dear l,

well ... at least we get more visitors now ... should we start posting juicy pictures?

--raf*

Ignorant potshotters are a sign of wider exposure and readership.

L: you're famous! especially among the less-well-informed.

Lets not forget that the UAE was also the launching point for two of the 9.11 hijackers. It doesn't matter if you think their government is a technically a secular one or not. They still have elements of Islamic zealotry which influences a lot of their citizens. Lets also remember that the UAE has a terrible human rights record regarding human trafficking and sexual slavery.

"Lets not forget that the UAE was also the launching point for two of the 9.11 hijackers."

Did they go into outer space too? Actually Boston and DC was where they launched from and Florida was where the key people were based and banked. Hamburg was where they plotted.

Let's not forget that if it werent for the UAE, the banking patterns of alQaeda people would not be effectively monitored; that allies of the USA in Central Asia have worse human rights records than UAE and lots of Islamic zealotry (as do our allies Afghanistan and Iraq, today).

UAE port operations firms are proven entities. UAE record on cooperation with the US is clear, and even its view of Israel (not that that should be wholly a priority for Americans ) is one of non-rejectionism. With reluctance, but in honor of international agreements, UAE hosted an ISraeli official delegation in 2003.

From Al-AHram:

"Indeed, the arrival of the Israeli delegation to the United Arab Emirates is already regarded as an extremely sensitive and difficult issue for a country well known for its adherence to time- tested Arab values, particularly at a time when the peace process is virtually stalled due to Israel's criminal intransigence under the notorious leadership of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. Yet despite the fact that the participation of the Israeli delegation is proving a source of displeasure to the governments of the UAE and Dubai, both are grudgingly forced to accept it considering that Israel is a member of the two international organisations and must be treated equal to other members. No host country can stipulate the non- participation of any member nation, no matter how steep the differences between them."

Finally, companies such as this, while having UAE status are essentiall personelled and run by the same folks of the same background as others in the field.

There may be a point on foreign control of port assets that have direct impace on security, but these do not appear to, as security is Homeland S Dept and Coast Guard, and there does not seem to be too much of a fuss about Chinese govt (and at one time military) control fo West Coast port-operations companies.

the UAE has a terrible human rights record regarding human trafficking and sexual slavery.

Well, maybe, but they certainly aren't alone among countries with human trafficking issues. (And what that has to do with protecting the U.S. against terrorism, anyway, I have no idea.)

And as further illustration of the stupidity behind these comments, Basket Case comes along to illustrate:
Lets not forget that the UAE was also the launching point for two of the 9.11 hijackers.

As was London and Hamburg. Your point then is what?

It doesn't matter if you think their government is a technically a secular one or not. They still have elements of Islamic zealotry which influences a lot of their citizens.

Let me translate this: "It doesn't matter if my betters tell me that my opinions are being pulled out of my ass, I will merely hand wave and throw around words like Zeolotry."

Pure fear and fear-mongering.

Lets also remember that the UAE has a terrible human rights record regarding human trafficking and sexual slavery.

And this has what to do with Port Management.