especially since they won't actually own the ports and will employ American unionized longshoremen. Oil sheiks have bought U.S. properties before, as have the Japanese (back when we were afraid of their business acumen), but after the initial lament, we have learned to live with our foreign landlords.
It's bringing out the worst in people - exposing the latent racism or at the very least making it look like both parties have a blanket anti-Arab bias, whether or not it's true. Arab Muslim terrorism has its roots in oil and has its solution in ventures like Dubai Ports World.
Oil props up bad governments by concentrating power. Oil screws up foreign exchange, making exports too expensive on the world market, shrinking other economic activity. Oil is too capital-intensive to employ the workforce. Oil funds terrorism.
The solution is to see that oil will eventually dry up and to build up other power centers and economic engines. The UAE is a leader in this, using its vast oil and gas wealth to build up tourism, real estate, transport, banking and other major industries, including port management. Sure, it's owned by an emir, making it a state-owned enterprise, but due to the concentration of power that comes as a result of dependence on extractive industry, the emirs are the only people who can put up enough money to do it.
If we don't support these ventures, we're dooming ourselves to a Middle East that sees no outlet but violence.
While I agree that it is shameful for politicians to play, well, politics, with this port mess, I have to disagree with one key statement. Arab Muslim terrorism DOES NOT have its roots in oil. While it certainly fuels (forgive the pun) the anger, you might want to consider other issues, such as the Israel-Palestine problem. As for the funding, didn't the bin Laden millions come from construction?
I think the Israel-Palestinian situation is a symptom of the larger extractive industry problem. If it wasn't for regional and world powers using the conflict as a bargaining chip, or British colonial activities during WWII (which were oil related) - this mess may have ended up differently. As for bin Laden, he's just one guy. If you look at the 9/11 hijackers, you'll find that they are overeducated and underemployed, a symptom of an atrophied industrial sector.
On the American side, I agree that the deal should go through.
However, after 4 1/2 years of dealing in the politics of fear, Bush is getting his just desserts. What was it that he said to Kerry? "We got to be right 100 percent of the time here at home, and they got to be right once."
If he is going to come out and make nuanced decisions regarding America's security in this clash of cultures, he is going to have to make it clear that he has been playing politics all along. Intelligent arguements have to be allowed on both sides of the aisle. Of course the fact that his cabinet members abandoned their oversight duties as required by law is a whole 'nother issue.
I thought it was terribly cute that the tourism website for Dubai says "Nationals of “Israel” may not enter the U.A.E." (Quotes around Israel theirs, not mine)
I don't think I would have put that on the first page of the visa regulations page (http://dubaitourism.co.ae/Travel/default.asp?SubCatID=43), but under the specific country listing (minus the quotes)
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