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This is an astounding example of representative democracy, and I hope everyone here takes note. Senators and Congressmen have been flat-out overwhelmed by their constituents demanding that this deal NOT go through. The White House administration was all for it, and Congress basically said the people are adamantly against it... This is indeed democracy in action...
However, I wonder about the intent of we Americans in this, I am somewhat glad this deal didn't go through... But my reasons are probably different then others, I feel that a majority of American's sentiment towards this issue has to do with an ethnocentric view of Muslims and the Middle East... In other words, I think the American population as a whole is discriminating against Middle Eastern countries for better or for worse... I hope that an American company can take this over and created more jobs for Americans...
Maybe we are fed up with having our oil money fund terrorism and royal families. Or maybe we want to have our ports ran by an American company... Either way, it is truly astounding and Bush has mud in his face now... I find it relieving that people still have a say in what goes on in our country, however small or large the consequences...
Comments
You are a racist and a moron. This is not a victory for representative democracy. This is a victory for an ignorant and loud-mouthed portion of America that reminds me every day why our founding fathers believed only educated people should be able to vote.
The only reason people were against this was because the country taking control is called the United Arab Emirates. Anyone who has actually been to Dubai, which I have and you obviously have not, would tell you that this is one of the friendliest Arab nations America can possibly hope for.
Did you know that for years American Naval vessels have been using Dubai as a port of call, and thousands upon thousands of servicemen and women have enjoyed liberty there?
For once an Arab nation has attempted to develop business relations with us that does not involve oil. We missed a major chance to prove to the Arabs that we do not just care about their oil. This decision has justified the radical Islamist beliefs, and has added another smear to America's image abroad.
I will only mention the fact that this flies in the face of free trade and capitalism.
P.S. This is not going to create a significant amount of new American jobs . moron
As far as I know Saudia Arabia is one of USA's closest allies in the middleeast.
"Fear not death; for the sooner we die, the longer shall we be immortal."
Bush wanted to let a Saudia Arabian company run some of the biggest ports in the US. People feared national security and didn't want to loose their jobs. So it was stopped. That is what I know. Wasn't so much about it in the media over here.
Did you know that I knew all of that? lol...
I addressed that in my OP, I am just opening the air for discussion here... The amount of response this got from the otherwise lazy American populace is astounding, and almost all of them feel the exact same way you do... Not trying to discredit this at all, just pointing it out... Did you know?
What I think:
The people that where going to loose their jobs. They protested because of that. Kinda obvious.
Many protested because of the arab/muslim fear/hate in USA and many western countries. We see it every day.
Some protested just because it was Bush that wanted this deal. Or because he wanted to force it through.
What is important to remember I think, is that:
Because 5-10 persons from a country where terrorists, doesn't make the whole country a evil terror nation. You can't punish innocent people for actions by others.
This arabian company was very skilled I think. I believe they where the first company in the world that has installed electronic devices for detection of nuclear material in their ports.
I haven't heard so much about this. So I don't know all the details, and maybe there are other details that the Americans don't even know. Like some sort of deal between USA and Saudia Arabia if this company is allowed to run ports in USA. Many international agreements have "secret" parts like this.
You are completely right, the Arabs have much better port operations than the US, in fact it is well known that the US is very much lacking in this area... I don't think it had anything to do with losing jobs, the Arabs already knew that they would have to tread very lightly with this deal, and firing Americans in American ports while being ran by Arabs is enough to cause rioting...
I think we voted it down due to hatred, fear and disillusionment with the Middle East as a whole... Our guard is up big time, and Americans are tired of seeing big business run the show when it is contrary to our foreign policies with the war and all... My two cents...
Did you know that you obviously do not have a clue what you are talking about, and should stop spewing racist garbage on the forums now?
I called him a racist because the only reason he has for not wanting Dubai World Ports managing our ports is because of their race... and I like to turn up the burner on people like him.
I don't care if he is not alone, just because a majority of Americans dislike and do not trust Arabs do not make those sentiments right. There was a time in America when a majority of the citizens did not like a certain segment of the population, and there was a time in Germany when a majority there disliked and did not trust a certain race. Hindsight tells us that the majority can be wrong.
People are incredibly short sighted. They forget that acts of terror have been committed by our fellow citizens. Just because Eric Harris, Dylan Klebold, Theodore Kaczynski, Timothy McVeigh and many others were crazy didn't make Americans fearful of white people... hummmm... I wonder why....
It amazes me how rude people can be with the relative anonimity of the internet. At no point did the OP write anything racist, while he did state the perceptions of an unfortunately large part of the American population, you can not call him racist. Just because you don't agree with the results of this situtation does not deter from the fact that this was an example of "Representative Democracy" in effect. Also because you don't agree with his views is no reason to call him or anyone a moron for that matter, it just makes you come of as being rude and childish. People result to name calling when they have nothing intellegent to add.
I also love when people go spouting off examples about .."Oh, our founding fathers this and our founding fathers that...," give it a rest. Today is completely different and that is all there is to it, deal with it. Agreeing with their ignorance only proves yours more, and you being in your 20's should know better.
While this may fly in the face of free trade as you stated, it does not fly in the face of capitalism. The money is still going to come to the US and the work with still come to the US. All the Dubai company is going to do is find a figurehead American company to do this for them. The OP never said that this would create a "significant amount" of jobs, that was your little addition (would that make you the moron?? ah nevermind) By passing the ruling, congress has only delayed the inevitable and made themselves look good to the public.
Please stop trying to act so high and mighty, it makes you look so small and petty.
"It is easier to be cruel than wise. The road to wisdom is long and difficult... so most people just turn out to be assholes" Feng (Christopher Walken)
How did racism even come into play in this thread? Whoever the first shit-for-brains is that mentioned it obviously did not read the OP. The OP was about the ports deal not going through, and was open for discusion, wtf does it have to do with Americans not liking people from the Middle East? So youre saying you would rather have some other random country take over the US ports on get this....US SOIL!!
It wasnt about WHO might have taken control of the ports, but more of the fact that SOMEBODY outside of the US was taking them over.
"There's no star system Slave I can't reach, and there's no planet I can't find. There's nowhere in the Galaxy for you to run. Might as well give up now."
Boba Fett
I think saying that this is some form of racism is not correct.
I have heard a lot of people talk about this and I haven't heard one person say anything resembling racism. Everything I've heard has been concern for us letting another country manage our ports. I don't want any other country managing our ports and I think that's what everyone is saying.
The Chinese manage some of our ports. I don't want them doing it either. I don't even want the British managing any of our ports. If these countries want to do business over here then let them open up a hotdog stand or something, but letting them handle our ports is being too cozy with any other country as far as I'm concerned.
To call this a racist issue is missing the whole point. And I would be really careful throwing that accusation around too. It's not a very nice thing to say. It's also not nice to pass judgement on someone just because they disagree with you.
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