A Stitch in Haste

"Politically tone deaf."

That's the best descriptor I've heard so far for the loopy decision by underlings at the White House to allow six American ports to be managed commercially by a company owned by the "government" of the United Arab Emirates (to call the UAE a "country" is somewhat akin to calling a toddler playing dress-up in mommy's closet a "fashion model").

But if there's one thing that this Administration is good at, it's paternalistic dictatorialism. So who among us has any right to be surprised?

In any event, I don't buy for a minute the argument that, from a homeland security perspective, this proposed sale is "no big deal." That assertion defies all logic -- even though the Coast Guard may continue to oversee "boots on the ground" security, the "purely commercial" information that Dubai Ports World would gain could also certainly be useful to would-be terrorists (i.e., which ships are carrying what from where).

As for the "racism" canard: it is not "racist" to point out that two of the 9/11 hijackers were from the UAE. It is not "racist" to point out that the UAE was the clearinghouse for laundering funds used to finance 9/11. It is not "racist" to point out that the UAE is hardly an "ally in the War on Terror" in the same way that Britain is.

Neither is it "racist" to point out the following:

--Fewer than 20% of the people who live in the UAE are citizens of the UAE.

--There is no clear border between the UAE and Saudi Arabia -- only a treaty that both countries refuse to make public.

--There are no elections of any kind in the UAE.

--There are no human rights organizations of any kind in the UAE.

--Despite a relentless propaganda campaign by the government, women have few rights in the UAE. Women may not leave the country without their husband's permission. Keeping multiple wives is legal in the UAE. Muslim women may not marry non-Muslim men. Citizenship of children born in the UAE is determined solely by citizenship of the father and not the mother. Women who become pregnant out of wedlock are subject to public flogging.

--The UAE government engages in both direct and indirect censorship of both news and cultural media. Brokeback Mountain is banned in the UAE.

--The UAE government controls all mosques, both Shia and Sunni. It is a crime in the UAE to try to convert a Muslim to another religion.

--Following a surge in heat-related illness and injuries at construction sites in July 2005, the UAE government directed construction companies to give workers an afternoon break during the months of July and August. However, a number of companies defied this order and publicly stated that they prefer to pay fines rather than comply.

--The UAE is a primary clearinghouse for Middle Eastern narcotics trafficking.

--The UAE is also a leading clearinghouse for Middle Eastern human trafficking, especially the kidnapping of young boys who are sold into slavery as camel jockeys.

--The UAE uses Sharia courts to enforce Islamic law.

--Gay sex is punishable by death in the UAE.

(Source: CIA World Factbook, U.S. State Department, Human Rights Watch).

I say again: it is not "racist" to point out that the UAE is hardly equivalent to Britain, either in the War on Terror or anything else.

Put the "national security" concerns aside for a moment -- what about the human rights concerns? The UAE is in no way a "model neighbor" that we should respect or reward. Why on Earth would we be doing business with these people in any context, let alone one deeply entwined with our national security?

Oh, right, I forgot -- oil. Same as the with our other "allies," the Saudi barbarians.

Federal, state and local politicians, both Democrat and Republican, are opposed to this transaction, or at least want further study.

And apparently they can all kiss George W. Bush's ass. (And remember, Bush didn't even know about the sale until after the deal was approved -- how well-thought-out could it have been?)

The port debacle gives new meaning to the term "business as usual" as it applies to the Bush White House.

I'm a featured "pundit" today over at WILLisms' "Pundit Roundtable."

The topic:

Where do you stand on the issue of letting a Dubai company run American ports? Has your view changed since you first heard about the story? What do you make of the fact that George W. Bush did not know about this deal until it broke in the news?

I of course took the opportunity to revise and extend my remarks from this post.

Thanks to WILLisms for the invitation.

Thought Experiment #1:

Consider a hypothetical bank robber. He robs a bank, is caught, tried, convicted and sentenced to 4 1/2 years in prison and 10 years probation.

He serves his time as a model prisoner, obeying all the rules, cooperating with prison guards and being generally compliant.

His 4 1/2 years pass and he is released, apparently rehabilitated, to serve the period of his probation.

Is it reasonable to hire him as a bank teller?

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Thought Experiment #2:

Suppose I owe you $500. Perhaps it was a loan; perhaps I lost a bet; perhaps I crashed your car into a skyscraper. I have owed you this money for 4 1/2 years, but it is not technically "delinquent" — we simply never set a deadline for payment.

Today I pay you the $500.

Is it reasonable to suggest that, since you now have $500 more than you did yesterday, and it was I who enriched you by $500, that you in turn now owe me $500?

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So much for this ridiculous "they are an ally in the War on Terror" gobbledygook. Every civilized nation owes us the debt of being "an ally in the War on Terror." The UAE even more than others, if anything. Paying that debt to us does not in turn make us indebted to them. It's preposterous.

It is neither Islamophobic nor isolationist to impose the most rudimentary standards on those governments with which our government considers doing business. It is not racist to insist that, no, 4 1/2 years is not long enough and that the UAE government is still on probation.

The port deal should be blocked, if for no other reason, then precisely because we want to foster incrementalist reform in our so-called "allies." You eat your vegetables first, then you get dessert, not the other way around. You do your chores, then you get your allowance, not the other way around.

"On Earth, petroleum once turned petty thugs into world leaders."
--Star Trek: Insurrection

"A man's called a traitor -- or liberator.
A rich man's a thief -- or philanthropist.
Is one a crusader -- or ruthless invader?
It's all in which label is able to persist."
--Wicked, "Wonderful"

To review: The United Arab Emirates is our ally --

Voting has begun in the second stage of landmark national elections in the United Arab Emirates, in which under 1% of citizens are allowed to vote.

Voters hand-picked by the government are choosing half of the Federal National Council, an advisory body. ... The candidates standing for election were also hand-picked by the Emirati government.

Meanwhile, Iran is not our ally:

Final results in the election race for Tehran City Council on Thursday showed allies of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had gained the fewest seats among the main political groups.

Analysts see the results, which confirm preliminary counts, as a political setback for the anti-Western president and a possible sign of public frustration with Iran's increasing diplomatic isolation and economic woes.

Although Friday's elections for local councils and a powerful clerical body known as the Assembly of Experts will not have a direct impact on policy, they may encourage moderate voices to challenge the president more forcefully.

I'm not saying Iran should be our ally. My only point is that it's a fine, and generally arbitrary, line between allies and non-allies in that region. Which is what happens when you suddenly bathe pre-modern nomadic goat-herders with billions upon billions of your dollars while trying to wage a Cold War followed by a War on Terror.

Petrodollars make for very strange bedfellows indeed.

POST SCRIPT: Back to the UAE for a moment --

The Gulf emirate of Ras al-Khaimah has introduced a new dress code targeted in part at people wearing pyjamas to work.
...
Starting on 1 January 2007, civil servants in the emirate will have to wear national dress -- a long white robe for men and the black abaya for women.

Expatriates will be required to wear suits and ties.

Yes indeed -- democracy is certainly on the march among the goat-herders of the UAE.