Can't Get that Tune Out of Your Head?
The Dubai Ports World controversy highlights one thing about the Bush administration. At some point Bush decided that his virtue, his song was steadfastness. No backing down. No admission of error. Stand tough. We may only have one song, but we sing it well and often.
There are reasons to support the DPW deal. For all the problems with the Emirates, since 9/11 they have found religion (sorry) and been pretty supportive of the US. We want to encourage this sort of shift, especially in the Arab world.
That said, the downside, especially politically, for the Bush administration is massive. It has put GOP congresspeople in an untenable situation. Support the deal and open a door for criticize in the upcoming elections, or go with the polls and oppose the deal and further drive down the administration's ratings.
It would have made SO much more sense for Bush to say "I just found out about this deal. It is troubling. We are going to put it on hold and reevaluate it." and then let the deal quietly die. But backing down just isn't in the lyrics of Bush's tune.
There are reasons to support the DPW deal. For all the problems with the Emirates, since 9/11 they have found religion (sorry) and been pretty supportive of the US. We want to encourage this sort of shift, especially in the Arab world.
That said, the downside, especially politically, for the Bush administration is massive. It has put GOP congresspeople in an untenable situation. Support the deal and open a door for criticize in the upcoming elections, or go with the polls and oppose the deal and further drive down the administration's ratings.
It would have made SO much more sense for Bush to say "I just found out about this deal. It is troubling. We are going to put it on hold and reevaluate it." and then let the deal quietly die. But backing down just isn't in the lyrics of Bush's tune.
posted by Howard at 2:15 PM
2 Comments:
While I don't reject the DPW deal out of hand just because they are owned by arabs, it's important to note that the UAE was 1 of just 3 countries to offer dipomatic recognition to the Taliban, the others being Saudi and Pakistan. Our closest allies in the middle east? Moreover, Clinton once declined to strike at Bin Laden because half the UAE royal family was visiting him at the time. And the royal family owns Dubai Ports World. I find it hard to have faith in this deal if the assumption is that the royal family has turned its back on Bin Laden and Wahhabism and is now on our side. That's really hard to believe.
I agree that the UAE is a mixed bag. The major argument for allowing the deal to go through (assuming there are no actual security issues) is that the UAE has moved in the "right" direction. That is, they have become subsantially more supportive of the US. There is something to be said for rewarding this.
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