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March 03, 2006
Wagging The Tail or Barking Dog ~ UAE
Growing up, my family always had St. Bernard’s. I guess my parents being from Switzerland had something to do with it but gosh I love those dogs. I also had St. Bernard’s right up until a few years ago. Now we have a little dog. But there is something about this UAE that reminded me of one of the dogs I had.
One day when I still had a St. Bernard an actor had stopped by to visit my husband and to thank him for the stunt work he did for him in a movie. Our St. Bernard, Theodore, was not happy about it. He only barked when he did not like the person so I guess he did not like this particular actor. To allow the actor to sit on our patio for a short time we put our dog in the dog run. The actor could not believe the dog was reacting like this and kept walking over to Theodore. Theodore’s response was to bark at him, but at the same exact time he was also wagging his tail.
When I first heard about the UAE ports deal my gut had an immediate reaction. As I posted on another day here at Theodore's World, I thought it stunk. Since then I have read, listened, and watched the arguments for and against.
I also realize that President Bush does some things that their effect is meant to be from now till years to come. Long-range planning is one of his favorite things. That is fine and we all should do that economically in our private lives. But doing this with the UAE in hopes that years from now because of the ports deal happening they will be our buddies?? A true ally, let’s look and see at these things first.
1.Wagging the tail………. The main argument for ……” that the UAE is an “ally in the War on Terror.” Therefore, conclude the proponents, this particular status would obligate the US to grant the management of seaports to companies based in Gulf emirates. The status of “ally" in the War on Terror would grant a particular country the privilege to be supported militarily, financially and have its forces trained by the US. It would even grant the UAE and other allies the options of military industrialization within their own borders, including assembling parts of American weapon system. So in term of “trust” Washington can and should travel the extra mile with its allies, European or other, to translate the alliance into tangible steps. But that doesn’t support the argument that these countries, any country with radical networks conditions, would be granted capabilities that could jeopardize US national security, even though indirectly. And it is not the UAE only, there is Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Indonesia, and in general all allies, could present such complexity.”
Barking dog…………Let’s look at proof, not just idle words but actions taken.
The JAWA Report had information on the UAE and the UN votes.
So, who turns out to be the strongest allies to the US if we go by the UN votes?
Palau at 100% in 2004. Next to the tiny grouping of islands, who is our greatest ally in the U.N.? Israel, which was 100% in 20004, 93% in 2002-03, and 100% in 2001. How does the UAE compare? The UAE, our allies according to President Bush, voted with the U.S. 12.5% of the time in 2004. In 2001 and in 2003 the UAE voted 0% of the time with the U.S. In 2002 they voted with us 17.6% of the time. That's an average of 7.5% of agreement in the U.N. with the U.S. after 9/11 (if we include 2001).
Voting records found HERE
Barking dog shows us the UAE is not one of our allies.
2. Wagging the tail……Another argument for the deal that I have seen is that “not concluding an agreement with an Arab country will offend Arabs in general. Obviously this is a far-fetched “lobbyist” argument. Political fluff and nothing more.
Barking dog……..Democrats hate Republicans with a passion most of us cannot imagine. They are more into: NOT profiling people, NOT protecting us, and NOT going after the terrorists. We are the most powerful country in the world. When those in government forget that fact, and feel it is our duty to kiss up to half assed allies with links to those wanting to kill us, our days our numbered. Why the heck do I care if I offend someone that is my enemy. Hahaha That would be like changing my posts at my Blog because I get hate emails and I should make nice.
3. Wagging the tail……..An argument was made about not discriminating between the UAE and the UK in terms of who is a better ally in the War on Terror so that they can benefit from US offer in international business.
BUT Great Britain is listed as a target by al Quada, not the UAE. Toni Blair was sitting in the US Congress when President Bush declared War on the Taliban in October 2001, not the head honchos of the UAE. Prime Minister of the Isles declared the ideology of al Quada as terrorist and criminal, not Dubai’s rulers. Britain has been an ally in the War with the Jihadists over the UAE’s somewhat cooperation against al Quada.
Barking dog………Who would I want watching my six? Certainly not the UAE.
4. Wagging the tail……..We have been told to those of us with concerns that there was no threat coming from the UAE because “the company is to manage the administrative space of the ports operations exclusively, not the security areas.”
That isn’t the logic of the would-be terrorists. The terrorism business is fluid. The Jihadists won’t be that obvious in their use of a potential infiltration. The danger of penetration will be more complex. This first line of defense could be breached by hiring elements to form a network inside the company, or subcontracted “hostile” entities in the future. Second, while moving inside the layers of the “management” the “net” could then hire elements coming from the American side. If we find out that Jihadists are operating inside the US, a UAE company “managing” six main US ports would be a first rate opportunity for them to “connect.”
General intelligence and spying in the US is only one possibility. Storing material in these sensitive areas is two. Learning about the security systems in these ports from the administrative end is three. Disrupting national security operations is four. The deeper the layers, the wider possibilities would open to the Jihadists. But the initial “hole” is what allows the chain to develop.
Barking dog…………We may think someone is OK but our security may be at great risk. Like the actor I mentioned above at the beginning of my post. My husband and I did not have a bad feeling about him. But our dog felt it, knew it and was warning us. As the actor left I went to shake his hand goodbye and he quickly moved his head to kiss me hard on the lips, then said…. when you have enough of Nick let me know. He had waited till Nick ( Angry Old Salt) was already walking back into our home and he did not say this in jest, he was dead on serious. He was not a friend and had no intention of being a friend. Our dog knew that, just as security for our country has shown up over the years that the UAE attempts to be supportive after the fact and only slightly.
5. Wagging the tail.......Reward the UAE for being an ally.
Barking dog.......Why do we have to reward the UAE for their half way support with the ports deal to show them we are warm and fuzzy toward them? There are other ways that can be rewarded along the way depending on how much of an ally they show up to be, in their verbiage and their actions. If rewarding is a must then why do it with a way that effects our National Security. Would we ask Saudi Arabia to manage our America’s public school system? No, because radical clerics would transform it into madrassas.
Add in the fact that Dubai ports firm enforces boycott of Israel. This one really outraged me. They boycott a friend and an ally that is a much better friend, a much better ally then Dubai could ever be. Dubai, like all Muslim countries, should be held to different standards because they are controlled by the cult that is our enemy.
Those are all my takes on the various aspects I have seen on this. So, I prefer to be with the dog that barks, the opposition of the UAE and cut down as much risk as possible to our Nation. Yes the threat to the US port system has been and remains regardless of the Dubai deal. But the specific potential threat emanating from the current crisis is different in nature. It is about an additional layer of terror risk that could be produced by a Jihadist breach via a commercial transaction.
The Democrats are loving this, and using it NOT because they really are against it but they are using it to bash Bush. Their actions and words about fighting terrorism has proven to the world they do not want to take a stand against it, remember Harry Reid stopping the Patriot Act and making big thing about it? And now all of a sudden we are supposed to believe he is upset about the security risk? Laughable!
It is not about ports at all with the Democrats that are against it, it is political, a venomous hate for Republicans and for Bush. For loosing two elections and the freaks in their party will do whatever it takes to take a stand against Bush even if it means talking about being careful about the security of our country. I think this kind of a deal is like putting the fox in charge of guarding the chicken house.
Our Military is out there defending us, fighting for us. Families missing their sons and daughters that are serving now, so that we can be safe, secure and is this the thanks we give them? To say, ya'll come on down now UAE we don't want to offend you. We are going to call you a good ally even if you are NOT!
The barking dog knows what he is barking about……. I just hope our Nation listens.
(Sorry this was so long, but I have been working on this for awhile now and wanted to cover as much as possible.)
Posted by Wild Thing at March 3, 2006 02:27 AM
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Comments
Excellent analogy using the wagging tail and barking dog. The fact they are against Israel is enough for me to nix the deal.
Posted by: BobF at March 3, 2006 07:29 AM
Hi Bob, thank you so much. Your reply means a lot to me. I agree with you too, Israel needs to know without a doubt we are their friend.
Thank you for commenting.
Posted by: Wild Thing at March 3, 2006 08:29 AM
Excellent summary of the salient points of this debate.
If I may be so bold as to add that for my own part I find it disgusting that people simply look at the economic question and advocate collusion with the UAE based on it being good for the Global Economy. That is immoral and, thankfully, does not represent the views of the majority of freedom loving peoples.
BTW - am adding you to my blogroll since I cannot chance that I might miss another excellent post.
R/S,
Washington
Posted by: Washington at March 3, 2006 10:02 AM
Hi R/S nice to meet you. And thank you for adding your comment to this.
Thank you too for adding me to your blogroll.
Posted by: Wild Thing at March 3, 2006 11:16 AM
One more excellent WT. I can see both sides of this arguement, but my gut instincts(barking) tell me "NO" to the UAE. There are other ways to work with them other than jeopardizing our natl. security.
Bush tends to trust and warm up to people that turn me off, the Palestinian Authority and Vincente the Fox come immediately to mind.
Your article is not too long when it makes reasonable and realistic points. Good write Pretty Lady.
Posted by: TomR at March 3, 2006 12:40 PM
Hi Tom thank you so much. I was hoping you would check it out. I wanted to know what some of you that come here thought about it, pros and cons. So thank you Tom!
And what you said here...........
"Bush tends to trust and warm up to people that turn me off, the Palestinian Authority and Vincente the Fox come immediately to mind."
Boy howdy do I agree with you so much on that. A lot of the time I sit and just shake my head in shock, amazed, disappointed you name it.
Thanks again!!
Posted by: Wild Thing at March 3, 2006 01:58 PM
Outstanding WT, like that dog of yours, I trust my instincts and every one of them says no!!! Not just no, never. Like Vlad, they are not our friends.
Our blog friend Indigo has a great article about diversity and what has happened to Europe, that's what all this posturing is about anyway, selling us out for political correctness. http://indigosinsights.blogspot.com/2006/03/but-of-course-europe-needed-diversity.html
Posted by: Jack at March 3, 2006 03:56 PM
Hi Jack, thank you.
A big wow for that link. Thank you so much for posting it. I wish I could comment back to Indigo but there is no comment area. It was so true what was written. Thank you again.
Posted by: Wild Thing at March 3, 2006 05:26 PM