Dubai..... Ally of the USA? Duncan Hunter 'gets it'!

Last nights 60 minutes episode about Dubai, UAE had many glowing words and scenes of the modernized Arab state. To be sure, they are on the economic upward trend, a virtual playground for the rich. Actually Dubai is more like DisneyLand on steroids.

While 85% of the population is alien cheap labor, the Dubai citizens prosper as they pay their imported slave labor $5 per day wages and resentment grows.

The most enlightening part of the program were the remarks of their leader, Sheikh Mohammed.

From the transcript:

Asked what he likes about the U.S., Sheikh Mohammed says, "I like everything about them, except their foreign policy little bit. I don't like their foreign policy."

"Can you be more specific about the foreign policy? What don't you like about the foreign policy?" Kroft asks.

"No I'll leave it vague. Just, I'll leave it like that," the sheikh says. "I think the American people will know what I mean."

"You had conversations, and consultations with the United States before the Iraq war," Kroft says.

"Yes. Yes. We gave the best advice we can to our friends. But, as you know, they don't always listen," the sheikh says.

Sheikh Mohammed acknowledges he was against the war. "It was wrong war," he says.

There are also differences with the U.S. over Iran, which is one of Dubai's closest neighbor, largest trading partners, and one of its biggest investors. Any hostilities in the Persian Gulf could present the sheikh with some difficult choices. But for the time being, business is still booming."[snip]

During a recent debate the subject of Dubai operating US ports as requested by the Bush Administration was presented. Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, Texas Rep. Ron Paul, Arizona Sen. John McCain, former Tennesssee Sen. Fred Thompson, and Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback agreed with the deal, but no so for but California Rep. Duncan Hunter and Colorado Rep. Tom Tancredo.

If you recall, Duncan Hunter is the man who stood against the port takeover by the Dubai Sheikh. Hunter said he does not believe the company should have been allowed the large stake in the exchange.

"Because I don't trust them," he said.

And with good reason, Mr. Hunter! Perhaps Duncan Hunter understands more about our 'friends' than most of us realize.

Congressman Duncan Hunter: "No, because I don’t trust them. And I don’t trust them because a few years ago Dubai, while an American Customs agent was trying to stop them, set for delivery a set of nuclear triggers to an anonymous recipient in Islamabad, probably for the A.Q. Khan network. That went directly against American interests. So I would not do that."


Tammy Bruce has some comments while blogging about the debate and Dubai:

"I think the clearest indication of what sort of people we're dealing with here is their position on Dubai, a Jew-hating, non-democratic Islamist regime, can buy whatever they want here. With the exception of Hunter and Tancredo, all get an "F" on that national security/values question........ Hunter: NO!!! He doesn't trust them. !! Finally. Says Dubai helped ship nuclear triggers probably to our enemies. We still don't know who. [No one mentions their boycott of Israel and the refusal to touch things a Jew has touched.]"

I'm getting bored. Hunter is coming across as the strongest, most clear on what's happening internationally, and the impact of Unfair Trade on this country. I find it slightly ridiculous that these men, who've been in office forever, are talking incessantly about how things have to change in Washington when they've been in that town for decades creating the problem. It's as though they think they can convince us they're all outsiders or something. Listening to John "Amnesty" McCain talking about the need for change is especially surreal.

Duncan Hunter notes 1.8 million jobs going to Communist China is the problem. Bravo. Yeah, notes that all the senators voted for Most Favored Nation status for China, sending those jobs to that pit. He was great."

Key GOP Lawmaker Blasts Ports Deal Rep. Duncan Hunter Says He Will Try To Stop Ports Deal WASHINGTON, March 3, 2006 http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/03/03/politics/main1365718.shtml

See Duncan Hunter interviewed on the Dubai Ports Deal. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JyZTd5UeGE

Transcript and video. A Visit To Dubai Inc.
Steve Kroft Reports On A Success Story In The Middle East
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/10/12/60minutes/main3361753.shtml